Chinese Idiom Stories

Chinese idioms, or 成语 (chengyu) can be a proverb, a common saying, an idiomatic phrase or a group of words that convey a figurative meaning beyond the words themselves. Chinese Chengyu mostly came from ancient myths, stories or historical facts.

Frequently used in both spoken and written Chinese, Chengyu is an important part of Chinese language learning. A good mastery of Chinese idioms will help you express yourself more natively and understand Chinese culture better. In this part, you will learn commonly-used Chinese idioms through interesting stories and examples!

Chinese Idioms

名落孙山(mínɡ luò sūn shān)

Ranking Behind Sun Shan

Chinese Idioms

疑人偷斧(yí rén tōu fǔ)

Suspected of Stealing His Axe

Chinese Idioms

画蛇添足(huà shé tiān zú)

Adding a Foot to the Snake

Chinese Idioms

孟母三迁(mènɡ mǔ sān qiān)

Mencius’s Mom Moved House Three Times

Chinese Idioms

伯乐识马(bó lè shí mǎ)

Bo Le judging Horses

Chinese Idioms

凿壁偷光 (záo bì tōu ɡuānɡ)

Dig a Hole on the Wall to Steal Light

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