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Chinese Chengyu Dictionary in English

Chinese chengyu and expression seeds explained in English, with pinyin, candidate status, and topic links.

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一丁不识一丁不识 means (idiom) illiterate. 一不做，二不休一不做，二不休 means lit. either don't do it, or don't rest (idiom). 一不小心一不小心 means to be a little bit careless; to have a moment of inattentiveness; accidentally. 一丘之貉一丘之貉 means jackals of the same tribe (idiom); fig. They are all just as bad as each other. 一之为甚一之为甚 means once is more than enough (idiom). 一干二净一干二净 means thoroughly (idiom). 一了百了一了百了 means (idiom) once the main problem is solved, all troubles are solved; death ends all one's troubles. 一事无成一事无成 means (idiom) to have achieved nothing; to be a total failure; to get nowhere. 一五一十一五一十 means lit. count by fives and tens (idiom); to narrate systematically and in full detail. 一以贯之一以贯之 means (idiom) (of a principle, purpose etc) consistently upheld; adhered to from beginning to end. 一个将军一个令一个将军一个令 means lit. one general, one order (idiom). 一个巴掌拍不响一个巴掌拍不响 means lit. one palm alone cannot clap (proverb). 一个萝卜一个坑一个萝卜一个坑 means lit. every turnip to its hole (idiom). 一传十，十传百一传十，十传百 means (idiom) (of news etc) to spread like wildfire; to be disseminated far and wide. 一元复始一元复始 means a new year begins (idiom). 一刀两断一刀两断 means (idiom) to make a clean break with; to have nothing more to do with. 一分一毫一分一毫 means (idiom) the tiniest bit. 一分为二一分为二 means one divides into two. 一切就绪一切就绪 means everything in its place and ready (idiom). 一刻千金一刻千金 means (idiom) time is gold; every minute is precious. 一反常态一反常态 means complete change from the normal state (idiom); quite uncharacteristic. 一口吃不成胖子一口吃不成胖子 means lit. you cannot get fat with only one mouthful (proverb). 一口吃个胖子一口吃个胖子 means lit. to want to get fat with only one mouthful (proverb). 一呼百应一呼百应 means (idiom) (of a call) to elict an enthusiastic response; to receive extensive approval. 一呼百诺一呼百诺 means one command brings a hundred responses (idiom); having hundreds of attendants at one's beck and call. 一命呜呼一命呜呼 means to die (idiom). 一哄而散一哄而散 means to disperse in confusion (idiom). 一哄而起一哄而起 means (of a group of people) to rush into action. 一哭二闹三上吊一哭二闹三上吊 means lit. to cry, then shout, then threaten suicide (saying). 一唱一和一唱一和 means to echo one another (idiom). 一唱三叹一唱三叹 means (idiom) (of literature or music) concise yet deeply evocative; inviting repeated savoring. 一问三不知一问三不知 means lit. to reply "don't know" whatever the question (idiom). 一回生二回熟一回生二回熟 means unfamiliar at first, but well accustomed soon enough (idiom). 一团和气一团和气 means (idiom) to keep on the right side of everyone (often at the expense of principle). 一团漆黑一团漆黑 means pitch-dark. 一塌糊涂一塌糊涂 means muddled and completely collapsing (idiom); in an awful condition. 一尘不染一尘不染 means (idiom) untainted by even a speck of dust; spotlessly clean; (of a person) honest; incorruptible. 一夔已足一夔已足 means one talented person is enough for the job (idiom). 一夕数惊一夕数惊 means lit. one scare after another in a single night (idiom). 一夜之间一夜之间 means (lit. and fig.) overnight. 一夜爆红一夜爆红 means to become popular overnight. 一失足成千古恨一失足成千古恨 means a single slip may cause everlasting sorrow (idiom). 一如既往一如既往 means (idiom) just as in the past; as before; continuing as always. 一字一泪一字一泪 means each word is a teardrop (idiom). 一字不差一字不差 means (idiom) word for word; verbatim; without a single mistake or omission. 一字不提一字不提 means to not mention a single word (about sth) (idiom). 一字之师一字之师 means one who can correct a misread or misspelt character and thus be your master. 一字千金一字千金 means one word worth a thousand in gold (idiom). 一字褒贬一字褒贬 means lit. to dispense praise or blame with a single word (idiom). 一家人不说两家话一家人不说两家话 means lit. family members speak frankly with one another, not courteously, as if they were from two different families (idiom). 一寸光阴一寸金一寸光阴一寸金 means (saying) time is precious. 一山不容二虎一山不容二虎 means lit. the mountain can't have two tigers (idiom). 一帆风顺一帆风顺 means propitious wind throughout the journey (idiom). 一年之计在于春一年之计在于春 means the whole year must be planned for in the spring (idiom). 一弹指顷一弹指顷 means a snap of the fingers (idiom); in a flash. 一往无前一往无前 means to advance courageously (idiom). 一心一德一心一德 means of one heart and one mind (idiom). 一心二用一心二用 means to do two things at once (idiom). 一意孤行一意孤行 means obstinately clinging to one's course (idiom). 一成不变一成不变 means (idiom) immutable; impervious to change; set in stone. 一技之长一技之长 means proficiency in a particular field (idiom). 一把屎一把尿一把屎一把尿 means to have endured all sorts of hardships (to raise one's children) (idiom). 一把年纪一把年纪 means to be getting on in years. 一把眼泪一把鼻涕一把眼泪一把鼻涕 means with one's face covered in tears (idiom). 一把钥匙开一把锁一把钥匙开一把锁 means One key opens one lock. 一折两段一折两段 means to split sth into two (idiom). 一拍即合一拍即合 means lit. to be together from the first beat (idiom). 一扫而空一扫而空 means (idiom) to make a clean sweep of; to clean out. 一掬同情之泪一掬同情之泪 means to shed tears of sympathy (idiom). 一拥而入一拥而入 means to swarm in (of people etc) (idiom). 一掷千金一掷千金 means lit. stake a thousand pieces of gold on one throw (idiom); to throw away money recklessly. 一改故辙一改故辙 means complete change from the old rut (idiom); dramatic change of direction. 一败涂地一败涂地 means lit. defeated, the ground blanketed with bodies (idiom). 一文不值一文不值 means worthless (idiom). 一文不名一文不名 means to be penniless. 一日三秋一日三秋 means a single day apart seems like three seasons (idiom). 一日之计在于晨一日之计在于晨 means make your day's plan early in the morning (idiom). 一日之雅一日之雅 means lit. friends for a day (idiom). 一日千里一日千里 means lit. one day, a thousand miles (idiom); rapid progress. 一是一，二是二一是一，二是二 means lit. one is one, two is two (idiom). 一时半刻一时半刻 means (idiom) a short time; a little while. 一时瑜亮一时瑜亮 means two remarkable persons living at the same period (as 周瑜[Zhou1 Yu2] and 諸葛亮|诸葛亮[Zhu1 ge3 Liang4]). 一曝十寒一曝十寒 means one day's sun, ten days' frost (idiom, from Mencius); fig. to work for a bit then skimp. 一望而知一望而知 means (idiom) to be evident at a glance. 一朝一夕一朝一夕 means lit. one morning and one evening (idiom). 一朝天子一朝臣一朝天子一朝臣 means new emperor, new officials (idiom). 一木难支一木难支 means lit. a single post cannot prop up a falling house (idiom). 一本正经一本正经 means (idiom) in deadly earnest; deadpan. 一本万利一本万利 means small capital, huge profit (idiom); to put in a little and get a lot out. 一板一眼一板一眼 means lit. one strong beat and one weak beats in a measure of music (two beats in the bar) (idiom); fig. follow a prescribed pattern to the letter. 一板三眼一板三眼 means lit. one strong beat and three weak beats in a measure of music (four beats in the bar) (idiom); fig. scrupulous attention to detail. 一枝独秀一枝独秀 means lit. only one branch of the tree is thriving (idiom). 一柱擎天一柱擎天 means lit. to support the sky as a single pillar (idiom). 一条绳上的蚂蚱一条绳上的蚂蚱 means lit. grasshoppers tied together with a piece of string (idiom). 一条路走到黑一条路走到黑 means lit. to follow one road until dark (idiom). 一概而论一概而论 means to lump different matters together (idiom). 一模一样一模一样 means (idiom) exactly alike; identical. 一步一个脚印一步一个脚印 means one step, one footprint (idiom); steady progress. 一步登天一步登天 means reaching heaven in a single bound (idiom); (esp. with negative: don't expect) instant success. 一毛不拔一毛不拔 means lit. unwilling to spare a single hair (idiom). 一波三折一波三折 means calligraphic flourish with many twists. 一清二楚一清二楚 means to be very clear about sth (idiom). 一清二白一清二白 means perfectly clean. 一清如水一清如水 means lit. as clear as water (idiom). 一炮打响一炮打响 means (idiom) to hit the jackpot with a single shot; to achieve success at one's first try. 一炮而红一炮而红 means to win instant success (idiom). 一无所有一无所有 means not having anything at all (idiom); utterly lacking. 一无所知一无所知 means (idiom) not knowing anything at all; completely ignorant. 一无是处一无是处 means (idiom) not one good point; everything about it is wrong. 一物降一物一物降一物 means lit. one object bests another object. 一琴一鹤一琴一鹤 means carrying very little luggage (idiom). 一生一世一生一世 means a whole lifetime (idiom); all my life. 一男半女一男半女 means (idiom) a son or daughter; a child. 一病不起一病不起 means to fall gravely ill, never to recover (idiom). 一盘散沙一盘散沙 means lit. like a sheet of loose sand. 一目了然一目了然 means obvious at a glance (idiom). 一目十行一目十行 means ten lines at a glance (idiom). 一矢中的一矢中的 means to hit the target with a single shot. 一知半解一知半解 means (idiom) to have a superficial knowledge of a subject; to know a smattering of sth. 一石二鸟一石二鸟 means to kill two birds with one stone (idiom).