This is part 3 of a 10 part series in which you'll learn a total of 60 Chinese idioms!
In today's lesson, we focus on Chengyu related to colours.
Ready? Let's dive in!
Useful Chinese Idioms [13-21]
黑白 hēi bái: black and white / right and wrong
分明 fēn míng: clearly / evidently / distinct / clear
Example:
经过一个星期的调查，这件事情已经黑白分明了。
jīng guò yī gè xīng qī de diào chá， zhè jiàn shì qíng
yǐ jīng hēi bái fēn míng le.
After a week of investigation, this issue has become "(clear as) black and white".
颠倒 diān dǎo: to turn upside down / to reverse / back to front / confused
黑白hēi bái: black and white / right and wrong
Example:
法官，不好意思！他颠倒黑白！
fǎ guān, bù hǎo yì sī! tā diān dǎo hēi bái!
Judge, sorry! He turned black into white!
青 qīng: cyan / blue-green
红 hóng: red
皂 zào: black
白 bái: white
Example:
法官，法官！他不分青红皂白把我打了。
fǎ guān, fǎ guān！ tā bù fēn qīng hóng zào bái bǎ wǒ dǎ le.
Judge, judge! He beat me indiscriminately.
姹 chà: beautiful
紫 zǐ: purple / violet
嫣 yān: captivating
红 hóng: red
Example:
我今天去了花园里，看到了很多花朵，姹紫嫣红。
wǒ jīn tiān qù le huā yuán lǐ, kàn dào le hěn duō huā duǒ, chà zǐ yān hóng
I went to the garden today and saw lots of flowers. It was a blaze of colour.
灯 dēng: lamp / light / lantern
红 hóng: red
酒 jiǔ: wine (esp. rice wine) / liquor / spirits / alcoholic beverage
绿 lǜ: green
Example:
Emily:
Angel，我告诉你。
Angel, wǒ gào sù nǐ.
Angel, I have something to tell you.
Emily, 她每天都去灯红酒绿的场所。
Emily, tā měi tiān dōu qù dēng hóng jiǔ lǜ de chǎng suǒ.
Emily goes to debauched places/environments every day.
Angel:
啊？不会吧？！
a? bù huì ba?!
What? No way? !
绿林 lù lín: place in Hubei, the starting point for a major rebellion at the end of Western Han
好汉 hǎo hàn: hero / strong and courageous person
Example:
Emily:
Angel，你知道吗？我前天在报纸上看到一个报道。
Angel, nǐ zhī dào ma? wǒ qián tiān zài bào zhǐ shàng kàn dào yī gè bào dào.
Angel, you know what? I read a report in the newspaper the day before yesterday.
它说在一个小学里面有一个小男生，
tā shuō zài yī gè xiǎo xué lǐ miàn yǒu yī gè xiǎo nán shēng,
It said there was a little boy in a primary school
他在抗议学校不让他穿裙子，
tā zài kàng yì xué xiào bù ràng tā chuān qún zi,
who was protesting that the school would not let him wear a skirt,
然后某一天，
rán hòu mǒu yī tiān,
and then one day
他就带领了全校的所有的男生一起造反穿了裙子。
tā jiù dài lǐng le quán xiào de suǒ yǒu de nán shēng yī qǐ zào fǎn chuān le qún zi.
he led all the boys in the school to rebel and wear a skirt.
Angel:
绿林好汉。
lù lín hǎo hàn.
A true "rebellious hero" / hero of Greenwood" .
A:
嗯...
en...
Um...
黄道 huáng dào: the ecliptic (the plane of the solar system)
吉日 jí rì: propitious day / lucky day
Example:
Emily:
嘿, Angel!
hēi, Angel!
Hey, Angel!
Angel:
嘿!
hēi!
Hey!
Emily:
诶！听说你马上要做Emily的伴娘了。
éi! tīng shuō nǐ mǎ shàng yào zuò Emily de bàn niáng le.
Eh! I heard you're going to be Emily's bridesmaid soon.
Angel:
是的。
shì de.
Yes.
Emily:
你选好裙子了吗？
nǐ xuǎn hǎo qún zi le ma?
Have you chosen your skirt yet?
Angel:
选好了，一条粉红色的长裙。
xuǎn hǎo le yī tiáo fěn hóng sè de cháng qún.
Yes, I've chosen a long pink skirt.
Emily:
哇！那Emily选好了黄道吉日了吗？
wa! nà Emily xuǎn hǎo le huáng dào jí rì le ma?
Wow! Well, has Emily chosen the "Huang Dao Ji Ri"?
Angel:
哦！明天。
o! míng tiān.
Oh! Tomorrow.
Emily:
哇！
wa!
Wow!
白 bái: white
驹 jū: horse
过 guò: to cross / to go over / to pass
隙 xì: crack / crevice / gap or interval
Example:
白驹过隙，我已经进入高中两年了。
bái jū guò xì， wǒ yǐ jīng jìn rù gāo zhōng liǎng nián le.
How time flies! I have already been in high school for two years.
青 qīng: cyan / blue-green
出于 chū yú: due to / to stem from
蓝 lán: blue
胜于 shèng yú: to surpass / victorious / superior to / better than
Example:
Angel:
嘿，曹老师，你看我画的画。
hēi， cáo lǎo shī， nǐ kàn wǒ huà de huà.
Hey, Teacher Cao, take a look at the painting I painted.
Emily:
哇！这是你画的吗？
wa！ zhè shì nǐ huà de ma？
Wow! Did you paint it?
Angel:
是呀！
shì ya！
Yes!
Emily:
你真的是青出于蓝，胜于蓝！
nǐ zhēn de shì qīng chū yú lán, shèng yú lán！
You're really better than your teacher.
You might also find these posts interesting: