Sayings · LT901

Idioms

Classical four-character idiomatic expressions derived from historical masterworks.

1231works

13dynasties

230authors

Jin

14 works

265–420

  1. Changing the Strings and Retuning the ZitherChen ShouHe could not promote men of talent or change the strings and retune; though he meant well and loved learning, what good was that against disorder?
  2. Times Shift and the World ChangesSun ChuoNow, as times shift and the world changes, things become thin or thick.
  3. Not Knowing at Dawn What the Evening Will BringChen ShouSo every official lived in dread, getting through each day as it came, unable at dawn to plan for the evening.
  4. Doubts Melting Like Ice: Du Yu on Reading the Zuo CommentaryDu YuLike the soaking of rivers and seas and the moistening of rich rain, doubts melt like ice and reason flows with ease; only then has one truly understood.
  5. A Wolf Cub's Wild Heart: Cao Cao on Lü BuChen ShouLü Bu has a wolf cub's wild heart and truly cannot be kept long.
  6. No Longer Seeing the Whole Ox: Sun Chuo on Mount TiantaiSun ChuoWherever I drive the blade there is empty space; I no longer see the whole ox.
  7. The Recluse's Resolve of Mount Ji: Cao Pi on Xu GanChen ShouWeichang alone combined grace with substance, was content and free of craving, and had the resolve of Mount Ji; he may be called a true gentleman.
  8. As Perilous as Stacked Eggs: Chen Gui Warns Lü BuChen ShouIf you now marry into Yuan Shu's house, you will bear a name for treachery throughout the realm and will surely face danger like a stack of eggs.
  9. Peerless Above the Crowd: Zhuge Liang Praises the Bearded Guan YuChen ShouHe may race neck and neck with Yide, but he does not yet reach the Beard, who is peerless and above the crowd.
  10. An Infant in the Palm of Our Hand: Han Fu's Officers on Yuan ShaoChen ShouLike an infant in the palm of our hand: cut off its milk and it will starve at once.
  11. Talking and Laughing as Usual: Guan Yu Has His Bone ScrapedChen ShouBlood streamed from his arm and filled the dishes, yet he carved the roast and drank his wine, talking and laughing as usual.
  12. Words Beyond His Real Worth: Liu Bei's Warning About Ma SuChen ShouMa Su's words exceed his real worth; he cannot be given great responsibility. Do watch him carefully!
  13. An Edge That None Can WithstandChen ShouGongsun leads the soldiers of Yan and Dai, and their edge cannot be withstood.
  14. Showing Neither Joy Nor Anger on One's FaceChen ShouHe spoke little, was modest toward others, and his joy and anger did not show on his face.

Northern and Southern

69 works

420–589

  1. Raising the Tray to Eyebrow LevelFan YeMeng Guang raised the food tray to her brows when serving her husband; mutual respect between spouses.
  2. Unconcerned with TriflesFan YeNot fussing over minor details or etiquette; easygoing and broad-minded in manner.
  3. Barely SatisfactoryFan YeOriginally, still able to rouse spirits; now, passable or more or less satisfactory.
  4. Spilled Water Cannot Be GatheredFan YeWhat is done cannot be undone, like spilled water that cannot be recovered.
  5. A Crane among ChickensLiu Yiqing (comp.)Standing out conspicuously from those around one in bearing or talent.
  6. A Rising TalentLiu Yiqing (comp.)A promising newcomer; an outstanding member of the younger generation.
  7. Old but Ever More VigorousFan YeGrowing more vigorous and determined with age.
  8. Strength Fails the WillFan YeWanting to do something but lacking the strength or ability.
  9. Too Much for the Eyes to Take InLiu Yiqing (comp.)So much to see that the eyes cannot keep up.
  10. Silent, Imperceptible TransformationYan ZhituiOne's thinking or character is gradually changed by unnoticed influence.
  11. Pleasing to Heart and EyeXie LingyunDelightful to the heart and pleasing to the eye.
  12. Quenching Thirst by Thinking of PlumsLiu YiqingCao Cao's thirsty troops cheered by imagined plums; consoling oneself with fantasies.
  13. Ten Thousand People, One HeartFan YeMillions united as one; complete solidarity.
  14. In High SpiritsLiu XieOriginally of lofty, brilliant writing; now, elated and in high spirits.
  15. Different Mouths, One VoiceShen YueMany people saying the same thing; unanimous.
  16. Leading into WonderlandLiu YiqingDrawing one into an enchanting realm; captivating scenery or works.
  17. Too Many to Take InLiu YiqingToo much beauty to take in at once; or too many matters to handle.
  18. A Hundred Feelings MingledLiu YiqingAll kinds of feelings welling up at once; describes deeply mixed emotions.
  19. Growing Worse and WorseXiao TongOriginally to develop further; now for something bad becoming even worse.
  20. Running Neck and NeckLiu XieHorses harnessed side by side galloping together; being on a par with one another.
  21. Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonYu XinHidden dragons and crouching tigers; a place concealing undiscovered talent.
  22. Putting It Out of MindFan YeGiving no thought to something, especially one's own safety or life.
  23. Overbearingly AggressiveLiu YiqingAggressively overbearing; also, strikingly impressive in a way that puts others under pressure.
  24. Nipping Evil in the BudFan YeTo check wrongdoing at its first sign and prevent it from growing.
  25. Viewing a Leopard Through a TubeLiu YiqingSeeing only one spot of a leopard through a tube; a partial view, or inferring the whole from a part.
  26. Drawing a Tiger That Looks Like a DogFan YeTrying to draw a tiger but ending with a dog; overreaching ambition or clumsy imitation.
  27. Heartbroken at PartingJiang YanWhat dims the heart and melts the soul is parting, and parting alone!
  28. Layer upon Layer of CliffsLi DaoyuanCliffs piled on cliffs, peaks stacked on peaks, hiding the sky and screening the sun; unless it is noon or midnight, one sees neither sun nor moon.
  29. Hares Hard to Tell ApartAnonymous (Northern Dynasties folk song)The buck's feet kick, the doe's eyes squint; but when two hares run side by side along the ground, who can tell if I am male or female?
  30. Ambition Stilled at the Sight of the PeaksWu JunThose who soar to heaven like a hawk would still their hearts on seeing these peaks; those who manage the world's affairs would gaze into these valleys and forget to return.
  31. Each Soldier Worth a Hundred at KunyangFan YeHaving won victory upon victory, the officers grew ever bolder, and every one of them fought like a hundred.
  32. Spoils Beyond Counting at KunyangFan YeThey captured all the army's supplies and baggage; the chariots, armour and treasures were beyond counting, a month of hauling could not finish them, and some of the rest was burned.
  33. The Son-in-Law Lying on the East CouchLiu Yiqing (comp.)Only one young man lay on the east couch with his belly bare, as if he had heard nothing.
  34. Sunset Clouds Spread Like Patterned SilkXie TiaoThe lingering clouds spread out like patterned silk; the clear river lies still as white silk.
  35. Crumbling and Splitting ApartFan YeAll the realm is crumbling and splitting apart; the situation is plain to see.
  36. Shrike and Swallow Flying ApartXiao Yan (traditionally attributed)The shrike flies east, the swallow flies west; the Herdboy and the Weaver Girl meet only now and then.
  37. A Name Recorded on Bamboo and SilkFan YeI only wish that your virtue and might reach the four seas, and that I may render some small service and have my merit written on bamboo and silk.
  38. Belly Bare on the Eastern Couch: Wang Xizhi Chosen as Son-in-LawLiu Yiqing (comp.)Only one young man lay on the eastern couch with his belly bare, as if he had heard nothing.
  39. Rich in Springs and Autumns: Yuan Shao Defends the Young EmperorFan YeThe present emperor is rich in springs and autumns, and nothing bad about him has been made known to the realm.
  40. Biyu, the Girl from a Humble HouseXiao YiBiyu, a girl of a humble house, came to marry the Prince of Runan.
  41. Ladling Boiling Water to Stop the BoilFan YeLadling boiling water to stop it boiling is not as good as removing the firewood; lancing an abscess, though painful, beats letting it eat away within.
  42. Throwing Down the Brush to Take Up ArmsFan YeA real man should at least follow Fu Jiezi and Zhang Qian and win merit in foreign lands; how can he spend his days among brushes and inkstones?
  43. Laying Open One's Heart and SoulFan YeHow dare I not lay open my heart, to repay a ten-thousandth part?
  44. Late in the Day With the Road Still LongYu XinThe day is late and the road is long: what kind of world is this?
  45. Slender Wisdom, Grand DesignsXiao YiOnce a man of ritual vessels, now a soldier in armour; my wisdom slender and my designs grand, where then is my fame?
  46. Setting Out at Dawn and Arriving by DuskLi DaoyuanLeaving Baidi at dawn and reaching Jiangling by dusk, a distance of twelve hundred li; even riding a galloping horse or the wind would not be so fast.
  47. Not Turning on One's Heel Even Before DeathFan YeI truly know my guilt and will face death without turning on my heel; I beg only five more days to destroy the chief villain, and then I will go to the cauldron. That is my wish in life.
  48. Jiang Yan's Talent Run DryJiang YanJiang Yan reached into his robe, took out a five-coloured brush and gave it to him. After that his poems had no fine lines at all, and people of the time said his talent was spent.
  49. A Monkey Washed and Wearing a CapXiao GangIf you stood facing a wall, or were a monkey washed and wearing a cap, that I would not approve.
  50. As Distinct as the Clear Jing and the Muddy WeiXiao GangDistinguish the clear from the muddy, making them as plain as the Jing and the Wei.
  51. The Clear River Smooth as White SilkXie TiaoThe lingering clouds disperse like brocade; the clear river lies calm as white silk.
  52. Swallow's Chin and Tiger's Neck: Ban Chao's FortuneFan YeYou have a swallow's chin and a tiger's neck; you fly and eat meat. This is the face of a lord ten thousand li away.
  53. Repaying Every Angry Glare: Fan Ju's RevengeFan YeEvery meal of kindness he repaid; every angry glare he avenged.
  54. Disaster Before a Heel Can Turn: Chen Fan's MemorialFan YeIf I speak out fully, the villains will glare at me, and disaster will come before a heel can turn.
  55. A Tower Built in the AirSanghasenaBy the sea, the vapours of the clam-dragon look like towers and terraces; over the wide plains, vapours take the shape of palaces.
  56. Guan Ning Cuts the Mat in TwoLiu Yiqing (comp.)Guan Ning cut the mat and sat apart, saying: you are no friend of mine.
  57. Superb Words: Yang Xiu Solves the Riddle on the Cao E SteleLiu Yiqing (comp.)That is, 'superb and exquisite words'.
  58. Abandoning the Root to Chase the Branches: Jia Sixie on FarmingJia SixieAbandoning the root to chase the branches is condemned by the wise.
  59. Armoured and Armed in the Front Line: Liu Yu at GouzhangShen Yue (comp.)Gaozu always wore armour and bore sharp weapons, going ahead of his soldiers, and in every battle broke the enemy's front.
  60. Former Students and Old SubordinatesFan YeThe Yuan clan has bestowed favours for four generations, and its former students and old subordinates are found throughout the realm.
  61. Cliffs That Hide the Sky and Blot Out the SunLi DaoyuanLayered cliffs and piled peaks hide the sky and blot out the sun; unless it is noon or midnight one sees neither sun nor moon.
  62. Standing Face to the WallXiao GangTo stand with one's face to the wall, or to be a monkey wearing a hat, is what I will not accept.
  63. Bowing Low and Holding One's BreathFan YeFrom then on the eunuchs and palace attendants all bowed low and held their breath, and did not dare leave the palace even on their days of leave.
  64. Yellow Silk and Young Woman: The Riddle of Cao E's SteleLiu Yiqing (comp.)Yellow silk is coloured silk, which makes jue; young woman is a girl, which makes miao; daughter's son is woman and son, which makes hao; a mortar receives the pungent, which makes ci.
  65. Without Entering the Tiger's Den, How Can One Catch the CubFan YeWithout entering the tiger's den, one cannot catch the cub. Our only plan now is to attack the barbarians with fire under cover of night.
  66. Knowing a Fault, Be Sure to Mend ItZhou XingsiKnowing a fault, be sure to mend it; having gained an ability, do not forget it.
  67. Ceaseless as a Flowing RiverZhou XingsiLike a river flowing without rest, like a deep pool clear and reflecting.
  68. One Breath, Joined BranchesZhou XingsiBrothers care most deeply for one another, sharing one breath like joined branches.
  69. Isolated, Narrow and Ill-InformedZhou XingsiIsolated and ill-informed, I share the ridicule due to the ignorant.

Tang

16 works

618–907

  1. Rising to Practice Swordplay at CockcrowFang Xuanling et al. (comp.)Zu Ti rose at midnight cockcrow to practice swordsmanship; ambitious people seizing every moment to strive.
  2. Wielding an Axe at Lu Ban's DoorLiu ZongyuanShowing off axe skills before the master carpenter Lu Ban; displaying one's meager skill before an expert.
  3. A Dream While the Millet CooksShen JijiA scholar dreams a lifetime of glory before his millet finishes cooking; fleeting, illusory ambitions.
  4. Viewing Flowers on HorsebackMeng JiaoGlancing at flowers from a galloping horse; looking at things superficially without close examination.
  5. Proud in the Spring BreezeMeng JiaoMeng Jiao's joy after passing the imperial exam; elated pride at success in career or life.
  6. Green Plums and Bamboo HorsesLi BaiChildren playing with green plums and hobby horses; the innocent bond of a boy and girl who grew up together.
  7. Two Innocent ChildrenLi BaiA boy and girl playing together as children with no suspicion or self-consciousness; innocent childhood companionship.
  8. Having Once Seen the Vast SeaYuan ZhenOnce you have seen the ocean, other waters pale; broad experience, or devotion to a love beyond compare.
  9. Returning in a Cloud of DustDu MuCharging back amid swirling dust; staging a comeback after defeat with renewed strength.
  10. White Clouds Turn into Grey DogsDu FuClouds shaped like white robes suddenly become grey dogs; the unpredictable changeability of worldly affairs.
  11. The Broken Mirror Made WholeMeng QiA couple parted by war reunite by matching halves of a broken mirror; estranged spouses coming back together.
  12. The Ends of the EarthBai JuyiThe corners of the sea and edges of the sky; the remotest places, or people separated by great distance.
  13. Dotting the Eyes of the Painted DragonZhang YanyuanA painter dots a dragon's eyes and it flies away; the crucial finishing touch that brings a work to life.
  14. The Whole Room Roars with LaughterZhao LinEveryone in the room bursts out laughing at once.
  15. Not Even Chickens and Dogs Have PeaceLiu ZongyuanSuch severe disturbance that even the chickens and dogs have no peace.
  16. Shaking Heaven and EarthBai JuyiSo powerful or momentous that it shakes heaven and earth.