Chinese Idioms in Chuken Level 1
The Chuken — Japan's Chinese Proficiency Test — has featured many idioms at Level 1. Of those, the 125 explained on this site are listed here in pinyin order. Choose an idiom to see its meaning, usage, and example sentences.
A
B
- 半斤八两bàn jīn bā liǎngSix of one, half a dozen of the other (equally mediocre)
- 板上钉钉bǎn shàng dìng dīngDriving a nail into a board (a done deal / set in stone)
- 杯盘狼藉bēi pán láng jíCups and plates in a mess (the aftermath of a feast)
- 别有用心bié yǒu yòng xīnTo have an ulterior motive
- 不计其数bù jì qí shùCountless / Innumerable
- 不假思索bù jiǎ sī suǒWithout a second thought (unhesitatingly)
- 不堪一击bù kān yī jīCannot withstand a single blow (extremely fragile)
- 不可胜数bù kě shèng shǔInnumerable (too many to count)
- 不可同日而语bù kě tóng rì ér yǔCannot be mentioned in the same breath (poles apart)
- 不名一文bù míng yī wénPenniless / Not having a cent to one's name
- 不相上下bù xiāng shàng xiàOn par with each other (neck and neck)
- 不屑一顾bù xiè yī gùNot worth a glance (to treat with disdain)
- 不言而喻bù yán ér yùGoes without saying (Self-evident)
- 不一而足bù yī ér zúToo many to enumerate (not limited to one)
- 不以为然bù yǐ wéi ránTo not think so (to disagree)
- 不择手段bù zé shǒu duànBy any means necessary (unscrupulous)
- 不知所措bù zhī suǒ cuòAt a loss (not knowing what to do)
- 不足为怪bù zú wéi guàiNothing to wonder at (not at all surprising)
C
D
- 大浪淘沙dà làng táo shāBig waves wash away the sand (survival of the fittest)
- 得过且过dé guò qiě guòMuddling through (living aimlessly without ambition)
- 调虎离山diào hǔ lí shānLuring the tiger away from the mountain (drawing the enemy out of their stronghold)
- 独占鳌头dú zhàn áo tóuTo come out on top / To take the lead (Literal: Standing alone on the giant turtle's head)
E
F
G
- 各领风骚gè lǐng fēng sāoEach leading the way in their own time
- 觥筹交错gōng chóu jiāo cuòWine cups and tallies intermingled (a lively, bustling banquet)
- 古今中外gǔ jīn zhōng wàiAt all times and in all places (Throughout history and across the world)
- 古往今来gǔ wǎng jīn láiFrom ancient times to the present (throughout history)
- 光明磊落guāng míng lěi luòOpen and aboveboard (having a clear conscience)
H
J
- 记忆犹新jì yì yóu xīnFresh in one's memory (vividly remembered)
- 戛然而止jiá rán ér zhǐTo come to a screeching halt (to stop abruptly)
- 坚持不懈jiān chí bù xièTo persist unswervingly (unremitting perseverance)
- 截然不同jié rán bù tóngCompletely different; poles apart
- 兢兢业业jīng jīng yè yèConscientious and diligent (working with cautious care)
- 久经沙场jiǔ jīng shā chǎngBattle-hardened (a seasoned veteran)
- 举手之劳jǔ shǒu zhī láoThe effort of lifting a hand (a small favor / no trouble at all)
- 卷土重来juǎn tǔ chóng láiTo make a comeback with a vengeance; to return with renewed force
K
L
- 劳苦功高láo ér wú gōngTo have rendered outstanding service through great toil
- 离群索居lí qún suǒ jūLiving a solitary life (away from the crowd)
- 力所不及lì suǒ bù jíBeyond one's power (out of one's reach)
- 离题万里lí tí wàn lǐTo be miles off-topic (completely irrelevant)
- 立锥之地lì zhuī zhī dìA place to stand an awl (a tiny foothold)
- 寥寥无几liáo liáo wú jǐVery few (can be counted on one's fingers)
- 略胜一筹lüè xùn yī chóuSlightly better / A cut above (one tally ahead)
M
N
P
Q
- 旗开得胜qí kāi dé shèngTo win victory as soon as the flag is unfurled (to get off to a flying start)
- 恰如其分qià rú qí fènJust right (perfectly appropriate)
- 浅尝辄止qiǎn cháng zhé zhǐTo stop after a shallow taste (skimming the surface)
- 千篇一律qiān piān yī lǜA thousand pieces following the same pattern (monotonous/cookie-cutter)
- 锲而不舍qiè ér bù shěTo keep carving without stopping (unwavering perseverance)
- 情不自禁qíng bù zì jīnCannot help but (unable to restrain one's emotions)
- 轻车熟路qīng chē shú lùDriving a light carriage on a familiar road (doing something with ease due to experience)
- 轻而易举qīng ér yì jǔEasy as lifting something light (effortless)
- 情有可原qíng yǒu kě yuánExcusable in light of the circumstances (extenuating circumstances)
R
- 饶有兴趣ráo yǒu xìng qùWith great interest (full of curiosity)
- 人浮于事rén fú yú shìMore hands than work (overstaffing)
- 人迹罕至rén jì hǎn zhìOff the beaten path (where footprints are rarely seen)
- 忍俊不禁rěn jùn bù jīnCannot help laughing (unable to restrain a smile)
- 如火如荼rú huǒ rú túLike a raging fire and white cogon flowers (in full swing)
- 茹毛饮血rú máo yǐn xuèEating fur and drinking blood (a primitive, uncivilized lifestyle)
S
- 三思而后行sān sī ér hòu xíngThink twice before you act (Look before you leap)
- 煞费苦心shà fèi kǔ xīnTo take great pains (racking one's brains)
- 煞有介事shà yǒu jiè shìTo act as if it were true (making a big fuss)
- 盛极一时shèng jí yī shíAt the peak of its popularity (flourishing for a time)
- 声势浩大shēng shì hào dàMassive in scale and momentum
- 事半功倍shì bàn gōng bèiHalf the effort, twice the result (highly efficient)
- 恃才傲物shì cái ào wùTo be arrogant and look down on others due to one's talent
- 适可而止shì kě ér zhǐStop while you're ahead (know when to stop)
- 实事求是shí shì qiú shìSeeking truth from facts (being realistic and objective)
- 视同陌路shì tóng mò lùTo treat someone like a complete stranger
- 事与愿违shì yǔ yuàn wéiThings go against one's wishes (to backfire)
- 随机应变suí jī yìng biànTo adapt to changing circumstances (to play it by ear)
- 所剩无几suǒ shèng wú jǐVery little left (hardly anything remains)
T
W
- 枉费心机wǎng fèi xīn jīTo rack one's brains in vain (scheming to no avail)
- 微不足道wēi bù zú dàoInsignificant / Not worth mentioning
- 危机四伏wēi jī sì fúCrisis lurking on all sides (riddled with danger)
- 无处不在wú chù bù zàiUbiquitous / Everywhere
- 无可奉告wú kě fèng gàoNo comment (Nothing to disclose)
- 无人问津wú rén wèn jīnNo one asks for the ferry crossing (to be completely ignored or unpopular)
X
- 喜新厌旧xǐ xīn yàn jiùTo love the new and loathe the old (fickle)
- 险象环生xiǎn xiàng huán shēngPerils appearing in succession (a series of crises)
- 相得益彰xiāng dé yì zhāngTo complement each other and bring out the best in both
- 相夫教子xiàng fū jiào zǐAssisting one's husband and educating the children
- 销声匿迹xiāo shēng nì jìTo vanish without a trace / To lie low
- 心有灵犀xīn yǒu líng xīHearts linked like the spiritual rhinoceros horn (being on the same wavelength)
- 喧宾夺主xuān bīn duó zhǔThe guest's clamor usurps the host's place (the secondary overshadowing the primary)
Y
- 一成不变yī chéng bù biànSet in stone / Unchanging (stagnant)
- 一筹莫展yī chóu mò zhǎnUnable to find a single solution (at one's wits' end)
- 一帆风顺yī fān fēng shùnSmooth sailing (everything going smoothly)
- 异军突起yì jūn tū qǐA new force suddenly rising (to emerge as a dark horse)
- 一劳永逸yī láo yǒng yìTo do something once and for all (a permanent solution)
- 意味深长yì wèi shēn chángProfound and lasting meaning (thought-provoking)
- 一无是处yī wú shì chùWithout a single redeeming feature (completely worthless)
- 意想不到yì xiǎng bù dàoUnexpected; beyond one's imagination
- 应接不暇yìng jiē bù xiáToo busy to attend to all (overwhelmed)
- 优柔寡断yōu róu guǎ duànIndecisive (Lacking the power to decide)
- 与众不同yǔ zhòng bù tóngStanding out from the crowd; unique
- 运筹帷幄yùn chóu wéi wòDevising strategies within a command tent (masterminding from the rear)
Z
- 瞻前顾后zhān qián gù hòuLooking forward and backward (over-cautious/indecisive)
- 争分夺秒zhēng fēn duó miǎoRacing against time (making every second count)
- 至关重要zhì guān zhòng yàoExtremely important; of vital importance; crucial
- 自食其果zì shí qí guǒTo reap what one sows (negative consequences)
- 走投无路zǒu tóu wú lùTo have no way out (at the end of one's rope)