Chinese idioms series

Chinese Idioms: 60 Common Chengyu You Can Actually Use in Conversation [28-33]

In Chinese Idioms by Angel Huang

This is part 5 of a 10 part series in which you'll learn a total of 60 Chinese idioms!

How do you say that you had an "epiphany" in Chinese? And which idiom can you use to describe someone who is "earnest and down-earth"?

These are some of the popular 成语 (chéngyǔ) we'll cover in today's lesson.

Let's get started!

Useful Chinese Idioms [28-33]

 刮目相看 guā mù xiāng kàn

刮目: 用新的眼光。

guā mù: yòng xīn de yǎn guāng.

guā mù: to bow one's head.

相看:看待。

xiāng kàn:kàn dài.

xiāng kàn:to look at one another.

Example:

他的成就让很多人刮目相看

tā de chéng jiù ràng hěn duō rén guā mù xiāng kàn.

His achievement made many people look at him with new eyes.

 合情合理 hé qíng hé lǐ

合情:符合情感。

hé qíng:fú hé qíng gǎn.

hé qíng:It's in line with emotions.

合理:符合道理。

hé lǐ:fú hé dào lǐ.

hé lǐ:It's reasonable.

Example:

他的解释合情合理

tā de jiě shì hé qíng hé lǐ.

His explanation is logical and reasonable.

 豁然开朗 huò rán kāi lǎng

豁然:形容开阔。

huò rán : xíng róng kāi kuò.

huò rán : It's wide and open.

开朗:开阔明亮。

kāi lǎng: kāi kuò míng liàng.

huò rán kāi lǎng: It's open and bright.

Example:

她们豁然开朗

tā men huò rán kāi lǎng.

They had an epiphany.

 坚持不懈 jiān chí bù xiè

坚持:保持不变。

jiān chí: bǎo chí bù biàn.

jiān chí: Be persistent.

不懈:毫不松懈。

bù xiè: háo bù sōng xiè.

bù xiè: Without slacking.

Example:

只要你坚持不懈,你会成功的。

zhǐ yào nǐ jiān chí bù xiè, nǐ huì chéng gōng de.

As long as you keep going consistently, you'll succeed.

 见多识广 jiàn duō shí guǎng

⻅多:见过的多。

jiàn duō: jiàn guò de duō.

jiàn duō: Someone who has seen a lot of things.

识广:知道的广。

shí guǎng: zhī dào de guǎng.

shí guǎng: Someone who knows a lot of things.

Example:

旅行能使人⻅多识广

lǚ xíng néng shǐ rén jiàn duō shí guǎng.

Travel can make people experienced and knowledgeable.

 脚踏实地 jiǎo tà shí dì:

脚:你的双脚。

jiǎo : nǐ de shuāng jiǎo.

jiǎo: Your feet.

踏:踏在,站在。

tà: tà zài, zhàn zài.

tà: To step on, or stand on sth.

实:真实的,坚实的。

shí: zhēn shí de, jiān shí de.

shí: Real or solid.

地:土地。

dì: tǔ dì.

dì: Earth / ground.

Example:

我们应该脚踏实地地工作。

wǒ men yīng gāi jiǎo tà shí dì de gōng zuò.

We should have an earnest and down-to-earth attitude towards work.

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