| Entry | Pinyin | Meaning | English Equivalent | Story? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 捕风捉影 | bǔ fēng zhūo yǐng |
To act or speak based on unfounded evidence or rumors |
None |
Yes |
| 不可救药 | bù kě jiù yào |
Refers to situations or people that have worsened beyond the point of repair or helping (figurative or literal) |
None |
Yes |
| 不可思议 | bù kě sī yì |
Unbelievable; unimaginable |
None |
No |
| 不相上下 | bù xiāng shàng xià |
To be about the same; to have a very small difference |
None |
No |
| 不屑一顾 | bù xiè yī gù |
To consider something not worthy of attention or consideration |
None |
No |
| 不言而喻 | bù yán ér yù |
This effectively means "it goes without saying," and it's generally used the same way as in English |
It goes without saying |
No |
| 不约而同 | bù yuē ér tóng |
To do the same thing without prior consultation or agreement |
None |
No |
| 不择手段 | bù zé shǒu duàn |
Refers to using any method in order to achieve one's goal |
By hook or by crook |
No |
| 沧海桑田 | cāng hǎi sāng tián |
Refers to large-scale transformations or changes (of places, people, etc) |
None |
Yes |
| 草木皆兵 | cǎo mù jiē bīng |
To describe people who are in a state of acute nervousness, fear, or suspicion |
None |
Yes |
| 侧目而视 | cè mù ér shì |
To look askance at someone, particularly out of fear or indignation |
None |
Yes |
| 层出不穷 | céng chū bù qióng |
Repeatedly emerging one after the other without an end in sight |
None |
No |
| 长话短说 | cháng huà duǎn shuō |
This effectively means "long story short," and it's used the same way as in English |
Long story short |
No |
| 唱空城计 | chàng kōng chéng jì |
Refers to using some kind of method to conceal one's weakness from the enemy. Also can indicate that something or one's stomach is empty, or that a company's employees are mostly out of the office (for group travel, etc) |
None |
Yes |
| 称心如意 | chén xīn rú yì |
Used to indicate that something is directly in line with one's wishes |
None |
No |
| 沉鱼落雁 | chén yú luò yàn |
An extraordinarily beautiful woman |
None |
Yes |
| 乘风破浪 | chéng fēng pò làng |
Refers to someone with great ambition, or someone who takes action without fear of hardship. Also indicates that things develop very rapidly |
None |
Yes |
| 程门立雪 | chéng mén lì xuě |
Refers to deeply respecting one's teacher and their teachings; to walk on foot |
None |
Yes |
| 乘人之危 | chéng rén zhī wēi |
To take advantage of another's crisis or weakness by using blackmail or some other form of coercion |
To hit a man while he's down |
Yes |
| 楚材晋用 | chǔ cái jìn yòng |
Outflow of skilled workers; talented people go elsewhere for work; brain drain |
Brain drain |
Yes |
| 初出茅庐 | chū chū máo lú |
To have just started one's career; to be entering society to work for the first time; lacking in experience |
None |
Yes |
| 出尔反尔 | chū ěr fǎn ěr |
In modern Chinese, this refers to when one's behavior is contradictory or inconsistent. Originally, this phrase was used to indicate that others would treat you like you treated them |
None |
Yes |
| 川流不息 | chuān liú bù xī |
This refers to a unending stream of objects (cars, people, etc) |
None |
No |
| 唇亡齿寒 | chún wáng chǐ hán |
This indicates that two sides — and by extension their losses and gains — are interrelated |
None |
Yes |
| 打草惊蛇 | dǎ cǎo jīng shé |
To inadvertently alert an enemy due to one's own conspicuous actions |
None |
Yes |