Think of The Boy Who Cried Wolf in English. So by speaking the four characters, the speaker recalls the story behind it and the lesson it teaches us. But many are still in common use today, both in the spoken and written language.Ĭhengyu usually represent the condensation of a longer story. Most are taken from classical Chinese and date back many hundreds – if not thousands – of years. But knowing lots and being able to employ them correctly marks a speaker out as being eloquent and educated. This is a collection of around 5,000 sayings, usually consisting of four (but sometimes five or more) characters.Īll Chinese speakers know at least some chengyu.

When we talk about Chinese idioms, we usually mean 成语 chéngyŭ, which translates as something like ‘formed words’. If you’re ready to get started, click here for a 7-day FREE trial. With Chinese Uncovered you’ll use my unique StoryLearning® method to learn Chinese through story… not rules. But to give you a taste, here is my brief introduction to Chinese idioms.īy the way, if you want to learn Chinese fast and have fun, my top recommendation is Chinese Uncovered which teaches you through StoryLearning®.

This is a vast topic, and countless books have been written on the subject. And Chinese idioms, proverbs and sayings are an integral part of what makes the language so fascinating. It’s impossible to learn a language without touching on the culture of the people who speak it. So it is no wonder the language is rich in idioms representing millennia of wisdom and experience. If you're learning Chinese, then you're learning the language of one of the most ancient cultures in the world.

Funny chinese road sign