动物意象 Animal Imagery
Dragons and horses symbolize auspiciousness, while foxes often represent cunning, reflecting Chinese culture’s anthropomorphic thinking toward animals.
hú jiǎ hǔ wēi
狐假虎威
Paraphrase:
To bully others by flaunting powerful connections.
（比喻依仗他人权势欺压人。）
Example sentence:
He’s just a fox borrowing the tiger’s might, using the boss’s reputation to intimidate colleag
他不过是狐假虎威，借着老板的名声吓唬同事。
hè lì jī qún
鹤立鸡群
Paraphrase:
Stand out prominently among mediocrity.
（比喻才能或外貌出众。）
Example sentence:
Her talent stood out like a crane among chickens, leading to her promotion.
她的才华在团队中如鹤立鸡群，很快被提拔为经理。
láng bèi wéi jiān
狼狈为奸
Paraphrase:
Collude in evil deeds.
（比喻坏人勾结作恶。）
Example sentence:
Corrupt officials colluded with unscrupulous merchants to embezzle funds.
贪官与奸商狼狈为奸，侵吞国家资产。
yīng gē yàn wǔ
莺歌燕舞
Paraphrase:
A scene of prosperity and joy.（
形容生机勃勃的景象。）
Example sentence:
The park in spring is lively with birds singing and tourists visiting.
春日公园里莺歌燕舞，游客络绎不绝。
自然元素 Natural Elements
China’s agrarian civilization held deep reverence for natural phenomena, frequently using nature as metaphors for societal or personal conditions.
fēng tiáo yǔ shùn
风调雨顺
Paraphrase:
Favorable weather for crops.
（形容气候适宜，农业丰收。）
Example sentence:
今年风调雨顺，农民们迎来了大丰收。
With favorable weather this year, farmers enjoyed a bountiful harvest.
léi tíng wàn jūn
雷霆万钧
Paraphrase:
Irresistible force like thunderbolt.
（形容威力极大。）
Example sentence:
改革之势如雷霆万钧，彻底改变了行业格局。
The reforms reshaped the industry with unstoppable force.
fēng huā xuě yuè
风花雪月
Paraphrase:
omantic or superficial themes.
（比喻浮华空泛的内容。）
Example sentence:
他的文章总写风花雪月，缺乏深度。
His writings focus on superficial romance, lacking substance.
shuǐ dī shí chuān
水滴石穿
Paraphrase:
Persistent effort leads to success.
（比喻持之以恒。）
Example sentence:
每天学习一小时，水滴石穿，三年后他精通了法语。
Studying an hour daily, he mastered French in three years.
fēng hé rì lì
风和日丽
Paraphrase:
A calm and sunny day.
（形容天气晴朗。）
Example sentence:
婚礼当天风和日丽，宾客们尽情欢笑。
The wedding day was sunny, filled with laughter.
数字哲学 Numerical Wisdom
The number “one” signifies wholeness, while “ten” represents perfection, illustrating the symbolic interpretation of numbers in Chinese culture.
yī jiàn shuāng diāo
一箭双雕
Paraphrase:
Achieve two goals with one action.
（比喻一举两得。）
Example sentence:
这个方案既能节约成本又能提升效率，真是一箭双雕。
This plan saves costs and improves efficiency—killing two birds with one stone.
jiǔ jiǔ guī yī
九九归一
Paraphrase:
All things return to their origin.
（比喻归根结底。）
Example sentence:
争论许久，九九归一还是他的方案最可行。
After long debates, his plan proved the most feasible.
yī nuò qiān jīn
一诺千金
Paraphrase:
A promise worth a thousand gold.
（形容信用极重。）
Example sentence:
他向来一诺千金，答应的事绝不食言。
(He never breaks promises, valuing his word like gold.)
sān sī ér xíng
三思而行
Paraphrase:
Think thrice before acting.
（比喻谨慎行事。）
Example sentence:
重大决策需三思而行，避免冲动。
Major decisions require careful consideration.
sì hǎi wéi jiā
四海为家
Paraphrase:
Make a home anywhere.
（形容漂泊无定所。）
Example sentence:
他常年四海为家，足迹遍及三十国。
He traveled to thirty countries, living nomadically.
人体隐喻 Body Metaphors
Using body parts to express abstract emotions reflects the traditional concept of “unity of body and mind” (身心合一).
shǒu zú qíng shēn
手足情深
Paraphrase:
Deep affection between siblings.
（形容兄弟姐妹感情深厚。）
Example sentence:
尽管争吵不断，他们始终手足情深。
(Despite frequent arguments, their sibling bond remains unbreakable.)
chún wáng chǐ hán
唇亡齿寒
Paraphrase:
Interdependent like lips and teeth.
（比喻利害关系密切。）
Example sentence:
两国贸易关系唇亡齿寒，一方受损必牵连另一方。
Their trade relationship is like lips and teeth—harm to one inevitably affects the other.
shǒu zú wú cuò
手足无措
Paraphrase:
Panic and not know what to do.
（形容慌乱无措。）
Example sentence:
面对突发事故，他手足无措地站在原地。
He stood frozen, overwhelmed by the sudden accident.
méi kāi yǎn xiào
眉开眼笑
Paraphrase:
Beaming with joy.
（形容非常高兴。）
Example sentence:
听到儿子获奖的消息，母亲顿时眉开眼笑。
The mother’s face lit up upon hearing her son won an award.
xīn zhí kǒu kuài
心直口快
Paraphrase:
Speak frankly without reservation.
（形容性情直爽。）
Example sentence:
她心直口快，虽常得罪人但大家信任她的真诚。
Her blunt honesty sometimes offends, yet people trust her sincerity.
颜色象征 Color Symbolism
In Classical Chinese, “qīng” (青) could mean either blue or green, related to ancient dyeing techniques; red symbolizes joy and celebration but can also represent intense emotions.
qīng chū yú lán
青出于蓝
Paraphrase:
The student surpasses the teacher.
（比喻后人胜过前人。）
Example sentence:
她的设计青出于蓝，比导师的作品更受欢迎。
(Her designs, surpassing her mentor’s, gained wider acclaim.)
dēng hóng jiǔ lǜ
灯红酒绿
Paraphrase:
Extravagant nightlife.
（形容奢侈糜烂的生活。）
Example sentence:
他沉迷于灯红酒绿的夜生活，荒废了事业。
He wasted his career indulging in decadent nightlife.
bái zhǐ hēi zì
白纸黑字
Paraphrase:
Written proof in black and white.
（指明确的书面证据。）
Example sentence:
合同白纸黑字写明：违约方需赔偿损失。
The contract explicitly states: the breaching party must compensate.
miàn hóng ěr chì
面红耳赤
Paraphrase:
Blush with embarrassment or anger.（形容羞愧或激动。）
Example sentence:
The park in spring is lively with birds singing and tourists visiting.
春日公园里莺歌燕舞，游客络绎不绝。
chà zǐ yān hóng
姹紫嫣红
Paraphrase:
Vibrant colors of flowers.
（形容百花齐放的景象。）
Example sentence:
春日花园姹紫嫣红，吸引无数游客拍照。
The garden blooms with vibrant flowers in spring, drawing crowds of tourists.