Idioms

拍馬屁 (Pāi mǎ pì) literally means to pat a horse’s backside, but it also means false flattery or to be a suck up in Chinese.

Playing the lute to a cow 對牛彈琴 (duì niú tán qín) is the Chinese equivalent of “talking to a brick wall,” or “casting pearls before swine.”

While learning Chinese, have you ever wondered how the Chinese express the phrases “living under a rock” and “sticking your head in the sand”?

In Chinese, 250 isn’t just a number but an idiomatic expression. Use 250 with caution because it is used to call someone stupid.

“No 300 Taels of Silver Buried Here” (此地無銀三百兩) is a Chinese idiom describing a guilty person who gives themselves away.

Several translations for “Guarding the Tree Stump waiting for Rabbits” 守株待兔(Shǒuzhūdàitù) exist in English.

A cat weeps over a dead mouse (貓哭耗子假慈悲 Māo kū hàozi jiǎ cíbēi) is a commonly used Chinese idiom used to express false sympathy.

Lord Ye’s passion for dragons (葉公好龍 Yègōnghàolóng) is a commonly used Chinese idiom meaning to have false passion for something one doesn’t understand or even like.