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 based on classical Chinese, cannot normally be translated literally). For example, 臨陣磨槍 línzhènmóqiāng, literally means ‘face battle sharpen spear’, which actually means “do something at the last moment”, cannot be correctly translated by machine translation systems based on the characters alone.

CEC includes a fairly large variety of English translations, as well as ranking information, literal meanings, variants, and syntactic codes, and is dispensable for MT systems striving to achieve high accuracy.

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

Notes:
- The number of English translations is much larger than what is shown here.
- Syntactic and grammatical attributes not included in this sample.

Practical Applications

CEC can be used in such applications as: