idioms

During the reign of Emperor Wudi (156–87 B.C.) of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C. – A.D. 23), there was a man named Yi Zong who was well known for ...

The idiom "going astray in a complex situation" originates from an ancient Chinese story about the search for ...

The Chinese idiom 不合時宜 (bù hé shí yí), which translates as "behind the times," is used to describe ...

Han Xin (about 256–195 B.C.) was a military strategist and general who contributed greatly to the founding of ...

A long time ago, there was a chess master named Yi Qiu (弈秋). He was famous for being ...

During the Warring States period (475–221 B.C.), there was a weapons merchant in the state of Chu who ...

During the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 B.C.), there lived an old man in the state of Song. ...

Prior to the end of the Qin Dynasty (221–206 B.C.), the leader of the rebellion troops, Liu Bang, ...

By the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (A.D. 317–420), most affairs of state were entrusted to eunuchs ...

During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, there was a general named Li Ling who ...

The Chinese idiom 一鼓作氣(yì gǔ zuò qì) means to press on to the finish without letup. It came ...

The Duke of Ye was known for his love of dragons.

The Chinese idiom 舉棋不定 (jǔ qí bù dìng) translates as "lift up a chess piece and hesitate about ...

 During the Eastern Han period (A.D. 25–220), Xun Shu served as a local governor of the state of ...

This idiom is used to describe how a couple should treat each other with mutual respect.

When Wen was young, he was especially fond of painting bamboo.

Zhuang said to the king of Chu: “Your Majesty, you are always surrounded by ministers who flatter you ...

The expression "overturn the sky and the earth" first appeared in the poem "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad ...

Jiang Yan was a poet from the Southern Dynasty (A.D. 420–581). He was recognized as a master of ...

In the Northern Song Dynasty (A.D. 960–1127), Jia Yi and Li Shishi were lovers. Jia was a military ...

Once upon a time, there was a man who had never seen or heard of a camel.

Sun Zi offered to help train the Wu army and turn the state into a more powerful kingdom.

The Chinese idiom 熟能生巧 (shú néng shēng qiǎo) literally means that practice gives birth to great skill. It ...

The Chinese idiom 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) literally means “keeping watch at the tree awaiting a rabbit.” ...

The Chinese idiom “黔驴技穷” (qián l? jì qióng) literally means “the donkey has exhausted its tricks” and it ...

The idiom 'a vanished dream' comes from the story "The World Inside a Pillow."

The idiom “replace shields and axes with jade and silks” means to turn from war to peace, or ...