Glossary: Chinese idioms and phrases
— The Weak are Prey to the Strong
* Meaning: the law of the jungle; "Might makes Right"
— Didn't know whether to Laugh or Cry
* Meaning: to be in an awkward situation; something both funny and embarrassing
— As Steady as Mount Tai
* Meaning: very stable and dependable
— Heavier than Mount Tai / Weightier than Mount Tai
* Meaning: an extremely serious matter
— To have Eyes but fail to recognize Mount Tai
* Meaning: to be ignorant or arrogant; to fail to recognize someone or something of great status
— To Put in one's Eyes
* Meaning: to pay attention to; to care about; to attach importance to
* Note: Often used in the negative, meaning that someone is disregarding or looking down on someone else. (Example: "They didn't put him in their eyes.")
— The time it takes an Incense Stick to burn
* Meaning: a poetic way of referring to a short time span… depending on the author, generally either 5 minutes or 30 minutes
— The time it takes to drink a Cup of Tea
* Meaning: a poetic way of referring to a time span of about 10-15 minutes
— The time it takes to eat a Meal
* Meaning: a poetic way of referring to a time span of about 30-45 minutes
— A Breath of time
* Meaning: a poetic way of referring to a very short time span (how long it takes a person to inhale and exhale once)… usually about 1-3 seconds
— All of this takes some time to describe, but actually happened in an Instant
* Meaning: a cheeky comment by an author, usually made after writing a wordy action scene
— Twice the Results for Half the Effort
* Meaning: the right approach saves effort and leads to better results
— Half the Results for Twice the Effort
* Meaning: the wrong approach is wasteful and yields weaker results
— Advance by Leaps and Bounds
* Meaning: to make remarkable progress; to improve very rapidly
— I, your Father / Grandfather
* Meaning: pejorative slang – a form of address which asserts the speaker's seniority/authority over the person being spoken to, with the intention of demeaning them
— Courting Death
* Meaning: said as a warning or insult to someone overstepping their bounds ("You're courting death!"); said of someone taking serious risks with their life
— Hover between Life and Death
* Meaning: to suffer terribly; to be within an inch of one's life
— To Die a Dog's Death
* Meaning: to die miserably and dishonorably; to die in vain
* Note: "To Die a Dog's Death" isn't actually a Chinese idiom, but some translators choose to use it for any kind of phrase with a meaning of "to die miserably".
— People die in pursuit of Money, just as Birds die in pursuit of Food
* Meaning: people will do anything in their means to become rich
— Crushing Dry Weeds and Smashing Rotten Wood
* Meaning: something done very easily – illustrates the ease with which the strong dominate the weak
— Chop Nails and Sever Iron
* Meaning: resolute and decisive; to get straight to the point
— If Gods block, kill the Gods; if Buddhas block, kill the Buddhas
* Meaning: overcome every obstacle
— Mortal Dust / Red Dust of the Mortal World
* Meaning: worldly affairs or existence; the world and things of mortals (Buddhist term emphasizing the transience and insignificance of this world)
— Under Heaven / Beneath the Heavens
* Meaning: the world; the mortal world; in all the lands
— Unrivaled under Heaven
* Meaning: #1 in the world; invincible; undefeated; a paragon
— Heaven and Earth
* Meaning: the world; the universe; yin and yang; the sky and land; every manifestation of nature
— As different as Heaven and Earth
* Meaning: a tremendous qualitative difference between two things
— To not know the Immensity of Heaven and Earth
* Meaning: having an exaggerated opinion of one's own abilities
— There are Heavens beyond the Heavens / There are People beyond People, and Heavens beyond the Heavens
* Meaning: there's always someone better than you
— Man proposes, Heaven disposes
* Meaning: even the best-laid plans can go awry
— Heaven's Net is wide, and none can escape its mesh
* Meaning: criminals can't evade justice forever; the way of Heaven is fair, and the guilty will not escape
— Reaching Heaven in a single bound / Ascending to the Skies with a single leap
* Meaning: to attain instant success
— A Meat Pie falling from the Heavens
* Meaning: an unexpected windfall
— To Rebuke Heaven and Earth
* Meaning: to be extremely powerful; to shake the entire world
— Overturning Heaven and Earth
* Meaning: causing a radical change
— Heaven and Earth turned upside down
* Meaning: complete chaos/confusion
— Shrouding the Heavens / Hiding the Sky and Covering the Earth
* Meaning: omnipresent; extremely powerful; world-changing
— Coughing up Blood
* Meaning: a sign of serious internal injuries or extreme emotional disturbance
— Blood flowing in reverse
* Meaning: a serious internal injury (generally caused by a cultivation-related backlash or by great physical or mental trauma)
— Injected with Chicken Blood
* Meaning: to be very excited or energetic
— Gnashing Teeth
* Meaning: displaying extreme anger or frustration
— To Suck in a Breath of Cold Air
* Meaning: a reaction caused by shock or surprise
— A Flick of a Sleeve
* Meaning: a flourish of a long sleeve; a gesture often done in a moment of passion or simply to add emphasis to a statement
— The Seven Orifices / The Seven Apertures
* Meaning: the seven apertures of the human head (= 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils, 1 mouth)
— The Five Viscera and Six Bowels
* Meaning: the internal organs of the human body
* Note: According to Traditional Chinese Medicine… Five Viscera = heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Six Bowels = gall bladder, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, triple heater, and bladder.
— The Seven Emotions and Six Desires
* Meaning: all of the various feelings which humans possess or can experience
* Note: The Seven Emotions are happiness, anger, sorrow, joy, love, hate, and desire. The Six Desires are the sensory pleasures associated with the eyes, nose, ears, tongue, body, and mind.
— Three Views
* Meaning: (slang) a person's views about life, the world, and values
— The Blue Sea turned into Mulberry Fields
* Meaning: the transformations of the world; time brings great changes
— Jade-like
* Meaning: common descriptor for anything refined/elegant/beautiful; an unblemished, creamy white color (based on mutton-fat jade) when referring to skin/women
— Clear as Ice and Clean as Jade
* Meaning: spotless; irreproachable; incorruptible
— Limpid Autumn Water
* Meaning: traditional description of a girl's beautiful eyes – likening them to clear pools of water
— Rare as Phoenix Feathers and Qilin Horns
* Meaning: extremely rare objects
— To Pick the Flowers and Trample the Grass
* Meaning: to womanize; to frequent brothels; to "chase skirts"
— Pull up Grass by the Roots
* Meaning: to completely eradicate; (figuratively) to destroy root and branch
* Note: When referring to people, it means to kill off their entire family so that there's no one left to take revenge in the future.
— The Rice is Cooked
* Meaning: what is done cannot be undone
— As the Water recedes, the Rocks appear
* Meaning: the truth comes to light
— Cleansing the Marrow and Replacing the Tendons
* Meaning: to purify and strengthen the body
— Shed one's Mortal Body and Exchange one's Bones
* Meaning: to change completely; to be reborn; to become an Immortal
— Shatter the Void / Shattering the Void
* Meaning: to succeed in one's cultivation; to reach the pinnacle of strength; to reach a brand new world and horizon
— As Easy as Lifting a Hand / As Easy as Turning over a Hand
* Meaning: something requiring minimal effort
— Floating Clouds and Flowing Water
* Meaning: natural and unforced; skillful and beautiful movement
— Experts as Common as the Clouds
* Meaning: very many experts (comparing them to the number of clouds in the sky)
— Dispel the Clouds and See the Sun
* Meaning: returning to normality after a period of hardship; to restore justice
— Produce Clouds with one turn of the Hand and Rain with another
* Meaning: to possess great power or authority
— Call the Wind and Summon the Rain
* Meaning: to exercise magical powers; to exert authority
— A Mountain of Blades and a Sea of Fire
* Meaning: extreme danger
— Move Mountains and Drain Seas / Topple Mountains and Overturn Seas
* Meaning: a great display of power
— Overturning Rivers and Seas
* Meaning: overwhelming; earth-shattering; in a spectacular mess
— Four Ounces can repel a Thousand Pounds
* Meaning: a Taichi martial arts concept about using a minimal amount of force to overcome a much greater opposing force, usually by exploiting leverage and the opponent's momentum
— Three Heads, Six Arms
* Meaning: to possess remarkable abilities or formidable power
— Throw Oneself into the Net
* Meaning: to willingly walk into a trap
— To Bare Fangs and Brandish Claws
* Meaning: to make threatening gestures
— With Swords drawn and Bows bent
* Meaning: a state of mutual hostility
— Impervious to Blades and Spears
* Meaning: invulnerable; impervious to mortal weapons
— A Kite with its String cut
* Meaning: something gone without recall, blown away uncontrollably
— An Arrow at the end of its flight
* Meaning: a spent/waning force; something which has very nearly exhausted its strength
— Stake All on One Throw
* Meaning: to risk everything in a single venture
— Pass like Thunder and Move like the Wind
* Meaning: swift and decisive reaction
— Thunder from a Clear Sky
* Meaning: something completely unexpected
— Wind and Rain
* Meaning: poor weather; trials and hardships
— Winds and Waves
* Meaning: difficulties; tough experiences
— Add Oil to the Fire
* Meaning: to aggravate a situation
— Loot a Burning House
* Meaning: to profit from someone's misfortune
— To Fish in Troubled Waters
* Meaning: to take advantage of a crisis
— You'll eat Meat, We'll drink Soup
* Meaning: giving up the lion's share of benefits to someone else; begging for scraps
— Reap without Sowing
* Meaning: to be rewarded without working for it
— Throwing Stones down a Well
* Meaning: beating someone when they're down
— A Frog in a Well / View the Sky from the Bottom of a Well
* Meaning: to be ignorant/narrow-minded; to have a myopic perspective
— You Die, I Live / Cannot Live Under the Same Sky
* Meaning: irreconcilable enmity
— Fight Poison with Poison
* Meaning: to cure ills with poison; to fight fire with fire; to meet aggression with aggression
— Forget Favors and Violate Justice
* Meaning: to show ingratitude to a friend or benefactor
— Treasuring a Jade Ring becomes a Crime
* Meaning: having something precious invites disaster from the greed of others
— If one often walks by the Riverside, one's Shoes will eventually get wet
* Meaning: living dangerously or associating with the wrong people will eventually lead to consequences
— A Mantis trying to stop a Chariot
* Meaning: to overrate oneself and attempt the impossible
— The Mantis stalks the Cicada, unaware of the Oriole behind
* Meaning: to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger
— When the Sandpiper and the Clam fight each other, it's the Fisherman who benefits
* Meaning: said when a third party profits from the struggle of others; neighbors who fight each other will lose out to a mutual enemy
— A Fire at the City Gates is also a Disaster to the Fish in the Pond
* Meaning: a drastic action may unintentionally affect other people and harm innocent bystanders
* Note: The idea is that while the fish might appear to be safe from the fire outside… if the firefighters drain the pond-water to help put out the fire, then even the fish will suffer.
— A Carp leaping through the Dragon Gate
* Meaning: to make a significant advancement after much effort; to undergo a great transformation (like a carp becoming a dragon)
— Where Fish swim with Dragons / Where Dragons and Snakes intermingle
* Meaning: a place with a mixture of both strong and weak (or good and bad) people
— Even a Powerful Dragon cannot repress a Local Snake
* Meaning: an outsider with great power/influence may not be a match for a gangster on his home turf
— Paint a Dragon and Dot the Eyes
* Meaning: to add the vital finishing touch; the crucial point that brings the subject to life
— Dragon returning to the Sea
* Meaning: in one's element; "like a fish back in water"
— A Dragon among Men
* Meaning: an exceptional and talented person who stands out among others
— Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons
* Meaning: talented individuals in hiding; concealed talent
— A Fight between a Dragon and a Tiger
* Meaning: a fierce battle between two powerful opponents
— Dragon's Pool and Tiger's Den
* Meaning: a very dangerous location
— Paper Tiger
* Meaning: something that seems fierce/threatening but is actually much weaker than it looks
— Like a Tiger that has grown Wings / Like giving Wings to a Tiger
* Meaning: with redoubled power (a tiger is already fierce… what if it could also fly?)
— Lure the Tiger away from the Mountain
* Meaning: to lure an enemy out of his territory
— If you ride a Tiger, it's hard to get off
* Meaning: something difficult to stop halfway
— A Tiger Father will not beget a Dog Son
* Meaning: a great/powerful father will not raise a worthless son (typically said as a compliment)
— Pretending to be a Pig to eat a Tiger
* Meaning: to fake weakness to fool and defeat a strong foe
— The Newborn Calf does not fear the Tiger
* Meaning: young or inexperienced people are often ignorant
— A Lion uses its full strength even when hunting a Rabbit
* Meaning: you can't relax even against a weak challenge
— A Toad lusting after a Swan's Flesh
* Meaning: aspiring after something one is not worthy of
— Play the Lute for a Cow
* Meaning: to do something for the wrong audience; "discussing philosophy with a fool"
— Chef Ding carving the Ox
* Meaning: performing a task effortlessly and with great skill
— A Single Hair from Nine Oxen
* Meaning: an insignificant amount; "a drop in the bucket"
— A Clay Ox entering the Sea
* Meaning: to disappear with no hope of returning (like a clay figurine dissolving in water)
— Beat the Grass and Scare the Snake
* Meaning: to inadvertently alert an enemy; (less commonly) to punish someone as a warning to others
— Drawing Legs on a Snake
* Meaning: wasted effort; to ruin something by adding unnecessary details
— The Dog acts fierce when his Master is present
* Meaning: to use one's position to bully others
— A starved Camel is still bigger than a Horse
* Meaning: even weakened, someone strong is still strong
— A Crane in a Flock of Chickens
* Meaning: someone exceptional who stands out among a crowd of lesser people
— Wanting to steal a Chicken, but instead losing the Bait
* Meaning: trying to gain an advantage only to end up worse off
— Killing the Chicken to warn the Monkey
* Meaning: to punish an individual as an example to others
— When the Tree falls, the Monkeys scatter
* Meaning: opportunists will quickly abandon an unfavorable cause
— Tall Trees attract the Wind
* Meaning: being outstanding brings adversity in itself
— Half a Day
* Meaning: (metaphor) for a long time; for quite a while
* Note: It literally means "half of a day", but often refers to a much shorter period of time. For example, if two people stare at each other for "half a day", it might have only been an awkwardly long moment.
— Side Dish
* Meaning: (slang) Noob; a small appetizer… in other words, "a piece of cake"
— Black Belly
* Meaning: (slang) two-faced; outwardly kind but inwardly evil or manipulative
— Fart / Farting
* Meaning: (slang) to talk nonsense; "Bullshit!"
— Wear a Green Hat
* Meaning: a cuckold; to be cuckolded by one's wife
— Intestines turning Green from Regret
* Meaning: to be completely consumed with regret
* Note: The idea is that intestines supposedly turn green in a decomposing body, so this idiom is about figuratively "dying from regret".
— Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals
* Meaning: useless troops
— The Thirty-Six Stratagems
* Meaning: a classic list of Chinese stratagems (plans/schemes) to be used in war
* Note: A particularly famous idiom says "Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is best". In other words: "If all else fails, retreat".
— Wash one's Hands in a Golden Basin
* Meaning: to retire from or leave the martial world
— When in the Jianghu, one cannot move freely
* Meaning: you can't always do as you like; one has to compromise in this world
— Fly across the Rooftops
* Meaning: lit. "to leap the house and cross the roofridge"; often used to describe the superb movement skills of martial artists in Wuxia novels
— A Teacher for a Day, a Father for Life
* Meaning: a student should revere and respect someone who was willing to mentor them, even if they could only teach for a short period of time… similarly, a teacher should nurture and cherish their students as they would their own children
— A Thousand-mile Journey begins with the First Step
* Meaning: great accomplishments come from an accumulation of small achievements made one by one