Category: Chinese Idioms

Once upon a time, a man from the State of Qi was always worried about what would happen if the sky and the ground collapsed. He was so worried that he couldn’t eat and sleep. One day, a friend came to help him: “The sky has been an air mass since the beginning. We mankind…

In ancient China during the Warring States Period, a jeweler from Chu frequently traveled between Chu and Zheng to trade jewelry. Hoping for a good price in Zheng, he hired craftsmen to create exquisite wooden boxes from rare lily magnolia wood, perfumed with spices, and adorned with bright green and rosy jade stones. Confident in…

Once upon a time, there was a family living in the State of Ch’u. One day the family left a pot of wine to people who helped them after honoring their ancestors. However, among them who would be the first one for drinking. Someone suggested: “Each of us will draw a snake on the ground.…

Once, there was a man who often ate too much and too fast. One day, while eating quickly, a fishbone got stuck in his throat. It was a serious problem! His family called a doctor, but the doctor couldn’t help. Everyone around him was worried but didn’t know what to do. Sadly, the man died…

Once upon a time, there was a man who lived in the State of Chu. One day, he went to the market on the opposite river. He brought a sword with him and took a boat. When the boat was in the middle of the river, the sword suddenly fell from his hand into the…

Once there was a farmer who was impatient for doing things. He wanted the seedlings he planted to grow fast and give him a big harvest quickly. But the truth was, the young seedlings need time to grow, and they can’t be rushed. He then thought about this for many days. Later one day, he…

This idiom comes from a book called Baiyujing, which uses stories to teach lessons. It has early versions in Buddhist and Hindu texts. The story is about several blind men who have never seen an elephant before. They want to know what the elephant is like by touching it. Each man touches only one part…

Once upon a time, there was a man strolling down the street after his lunch. Suddenly, he spotted a beautiful doorbell on a house he passed by. Charmed by its beauty, he longed to have it. However, he knew he risked getting caught if he touched it. After much thinking, an idea came to him.…

Long long ago, there was an industrious farmer. One day, when he was working in the field, he saw that a wild rabbit ran across the field and bumped into a tree stump and died. The farmer picked it up and brought it home to make a nice meal. He thought:” So lucky I am!…