This is part 4 of a 10 part series in which you'll learn a total of 60 Chinese idioms!
How do you say that something is "like looking for a needle in a haystack" in Chinese? And which idiom can you use to describe someone who is "talented in many ways"?
These are some of the popular 成语 (chéngyǔ) we'll cover in today's lesson.
Let's get started!
Useful Chinese Idioms [22-27]
垂头: 低着头。
chuí tóu: dī zhe tóu.
chuí tóu: to bow one's head.
丧气: 神情沮丧。
sàng qì: shén qíng jǔ sàng.
sàng qì: Look depressed / feel disheartened
Example:
她垂头丧⽓，失望极了。
tā chuí tóu sàng qì， shī wàng jí le.
She is in low spirits and feels extremely disappointed.
春: 就是春天。
chūn: jiù shì chūn tiān.
chūn is spring.
暖: 就是暖和。
nuǎn: jiù shì nuǎn huo.
nuǎn is warm.
花: 就是花朵。
huā: jiù shì huā duǒ.
huā is flowers.
开: 就是盛开的意思。
kāi: jiù shì shèng kāi de yì sī.
kāi means blooming.
Example:
在这春暖花开的时节,我们应该外出旅游。
zài zhè chūn nuǎn huā kāi de shí jié, wǒ men yīng gāi wài chū lǚ yóu.
We should travel in spring when the flowers are in bloom.
大海: 就是很大的海。
dà hǎi: jiù shì hěn dà de hǎi.
dà hǎi is a big ocean.
捞: 就是用鱼网去捕。
lāo: jiù shì yòng yú wǎng qù bǔ zhuā.
lāo means to catch with a fishing net.
针: 就是缝衣服的针。
zhēn: jiù shì féng yī fú de zhēn
zhēn: The needle used for sewing clothes.
Example:
试图在⻄安找到我丢失的钱包，就像⼤海捞针。
shì tú zàixīān zhǎo dào wǒ diū shī de qián bāo，jiù xiàng dà hǎi lāo zhēn.
Trying to find my lost wallet in Xian is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
对牛: 就是对着牛。
duì niú: jiù shì duì zhe niú.
duì niú means to face a cow.
弹琴: 就是弹奏一个乐器。
tán qín: jiù shì tán zòu yī gè yuè qì.
tán qín means to play an instrument.
Example:
跟我讲网络，不是对⽜弹琴吗?
gēn wǒ jiǎng wǎng luò， bù shì duì niú tán qín ma?
You're preaching to deaf ears if you are talking to me about the internet.
多才: 就是很多的才能。
duō cái: jiù shì hěn duō de cái néng.
"duō cái" means a lot of talents.
多艺: 就是很多的技艺。
duō yì: jiù shì hěn duō de jì yì.
"duō yì" means a lot of skills.
Example:
Tom真是多才多艺，他善于数学，唱歌和⾼尔夫球。
Tom zhēn shì duō cái duō yì， tā shàn yú shù xué，chàng gē hé gāo ěr fū qiú.
Tom is gifted in many ways. He's great at math, singing and golf.
婀娜: 就是柔美的，
ē nuó: jiù shì róu měi de，
"ē nuó" means beautiful,
轻盈的，高雅的样子。
qīng yíng de, gāo yǎ de yàng zi.
lithe and graceful.
多姿: 就是很多的姿态。
duō zī: jiù shì hěn duō de zī tài.
"duō zī" means a lot of poses.
Example:
在舞台的灯光下，Lily看起来婀娜多姿。
zài wǔ tái de dēng guāng xià， Lily kàn qǐ lái ē nuó duō zī.
Under the stage lights, Lily looked really pretty and charming.
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