| Entry | Pinyin | Meaning | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| 讳莫如深 | huì mò rú shēn |
To closely guard a secret |
Spring and Autumn Period |
| 退避三舍 | tuì bì sān shè |
To deliberately avoid or retreat from a situation or person |
Spring and Autumn Period |
| 风吹草动 | fēng chuī cǎo dòng |
A small change or disturbance, or the sign of either of these |
Spring and Autumn Period |
| 一言九鼎 | yī yán jiǔ dǐng |
Refers to words that are influential or play a decisive role in something |
Warring States Period |
| 一诺千金 | yī nuò qiān jīn |
To make good on a promise; to stay true to one's word; to have one's word be honest and reliable |
Warring States Period |
| 上下其手 | shàng xià qí shǒu |
To practice fraud; to conspire to do something evil or illegal |
Warring States Period |
| 侧目而视 | cè mù ér shì |
To look askance at someone, particularly out of fear or indignation |
Warring States Period |
| 兔死狗烹 | tù sǐ gǒu pēng |
This refers to when someone casts aside or even kills the person(s) who helped them accomplish a task |
Warring States Period |
| 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 |
Warring States Period |
| 刻舟求剑 | kè zhōu qiú jiàn |
To describe people who obstinately stick to their ways and can't adapt when circumstances change |
Warring States Period |
| 前功尽弃 | qián gōng jìn qì |
To have all of one's work completely undone; to have one's previous efforts be expended in vain |
Warring States Period |
| 前车之鉴 | qián chē zhī jiàn |
To learn from previous mistakes |
Warring States Period |
| 南辕北辙 | nán yuán běi zhé |
Used to indicate that actions and goals are opposite or contradictory |
Warring States Period |
| 叶公好龙 | yè gōng hào lóng |
To pretend to like something despite not actually liking it |
Warring States Period |
| 同流合污 | tóng liú hé wū |
To do bad things with bad people; to associate oneself with bad trends or social customs due to lack of personal principles |
Warring States Period |
| 唇亡齿寒 | chún wáng chǐ hán |
This indicates that two sides — and by extension their losses and gains — are interrelated |
Warring States Period |
| 嗟来之食 | jiē lái zhī shí |
Refers to assistance or charity given in a humiliating or malicious fashion |
Warring States Period |
| 图穷匕见 | tú qióng bǐ xiàn |
When the truth is revealed at the end of some event |
Warring States Period |
| 塞翁失马 | sài wēng shī mǎ |
Used to refer to situations where one has suffered a loss but actually ends up better off because of it; indicates that bad situations can become good ones |
Warring States Period |
| 孟母三迁 | mèng mǔ sān qiān |
To create a good environment for one's children to learn and study |
Warring States Period |
| 守株待兔 | shǒu zhū dài tù |
Refers to someone who clings to past experience and won't adapt; also to describe someone who wants to profit or benefit without doing any work |
Warring States Period |
| 安步当车 | ān bù dàng chē |
Indicates that one is content with living modestly |
Warring States Period |
| 安然无恙 | ān rán wú yàng |
Used to indicate someone or something is safe and without illness |
Warring States Period |
| 完璧归赵 | wán bì guī zhào |
To return something undamaged to its original owner |
Warring States Period |
| 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. |
Warring States Period |