Basic Info Figurative Definition It describes grief so overwhelming that a person can no longer contain or endure it – sorrow that breaks through all self-control. The person is not merely sad; they are overcome, shaken, and unable to hold themselves together. It is used for moments of deep mourning, devastating news, or inconsolable…
Basic Info Also written as “卑躬屈节” (bēi gōng qū jié). The image is of someone physically lowering themselves – bending the waist, bowing the head, and dropping to their knees – before someone more powerful. Figurative Definition It describes someone who is servile, sycophantic, and utterly lacking in backbone – a person who grovels…
Basic Info Note: As with “卑鄙龌龊,” the classical sense of “卑鄙” was “low in rank or position,” but in modern Chinese it means “morally base and despicable.” Here the moral sense is unmistakable. Figurative Definition It describes a person who is both morally base and completely without shame – someone who commits dishonorable acts…
Basic Info Note: In classical Chinese, “卑鄙” originally meant “low in rank or position” – humble and obscure. In modern Chinese, however, it has shifted to mean “despicable / morally base.” In this idiom, the modern moral sense dominates: the person is morally low and foul. Figurative Definition It describes a person whose character…
Basic Info The image is of someone trying to put out a blazing cartload of firewood with a single cup of water – a hopeless, laughably inadequate effort. Figurative Definition It means that the effort or resources available are far too small to deal with the size of the problem – the attempt is…
Basic Info Note on the image: In ancient Chinese, “狼藉” described the messy, trampled state left behind – traditionally compared to wolves bedded down on grass, or the scattered disorder of a place where wolves have been. Over time, it came to mean simply “in disarray / in a mess.” Figurative Definition It describes…
Basic Info Also written as “觥筹交错” (gōng chóu jiāo cuò), with 筹 (chóu) meaning drinking-game counters or tally sticks. The image is of a lively banquet table where wine vessels are constantly raised, passed, and clinked together – a scene of warmth, celebration, and convivial drinking. Figurative Definition It describes the bustling, joyous atmosphere…
Basic Info The image is of someone seeing the shadow of a hanging bow reflected in a wine cup and mistaking it for a snake – then becoming terrified by their own imagination. Figurative Definition It describes groundless fear born from suspicion and imagination – becoming anxious, frightened, or even physically ill because one…
Basic Info Also written as “暴躁如雷” (bào zào rú léi). The image is of someone leaping and stamping in fury, their rage as violent and loud as a thunderclap. Figurative Definition It describes someone in a state of explosive, violent anger – so enraged that they jump up and down, shout, and stamp their…