fenlan Posted July 29, 2005 at 09:25 AM Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 at 09:25 AM The true glory of the Chinese language is all the 4 character phrases - I am included all types of chengyu, proverbs and phrases. These are my current favourites: 坐井观天 - to sit in a well and look at the sky, or have a limited, blinkered perspective 叶公好龙- Duke Ye was fond of dragons - relates to a story that Duke Ye liked decorating his house with dragons, but was scared out of his wits when a real one turned up. This phrase refers to people who call for something they don't really want. What are your favourites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiao Kui Posted July 29, 2005 at 08:43 PM Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 at 08:43 PM I like this one: 破釜沉舟 po4fu3chen2zhou1 (not sure abt tone for fu) It means break the pots and sink the ships. I think the story is abt a general who did this to his own ships after his army landed ashore so his army wouldn't have anything to retreat to. No turning back! -XK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
盤古 Posted July 29, 2005 at 09:13 PM Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 at 09:13 PM 坐井观天 - to sit in a well and look at the sky, or have a limited, blinkered perspective I've never heard of that one but it reminds me of 井底之蛙 jing3di3zhi1wa1, quite literally the frog at the bottom of the well. Some of my favorites are: 过河拆桥 guo4he2chai1qiao2 - "to break the bridge after you've crossed the river" 画蛇添足 hua4she2tian1zu2 - "to add legs to a drawing of a snake" 班门弄斧 ban1men2nong4fu3 - "to show off your axe skills in front of Master Ban (an axe master)". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughitt1 Posted July 30, 2005 at 05:58 AM Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 at 05:58 AM 鼯鼠技窮 - a flying squirrel at the end of his abilities 重愛輕友 - to ditch your friends for your bf or gf last one not quite a 成語 but is still great none the less.. there is another way to say it with different first character, but i forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wai ming Posted July 30, 2005 at 07:53 AM Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 at 07:53 AM I've usually heard that last one as 重色轻友 （重色輕友), but it's a good one none the less Jordan Chan (陳小春) has a song by that name Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenlan Posted July 30, 2005 at 11:54 AM Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2005 at 11:54 AM 画龙点睛- to "dot in" the eye when painting a dragon, ie to make the final, clincher point in an argument Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted July 31, 2005 at 07:32 AM Report Share Posted July 31, 2005 at 07:32 AM Before you continue, I would like to bring up these threads. http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/5-how-many-characters-do-you-know53 http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/773-chinese-idiom-rally-ii http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/12-horse-horse-tiger-tiger-slang-and-idioms63 If you think we need more, go ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenlan Posted July 31, 2005 at 11:04 AM Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2005 at 11:04 AM Can you append these posts to an existing thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughitt1 Posted August 1, 2005 at 10:12 AM Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 at 10:12 AM Jordan Chan (陳小春) has a song by that name I Actually didn't know the song was by Jordan Chan. There is another version by name of 重愛輕友 by leon lai. I found out about it playing rock fever . I check with friend and she said 重色輕友 is much more common. There is also a cool flash video of the leon lai version of the song on the net if you are interested :） Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wai ming Posted August 1, 2005 at 12:05 PM Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 at 12:05 PM Sounds like that's a different song to the one I'm thinking of, although that flash is quite funny There's a flash version of the Jordan Chan song here, if you're interested: http://www.flashh.com/html/201.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraldc Posted August 1, 2005 at 01:22 PM Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 at 01:22 PM It's not a chengyu or anything vaguely literary, but a few years ago I went with my family on a HK package tour through the Guangdong region, and the tour group leader used the phrase 骑马过海 as a euphemism for a visit to the bathroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laohu489 Posted August 1, 2005 at 10:13 PM Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 at 10:13 PM The only place I have heard 骑马过海 was in sexual context before. I think it was in 金瓶梅 I read it. he he he. On that note, I would have to say that my favorite one is usefull and practical: 寻花问柳. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewouldgo Posted August 2, 2005 at 01:44 AM Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 at 01:44 AM 画龙点睛- to "dot in" the eye when painting a dragon, ie to make the final, clincher point in an argument 画蛇添足 - draw snake add feet. Adding something extra yet totally destroy the original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewouldgo Posted August 2, 2005 at 01:48 AM Report Share Posted August 2, 2005 at 01:48 AM On that note, I would have to say that my favorite one is usefull and practical: 寻花问柳. reminds me a song called: 路边的野花不要采！ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xiaojiang216 Posted November 23, 2005 at 09:54 PM Report Share Posted November 23, 2005 at 09:54 PM I like..... 望子成龍 wang4 zi3 cheng2 long2 To hope for one's son to become a dragon 望女成鳳 wang4 nv3 cheng2 feng1 To hope for one's daughter to become a phoenix (Both symbolize a hope for a child to become successful) I also like this, but it's not 4 characters... 你好,我壞! ni3 hao3, wo3 huai4! You're good, I'm bad! 你死了,我還在! ni3 si3 le, wo3 hai2 zai4! You're dead, I'm still here! It's a poem that my friend told me... He told me that his teacher taught him this... I don't know about you all, but if my teacher said this to me, I would be a little nervous! 哈哈~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiYuanXi Posted November 24, 2005 at 01:40 AM Report Share Posted November 24, 2005 at 01:40 AM I like 螳臂当车 tang2bi4dang3che1, the mantis blocking the cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddiewouldgo Posted December 1, 2005 at 08:24 PM Report Share Posted December 1, 2005 at 08:24 PM I like 螳臂当车 tang2bi4dang3che1, the mantis blocking the cart I think che is pronounced ju here. tang2bi4dang3ju1. 螳螂捕蝉， 黄雀在后。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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