ChengYu 成語

When I hear 青梅竹馬, I think of my friends Wei-Lun and Yu-Ting. They’ve known each other since kindergarten, spending afternoons riding their bikes around the block and sharing snacks at cram school. As they grew up, they joined the same sports teams, did school projects together, and supported each other through all the ups and downs […]

I once had a student who always worried about every little detail—whether the class project would be perfect, if the weather would cooperate on presentation day, or even if a power outage might strike during his talk. His constant worries reminded me of the idiom 杞人憂天, which means “the man of Qi fears the sky falling.”

One year, we were preparing for a major inter-school competition. My students were talented but nervous, unsure of how to approach the challenges ahead. Thankfully, we had Mrs. Huang, a retired teacher who had guided many teams through the same competition in the past. Mrs. Huang joined our practice sessions, offering insights and calmly leading

I remember the first time I had to share an idea in a group project. I felt nervous, knowing it wasn’t perfect and fearing how it would be received. But to my surprise, when I shared it, it sparked a discussion, leading to even better suggestions from the group. This is the essence of 拋磚引玉 (pāo zhuān

We’ve all faced situations where a mistake or oversight led to negative consequences. The real test, however, is how we respond: do we give up, or do we take steps to set things right? This is the heart of today’s idiom, 亡羊補牢 (wáng yáng bǔ láo), which means “mend the sheepfold after a sheep is lost.” While

Have you ever found yourself waiting around, hoping good fortune will just fall into your lap? Today’s idiom, 守株待兔(shǒu zhū dài tù), captures exactly that feeling—but with a humorous twist. The phrase translates to “waiting by a tree stump for a rabbit,” drawing on an old story about a farmer who expected luck to strike twice

Have you ever had to keep a secret so tightly guarded that not even your best friend could pry it out of you? That’s the perfect moment for today’s idiom: 守口如瓶 (shǒu kǒu rú píng), which vividly translates to “keeping one’s mouth sealed like a bottle.” Imagine a tightly corked bottle—nothing gets in, and nothing gets out.

Imagine you’ve found yourself in a situation that spirals out of control. Maybe it started with a simple white lie, but now it’s grown into something bigger, and you feel stuck—unable to move forward or back out gracefully. This is exactly the feeling captured by today’s idiom: 騎虎難下 (qí hǔ nán xià), which describes being caught in

Hey there, language learners! Today, we’re exploring a powerful Chinese idiom that’s both vivid and thought-provoking: 懸崖勒馬 (xuán yá lè mǎ). Imagine you’re hiking up a steep, narrow mountain trail. The view is breathtaking, but as you approach the edge of a cliff, you realize the danger ahead. At that moment, you pull back, stopping just

Hello, hello! Ni hao, dear language adventurers! Strap in because today, we’re going on a delightful journey to explore a Chinese idiom, or should I say, ChengYu – “想入非非” Xiǎngrùfēifēi. Grab your notebooks and pens, or just your curiosity, because we’re about to dive headfirst into the fascinating world of Mandarin idioms. Now, let me