Chinese-English Database of Chengyu
Covers over 50,000 entries
Many alternative translations
Both figurative and literal translations
Overview
CJKI’s Chinese-English Database of Chengyu (CEC) is important for translating 成語 chéngyǔ (Chinese proverbs and idioms, often classical). For example, 臨陣磨槍 línzhènmóqiāng, literally ‘face battle sharpen spear’, actually means “do something at the last moment”, cannot be translated literally by machine translation.
Chinese-English Database of Chengyu
Chinese | Pinyin | English |
---|---|---|
一举两得 | yī jǔ liǎng dé | to kill two birds with one stone |
一窍不通 | yī qiào bù tōng | not to know the first thing about |
一窍不通 | yī qiào bù tōng | to be utterly ignorant of |
一针见血 | yī zhēn jiàn xiě | to hit the nail on the head |
易如反掌 | yì rú fǎn zhǎng | as easy as child's play |
王婆卖瓜 ,自卖自夸 | wáng pó mài guā zì mài zì kuā | every potter praises his pot |
己所不欲 ,勿施于人 | jǐ suǒ bù yù wù shī yú rén | do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you |
己所不欲 ,勿施于人 | jǐ suǒ bù yù wù shī yú rén | do unto others as you would have them do unto you |
挂羊头卖狗肉 | guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu | to swindle others by making false claims |
九牛一毛 | jiǔ niú yī máo | a drop in the bucket |
九牛一毛 | jiǔ niú yī máo | a single hair out of nine ox hides |
傲岸不群 | ào àn bù qún | be proud and aloof |
傲气十足 | ào qì shí zú | be full of arrogance |
傲气十足 | ào qì shí zú | extremely haughty |
傲睨自若 | ào nì zì ruò | look about haughtily and imperturbably |
胡说八道 | hú shuō bā dào | talking nonsense |
先见之明 | xiān jiàn zhī míng | far-sighted |
先见之明 | xiān jiàn zhī míng | farsightedness |
成千成万 | chéng qiān chéng wàn | by the thousands |
重瓜得瓜 | zhòng guā dé guā | as a man sows, so shall he reap |
小题大作 | xiǎo tí dà zuò | to make a mountain out of a molehill |
白发偕老 | bái fà xié lǎo | a married couple reaching old age together |
白发偕老 | bái fà xié lǎo | growing old in conjugal happiness |
白发偕老 | bái fà xié lǎo | live to a ripe old age in conjugal bliss |
自卖自夸 | zì mài zì kuā | praise the goods one sells; blow one's own horn |
前人种树 ,后人乘凉 | qián rén zhòng shù hòu rén chéng liáng | enjoying the fruits of one's predecessors' efforts |
保家卫国 | bǎo jiā wèi guó | defend the home and country |
保家卫国 | bǎo jiā wèi guó | protect our homes and defend our country |
保国卫民 | bǎo guó wèi mín | guard the country and protect its people |
知者不言 ,言者不知 | zhī zhě bù yán yán zhě bù zhī | he who knows does not speak, he who speaks does not know |
知者不言 ,言者不知 | zhī zhě bù yán yán zhě bù zhī | those who know much talk little, those who know little talk much |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | all-embracing |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | all-inclusive |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | an omnibus of everything |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | catch-all |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | comprehending all nature |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | comprehensive |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | cover a wide range |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | cover all the phenomena of the universe |
包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | cover and contain everything |
同舟共济 | tóng zhōu gòng jì | hang together |
同舟共济 | tóng zhōu gòng jì | to be in the same boat |
入乡随俗 | rù xiāng suí sú | when in Rome do as the Romans do |
拔刀相助 | bá dāo xiāng zhù | draw a sword and render help |
拔刀相助 | bá dāo xiāng zhù | help another for the sake of justice |
拔刀相助 | bá dāo xiāng zhù | take up the cudgels against an injustice |
拔去眼中钉 | bá qù yǎn zhōng dīng | pull out nails - a metaphor for eliminating obstacles or persons impeding the progress of work |
拔去眼中钉 | bá qù yǎn zhōng dīng | pull out the sting in one's eye |
拔去眼中钉 | bá qù yǎn zhōng dīng | remove a person one hates most |
背水为阵 | bèi shuǐ wéi zhèn | burn one's bridges |
背水为阵 | bèi shuǐ wéi zhèn | deploy the troops with backs to a river |
背水为阵 | bèi shuǐ wéi zhèn | fight with one's back against the water |
背水为阵 | bèi shuǐ wéi zhèn | fight with one's back to the river |
八竿子打不着 | bā gān zi dǎ bu zháo | have nothing whatsoever to do |
八竿子打不着 | bā gān zi dǎ bu zháo | not related in any way |
八十岁学吹打 | bā shí suì xué chuī dǎ | an old dog learning new tricks |
八十岁学吹打 | bā shí suì xué chuī dǎ | learn to pipe and drum at the age of eighty |
八十岁学吹打 | bā shí suì xué chuī dǎ | never too old to learn |
八仙过海 | bā xiān guò hǎi | the Eight Immortals crossing the sea |
八面威风 | bā miàn wēi fēng | a commanding presence |
八面威风 | bā miàn wēi fēng | an aura of awesome might |
八面威风 | bā miàn wēi fēng | an awe-inspiring reputation extending in every direction |
八面威风 | bā miàn wēi fēng | august |
八面威风 | bā miàn wēi fēng | bright and bold |
八面威风 | bā miàn wēi fēng | commanding |
八面威风 | bā miàn wēi fēng | give oneself majestic airs |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | as long as it's broad |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | be all just the same |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | be as broad as it is long |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | be the pot and the kettle |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | birds of a feather |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | come amount to the same thing |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | even break |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | fifty-fifty |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | half a catty and eight ounces |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | half a pound of one and eight ounces of the other |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | horse and horse |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | not much to choose between the two |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | six and half-a-dozen |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | six of one and half a dozen of the other |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | the pot and the kettle |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | the pot calling the kettle back |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | tweedledum and tweedledee |
半斤八两 | bàn jīn bā liǎng | well matched |
半死不活 | bàn sǐ bù huó | be neither dead nor alive |
半死不活 | bàn sǐ bù huó | dead-alive |
半死不活 | bàn sǐ bù huó | half-dead |
半死不活 | bàn sǐ bù huó | more dead than alive |
半死不活 | bàn sǐ bù huó | on the verge of death |
光阴似箭 | guāng yīn sì jiàn | how time flies! |
光阴似箭 | guāng yīn sì jiàn | time flies like an arrow |
久而久之 | jiǔ ér jiǔ zhī | eventually |
久而久之 | jiǔ ér jiǔ zhī | in the long run |
美中不足 | měi zhōng bù zú | a fly in the ointment |
一言为定 | yī yán wéi dìng | it is agreed! |
不言而喻 | bù yán ér yù | it goes without saying |
有志者事竟成 | yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng | where there is a will there is a way |
有名无实 | yǒu míng wú shí | in name not in fact |
有名无实 | yǒu míng wú shí | in name only |
老马识途 | lǎo mǎ shí tú | being very experienced |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | be content with poverty, caring only for one's principles or the way |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | be contented in poverty and devoted to things spiritual |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | be willing to suffer poverty and unwilling to leave the right track - to be willing to suffer |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | complacency with honest poverty |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | happy to lead a simple, virtuous life |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | live contentedly as a poor scholar |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | repose in poverty and delight in wisdom |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | satisfaction with the simple life |
安贫乐道 | ān pín lè dào | submit [bend, bow] to one's lot [wind] and limb |
按资排辈 | àn zī pái bèi | according to seniority |
按资排辈 | àn zī pái bèi | assign priority according to seniority |
安闲无事 | ān xián wú shì | be at leisure |
安闲无事 | ān xián wú shì | have no work [duties] |
安闲无事 | ān xián wú shì | with no work or duties |
熬枯受淡 | áo kū shòu dàn | drag through a monotonous life |
熬枯受淡 | áo kū shòu dàn | have undergone the whole ordeal of ennui and dull life |
熬更守夜 | áo gēng shǒu yè | keep watch [vigil] all night |
矮子里拔将军 | ǎi zǐ li bá jiāng jūn | choose a general from among the dwarfs - to pick the best person available |
矮子里拔将军 | ǎi zǐ li bá jiāng jūn | In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. |
矮子里拔将军 | ǎi zǐ li bá jiāng jūn | pick the best of the mediocrities |
砭人肌骨 | biān rén jī gǔ | bone-piercing |
砭人肌骨 | biān rén jī gǔ | cut one to the bones |
砭人肌骨 | biān rén jī gǔ | piercing |
板板六十四 | bǎn bǎn liù shí sì | inflexible |
板板六十四 | bǎn bǎn liù shí sì | rigid |
板板六十四 | bǎn bǎn liù shí sì | stick to rules strictly |
板板六十四 | bǎn bǎn liù shí sì | unaccommodating |
板板六十四 | bǎn bǎn liù shí sì | very conservation |
板执不通 | bǎn zhí bù tōng | adhere stubbornly to one's own opinions |
板执不通 | bǎn zhí bù tōng | admit of no alternative |
板执不通 | bǎn zhí bù tōng | be a stickler for rules |
板执不通 | bǎn zhí bù tōng | be wedded to one's own opinions |
板执不通 | bǎn zhí bù tōng | have a set mind |
板执不通 | bǎn zhí bù tōng | nail one's colors to the mast |
板执不通 | bǎn zhí bù tōng | tolerate no other alternative |
板荡识忠臣 | bǎn dàng shí zhōng chén | The true and faithful can easily be spotted in time of trouble. |
奥秘莫测 | ào mì mò cè | be mysterious and hard to understand |
奥秘莫测 | ào mì mò cè | be veiled in mystery |
蔽上蒙下 | bì shàng méng xià | deceive superiors and hoodwink subordinates |
拜在门下 | bài zài mén xià | become a pupil of apprentice to someone |
拜托代劳 | bài tuō dài láo | request to do something for another |
拜倒足下 | bài dǎo zú xià | grovel at someone's feet |
拜倒足下 | bài dǎo zú xià | lie prostrate before someone |
拜倒足下 | bài dǎo zú xià | prostrate oneself and kowtow at someone's feet |
拜倒足下 | bài dǎo zú xià | prostrate oneself before someone |
拜倒足下 | bài dǎo zú xià | throw oneself at someone's feet |
拜人为师 | bài rén wéi shī | acknowledge someone as one's tutor |
拜人为师 | bài rén wéi shī | sit at someone's feet and be his pupil |
拜师求学 | bài shī qiú xué | pay respect to a master and seek for knowledge |
奥妙之至 | ào miào zhī zhì | marvelous to the utmost degree |
奥妙之至 | ào miào zhī zhì | most marvelous |
奥妙无穷 | ào miào wú qióng | extremely subtle |
奥妙无穷 | ào miào wú qióng | inexhaustibly profound |
碍于情面 | ài yú qíng miàn | for fear of hurting someone's feelings |
碍于情面 | ài yú qíng miàn | just to spare someone's feelings |
碍于情面 | ài yú qíng miàn | One can't do something for fear of hurting another's feelings. |
碍于情面 | ài yú qíng miàn | out of consideration for somebody's feeling |
碍手碍脚 | ài shǒu ài jiǎo | be a drag |
碍手碍脚 | ài shǒu ài jiǎo | be a hindrance [an encumbrance] |
碍手碍脚 | ài shǒu ài jiǎo | be a nuisance |
碍手碍脚 | ài shǒu ài jiǎo | be cumbersome |
碍手碍脚 | ài shǒu ài jiǎo | be obstructed by one's hands and feet |
柏节松操 | bǎi jié sōng cāo | the chastity of the cypress and the pine tree - to said of chaste widowhood |
壁垒一新 | bì lěi yī xīn | The military breastwork is new and strong - the front is arranged in good order. |
壁垒分明 | bì lěi fēn míng | be diametrically opposed |
壁垒分明 | bì lěi fēn míng | be sharply divided |
壁垒分明 | bì lěi fēn míng | issues clearly state |
壁垒分明 | bì lěi fēn míng | two sharply opposed sides |
壁垒分明 | bì lěi fēn míng | two sides clearly stated |
壁垒分明 | bì lěi fēn míng | with clearly defined lines |
壁垒分明 | bì lěi fēn míng | with side clearly drawn |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | a wall of indifference |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | a well-organized institute |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | an unassailable stronghold |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | be heavily |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | closely guarded |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | confronting each other |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | Defence is iron-clad. |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | rival camps |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | rival camps confronting each other |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | sharply divided |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | solid [ironclad, strong] defense |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | strong defense preparations |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | strongly fortified |
壁垒森严 | bì lěi sēn yán | The defense is as strong as a wall. |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | as hungry as a hawk |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | be starving |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | clamor for food |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | cry out for the bread - said of an infant |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | cry piteously for food |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | cry with hunger |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | the cry of starving people |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | wait to be fed with cries of hunger |
嗷嗷待哺 | áo áo dài bǔ | wait with open mouth to be fed |
彼此一样 | bǐ cǐ yī yàng | It makes no difference. |
彼此一样 | bǐ cǐ yī yàng | What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. |
彼此不和 | bǐ cǐ bù hé | be at enmity with each other |
彼伏此起 | bǐ fú cǐ qǐ | One falls, another rises. |
彼伏此起 | bǐ fú cǐ qǐ | rise one after another |
彼伏此起 | bǐ fú cǐ qǐ | subside there and rise here |
Practical Applications
CEC can be used in such applications as:
Machine translation dictionaries
Pedagogical applications
Chinese character research
Related Resources
Chinese-English Dictionary
Simplified Chinese-English general vocabulary and common proper nouns
English-Chinese Dictionary
English-Simplified Chinese general vocabulary and common proper nouns
Chinese Lexical Database
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