中国 成语

Sorry to plug my own site here, but I once did a list on my blog of my Top 10 Chengyu : My Chengyu Top Ten (Sinosplice)

Hi,Franch, “无源之水，无本之木 ”means someting grows without a solid foundation. this idiom comes from :《左传·昭公九年》,a history book written by 左丘明 who lived in the time of 春秋。

i do not think the translation that u did for the phrases are right, but was interesting!!haha

popcorn, What do you think is wrong? I take it you are Chinese? Maybe you're not familiar with some of the more colloquial translations...

Popcorn, You should make clear who you are talking to. If it is me I refer you to the part where I said since everybody has hanzibar I will not bother with translations. If it is John, well he has already spoken.

John, That was certainly a good list and yes the top ones are so common I didn't even think to add them to my list. 乱七八糟 was the first 成语 I learnt and was the only way I knew how to say mess for over 6 months, lol.

忙里偷闲, I must interrupt all my studies (don't laugh) to praise the chéngyǔ with all my heart. I hope this won't be a case of 对牛弹琴, because I love to 脱口而出. I'm just 闹着玩儿, is all. (That last one wasn't a chéngyǔ, I should 闭嘴 now)

对不起，不是脱口而出，就是信口开河 Ha! hahaha

笨鸟先飞A slow sparrow should make an early start. 　　不眠之夜white night　 　　不遗余力spare no effort; go all out; do one"s best 　　不打不成交"No discord, no concord. 　　拆东墙补西墙rob Peter to pay Paul 　　大开眼界open one"s eyes; broaden one"s horizon; be an eye-opener 　　国泰民安The country flourishes and people live in peace 　　功夫不负有心人Everything comes to him who waits. 　　好了伤疤忘了疼once on shore, one prays no more 　　和气生财Harmony brings wealth 　　活到老，学到老One is never too old to learn. 　　既往不咎let bygones be bygones 　　金无足赤,人无完人Gold can"t be pure and man can"t be perfect. 　　金玉满堂Treasures fill the home 　　脚踏实地be down-to-earth 　　脚踩两只船sit on the fence 　　老生常谈，陈词滥调cut and dried, cliché 　　礼尚往来Courtesy calls for reciprocity. 　　留得青山在，不怕没柴烧"Where there is life, there is hope." 　　马到成功achieve immediate victory; win instant success 　　名利双收gain in both fame and wealth 　　茅塞顿开be suddenly enlightened 　　弄巧成拙be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself. 　　拿手好戏masterpiece 　　赔了夫人又折兵throw good money after bad 　　抢得先机take the preemptive opportunities 　　强强联手win-win co-operation 　　瑞雪兆丰年A timely snow promises a good harvest. 　　人之初,性本善Man"s nature at birth is good. 　　人逢喜事精神爽Joy puts heart into a man. 　　人海战术huge-crowd strategy 　　世上无难事，只要肯攀登"Where there is a will, there is a way. " 　　世外桃源a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world; 　　死而后已until my heart stops beating 　　岁岁平安Peace all year round 　　塞翁失马，焉知非福Misfortune may be an actual blessing. 　　升级换代updating and upgrading (of products) 　　四十不惑Life begins at forty. 　　水涨船高When the river rises, the boat floats high. 　　时不我待Time and tide wait for no man. 　　杀鸡用牛刀break a butterfly on the wheel 　　说曹操,曹操到Talk of the devil and he comes. 　　实话实说speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is 　　实践是检验真理的唯一标准Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. 　　糖衣炮弹sugar-coated bullets 　　天有不测风云Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue 　　团结就是力量Unity is strength. 　　歪风邪气unhealthy practices and evil phenomena 　　物以类聚，人以群分Birds of a feather flock together. 　　望子成龙hold high hopes for one"s child 　　屋漏又逢连阴雨Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it pours. 　　文韬武略military expertise; military strategy 　　唯利是图draw water to one"s mill 　　无源之水,无本之木water without a source, and a tree wiithout roots 　　无中生有make/create something out of nothing 　　徇私枉法bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends 　　新官上任三把火a new broom sweeps clean 　　蓄势而发accumulate strength for a take-off 　　心想事成May all your wish come true 　　先入为主First impressions are firmly entrenched. 　　先下手为强catch the ball before the bound 　　像热锅上的蚂蚁like an ant on a hot pan 　　现身说法warn people by taking oneself as an example 　　息事宁人pour oil on troubled waters 　　喜忧参半mingled hope and fear 　　循序渐进step by step 　　鱼米之乡a land of milk and honey 　　有情人终成眷属"Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well." 　　有钱能使鬼推磨Money makes the mare go. Money talks. 　　有识之士people of vision 　　有勇无谋use brawn rather than brain 　　与时俱进advance with times 　　以人为本people oriented; people foremost 　　因材施教teach students according to their aptitude 　　欲速则不达Haste does not bring success. 　　优胜劣汰survival of the fittest 　　英雄所见略同Great minds think alike. 　　冤家宜解不宜结Better make friends than make enemies. 　　一言既出，驷马难追A real man never goes back on his words. 　　招财进宝Money and treasures will be plentiful 　　债台高筑become debt-ridden 　　致命要害Achilles" heel 　　众矢之的target of public criticism 　　纸上谈兵be an armchair strategist 　　纸包不住火Truth will come to light sooner or later.

繁荣昌盛thriving and prosperous 爱不释手fondle admiringly 爱财如命skin a flea for its hide 爱屋及乌love me,love my dog He that loves the tree loves the branch 安居乐业live and work in peace and contentment 白手起家build up from nothing 百里挑一one in hundred 百折不挠be indomitable 半途而废give up halfway leave sth. Unfinished 包罗万象all-embracing all-inclusive 饱经风霜weather-beaten 卑躬屈膝bow and scrape cringe 悲欢离合vicissitudes of life 背道而驰run counter to run in the opposite direction 本末倒置put the cart before the horse 笨鸟先飞the slow need to start early 必由之路the only way 闭关自守close the country to international intercourse 变本加厉be further intensified 变化无常chop and change fantasticality 变化无常chop and change fantasticality 别开生面having sth. New 别有用心have ulterior motives 彬彬有礼refined and courteous urbane 兵不厌诈in war nothing is too deceitful 博古通今erudite and informed 不败之地incincible position 不耻下问feel not ashamed to learn from one's subordinates 不可救药be past praying for beyond redemption 不劳而获reap where one has not sown 不屈不挠fortitude indefatigability perseverance persevere tenacity 不速之客crasher uninvited guest 不同凡响outstanding 不言而喻speak for itself tell its own story tell its own tale went without saying 不遗余力spare no effort spare no pains 不以为然not approve object to 不义之财filthy lucre filthy pelf the mammon of unrighteousness 不亦乐乎extremely 不远千里go to the trouble of travelling a long distance 不约而同happen to coincide 不择手段by any kind of means by hook or crook play hard by fair means or foul 不知所措be at a loss be all adrift lose one's head out of one's wits 才疏学浅have little talent and learning 惨绝人寰extremely cruel 沧海桑田time brings a great change to the worlds 沧海一粟/九牛一毛a drop in the bucket 草木皆兵a state of extreme nervousness 层出不穷emerge in endlessly 层峦迭嶂peaks over peaks 察言观色carefully watch what sb. is doing and saying 姹紫嫣红very beautiful flowers 畅行无阻checkless 车水马龙heavy traffic 沉默寡言taciturnity 称心如意well-content 趁热打铁strike while iron is hot Hold a wolf the iron is hot 成群结队gang horde 诚惶诚恐with reverence and awe 诚心诚意sincere desire 承上启下a connecting link between the preceding and the following 吃苦耐劳tough 吃里扒外live on sb. while helping others secretly 痴心妄想 胡思乱想wishful thinking 持之以恒preserve 叱咤风云ride the whirlwind 愁眉苦脸pull a long face snoot 愁眉苦脸的，愁眉苦脸地woebegone morosely 臭名远扬，臭名昭著flagrancy， notorious 出乎意料unexpected 出口成章have an outstanding eloquence 出类拔萃，鹤立鸡群fill the bill supereminence 出谋划策give counsel suggest 出奇制胜defeat sb. by a surprise action 出生入死go through fire and water 触类旁通comprehend by analogy 垂头丧气，无精打采 down in the mouth lose one's spirits with the tail between the legs 垂头丧气的blue about the gills crestfallen downhearted 绰绰有余more than sufficient 此起彼伏as one falls,another rises 从容不迫go easy take one's time 从容不迫的leisured unhurried 从容不迫地by easy stages 粗枝大叶careless slapdash sloppy 粗枝大叶的broad-brush 措手不及unaware unprepared 错综复杂 扑朔迷离 anfractuosity 错综复杂的anfractuous daedal reticula sinuous 打草惊蛇act rashly and about: the enemy 大材小用waste one's talent on a petty job 大公无私selfless 大海捞针look for a needle in a bottle of hay 大惑不解be extremely puzzled 大惊小怪a storm in a teacup foofaraw fuss like a hen with one chicken 大惊小怪的spoffish 大快人心affording general satisfaction 大名鼎鼎famous well known 大器晚成great minds mature slowly 大千世界the boundless universe 大失所望greatly disappointed 大同小异largely identical but with minor differences 大显身手 大显神通strut one's stuff 大言不惭 夸夸其谈fanfaronade rodomontade 大义凛然inspiring awe by upholding justice 大义灭亲place righteousness above family loyalty 大智若愚Still waters run deep. An empty vessel makes the most sound Still water runs deep 呆若木鸡dumbstruck transfixed 待人接物the ways one gets along with others 殚思极虑rack one's brains 胆小如鼠cannot say boh to a goose 胆战心惊的funky 淡泊明志not seek fame and wealth 道貌岸然be sanctimonious 得过且过drift along muddle along 得天独厚的advantaged 得心应手handy with facility 得意忘形 得意洋洋 bloat get dizzy with success 得意洋洋elated elation exaltation jauntiness 得意扬扬ride high 得意洋洋的cock-a-hoop high-blown perky 得意扬扬的triumphant 德才兼备have both ability and moral integrity 德高望重sainted saintlike 登峰造极reach the limit reach the peak of perfection 地大物博vast territory and abundant resources 颠倒黑白 颠倒是非 混淆是非call white black swear black is white 颠三倒四confused disorderly 雕虫小技insignificant skill 调兵遣将move forces 调虎离山lure the enemy away from his base 掉以轻心treat sth. Lightly 喋喋不休blat cackle chackle harp harp on jaw-jaw rattle twitter wag 顶天立地of indomitable spirit 东施效颦blind imitation with ludicrous effection 东山再起bob up like a cork 独具匠心show originality 独树一帜develop a school of one's own 独一无二in a class by oneself 独一无二的unique unmatched unparalleled 度日如年one day seems like a year 断章取义garble quote out of context 对牛弹琴whistle jigs to a milestone Cast pearls before swine 对症下药suit the remedy to the case 多才多艺versatility 多才多艺的accomplished all-round allround miscellaneous versatile 多愁善感sensitivity sentimentality 多愁善感的moonstruck spoony 多此一举bring owls to Athens hold a candle to the sun 多多益善the more the better 咄咄逼人aggressive 脱胎换骨thoroughly remould oneself 阿谀奉承 趋炎附势greasiness 恩将仇报 以怨报德 忘恩负义 bite the hand that feeds one 尔虞我诈each trying to cheat the other 发人深省的thought-provoking 发人深省set people thinking 发扬光大carry forward 翻山越岭tramp over hill and dale 翻天覆地world-shaking 泛滥成灾overrun 飞黄腾达 青云直上come into one's kingdom rise in the world strike oil 飞黄腾达的successful 飞禽走兽birds and beasts 废寝忘食forget food and sleep 分道扬镳part company,each going his own way 分化瓦解disintegrate divide and demoralize 分门别类classify 纷至沓来come in a continuous stream 纷至沓来的thick as hail 奋不顾身dash ahead regardless of one's safety 愤愤不平be indignant 愤世嫉俗的cynical 丰富多彩rich and colorful 丰功伟绩great achievement 丰衣足食have ample food and clothing 风花雪月sentimental writings of the exploiting classes 风马牛不相及be totally unrelated 风靡一时be the rage 风平浪静calm 风起云涌like a rising wind and scudding clouds 风雨同舟stand together regardless of situation 风雨无阻in all weathers 锋芒毕露make a showy display of one's abilities 蜂涌而来pour 逢场作戏join in the fun on occasion 逢凶化吉trun ill luck into good 奉公守法law-abiding 敷衍了事make short shrift of palter scuffle 釜底抽薪take a drastic measure to deal with a situation 赴汤蹈火 出生入死go through fire and water 富丽堂皇magnificence 覆水难收spilt water cannot be gathered up again It is no use crying over spilt milk

Cool! Anything that helps my chinese is a worthy of me lifting the plug and looking down the drain.

oops, sorry, didn't notice you were chinese, Thanks, copying them as I type. Soon I'll be having entire conversations in 成语 and sounding like a right smartass ;)

Xinjiang is a good place. I intend this autumn visit to Xinjiang.

Bluehorizon, 你的成语目录是铺天盖地的 This is maybe why you're bluehorizon ;)

"蜂拥而来"应该是"蜂涌而来"， 对吗? You translated "to pour", it has to be more vehement though. Please correct me, I'm only fiddling with a topic which I am yet to explore. 风靡一时 - fēng mǐ yī shí : "be the rage", does that phrase means "fashionable"? (I'm ESL speaker) 属羊的人多愁善感 ;) What does "moonstruck spoony" means? 很高兴认识你!

There's 30,000 idioms here apparently: http://www.chinese-tools.com/chinese/chengyu/dictionary

John, what i mean interesting is the translations for the chinese phrases in english is more like a explaination, it general explain the meaning of the phrases and lost the style of the phrases original use. u see mostly the chinese phrases are 4 letters, it is unique style. hope i explain it clearly!

蜂擁而上 蜂擁而來 沒有三點水

Man2Toe, in fact I've reversed the two components of my question, 真丢面. 无源之水,无本之木 - What does either of these 成语 express? When could one utter these? Thanks

Bluehorizon, Nice list, where did you get it?