| Entry | Pinyin | Meaning | English Equivalent | Story? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 大公无私 | dà gōng wú sī |
To put the interests of the people and country ahead of one's own; to handle matters justly and fairly |
None |
Yes |
| 大器晚成 | dà qì wǎn chéng |
Indicates that people of great talent make take longer to develop their skills and may accomplish great things relatively later in life |
Late bloomer |
Yes |
| 呆若木鸡 | dāi ruò mù jī |
To be dumbstruck with fear or shock |
None |
Yes |
| 当务之急 | dāng wù zhī jí |
Something that should be done urgently; the most important task amongst all other tasks that must be done |
None |
Yes |
| 道听途说 | dào tīng tú shuō |
Hearsay, gossip, rumors; information that does not have factual basis |
None |
Yes |
| 得不偿失 | dé bù cháng shī |
The gains do not compensate for the losses |
None |
Yes |
| 得寸进尺 | dé cùn jìn chǐ |
Indicates that one is greedy and insatiable; that one's hopes desires get increasingly large |
None |
No |
| 得天独厚 | dé tiān dú hòu |
To enjoy particularly beneficial characteristics or conditions; gifted by nature |
None |
No |
| 丢三落四 | diū sān là sì |
Describes carelessness or forgetfulness |
None |
No |
| 东山再起 | dōng shān zài qǐ |
To regain one's strength or power after previously losing it |
To make a comeback |
Yes |
| 东施效颦 | dōng shī xiào pín |
Refers to blindly imitating others and ending up achieving the opposite of what was intended |
None |
Yes |
| 东张西望 | dōng zhāng xī wàng |
To look in all directions; to look all around |
None |
No |
| 对牛弹琴 | duì niú tán qín |
To try to use reason or logic with someone who understands neither; to use jargon with someone who won't understand it. Often used to mock or satirize. |
To preach to deaf ears |
Yes |
| 对症下药 | duì zhèng xià yào |
To take the correct steps to resolve a problem or situation |
None |
Yes |
| 恶贯满盈 | è guàn mǎn yíng |
To commit endless crimes and deserve judgement/damnation |
None |
Yes |
| 防微杜渐 | fáng wēi dù jiàn |
To stop a bad idea or action at its inception so that it does not become worse |
Nip it in the bud |
Yes |
| 飞蛾扑火 | fēi é pū huǒ |
Used in situations where someone is digging their own grave or causing their own ruin |
To court disaster |
Yes |
| 废寝忘食 | fèi qǐn wàng shí |
To be completely absorbed in one's work; to focus on something with single-minded devotion |
To be wrapped up in one's work |
Yes |
| 飞禽走兽 | fēi qín zǒu shòu |
This is a catch-all phrase for mammals and birds |
None |
No |
| 风吹草动 | fēng chuī cǎo dòng |
A small change or disturbance, or the sign of either of these |
None |
Yes |
| 凤毛麟角 | fèng máo lín jiǎo |
Extremely rare and scarce |
Few and far between |
Yes |
| 风土人情 | fēng tǔ rén qíng |
Refers to the customs and characteristics that are unique to a specific location |
None |
No |
| 负荆请罪 | fù jīng qǐng zuì |
To formally offer a sincere apology |
None |
Yes |
| 覆水难收 | fù shuǐ nán shōu |
Describes situations where the outcome can't be reversed or changed. Often used in reference to divorce. |
To cry over spilt milk |
Yes |
| 高枕无忧 | gāo zhěn wú yōu |
Calm and unperturbed |
None |
Yes |