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For 49 year-old billionaire Long Liyuan, it was just a lunch to talk business and eat cat meat. Little did he know that it would be his last. A local official allegedly laced the cat meat with toxic herbs. You can just imagine the official’s expression while offering Long the cat meat. The Chinese idiom [...]
2012 is the Year of the Dragon. Do you know what the dragon symbolizes for Chinese people? The dragon has been a sacred creature since ancient times. It is the king of beasts and represents strength, wisdom, rule, and unlimited potential. Chinese people still consider themselves descendants of the dragon. How about 7 commonly used [...]
There are tough negotiators. And then there are people who you can’t give any concessions to. Give them an inch and they’ll take a yard. Or as the Chinese would say, they would 得寸进尺 (dé cùn jìn chǐ). 得寸进尺 (dé cùn jìn chǐ) describes someone who’s so greedy that if you give them a little [...]
The Chinese also have an idiom for “just a drop in the bucket.” Except it involves cows. And hair. 九牛一毛 (jiǔ niú yì máo) literally means “9 cows and 1 strand of cow hair” and it indicates something that’s so small that it’s like one strand of cow hair among 9 cows. A breakdown of [...]
If you’re tired of the word “tired” (累 – leì), it’s your lucky day. We’ve got a chengyu (Chinese idiom) that’s much cooler: 有气无力(yǒu qì wú lì). 有气无力 (yǒu qì wú lì) literally means “to have breath but no strength,” and describes someone who is feeling weak and lacking energy. It’s worth mentioning the differences between 有气无力 [...]
Do you believe in love at first sight? Or do you believe that love is “a temporary insanity curable by marriage”? No matter which side you fall on, you should probably know this chengyu: 一见钟情(yí jiàn zhōng qíng). 一见钟情 (yí jiàn zhōng qíng) means “love at first sight.” It’s generally used for people, but you can also [...]
Have you ever shared something great on Facebook, only to have no one like it? Maybe what you shared wasn’t actually that great. Or maybe your friends lack your taste and sophistication. Maybe it was a case of 对牛弹琴(duì niú tán qín). 对牛弹琴 (duì niú tán qín) basically means “to cast pearls before swine” or “to preach [...]
Have you been to a Chinese casino? If not, you should check one out – they’re so colorful and glitzy that they make Western ones seem quiet and subdued in comparison! If you go, we can’t guarantee that you’ll make money, but they’ll definitely make you 眼花缭乱(yǎn huā liáo luàn). 眼花缭乱(yǎn huā liáo luàn) is [...]
Have you ever been talked into buying something you didn’t want? Or doing something you didn’t want to do? Then you probably know what it’s like to be smooth talked with 花言巧语 (huā yán qiǎo yǔ). 花言巧语 (huā yán qiǎo yǔ) refers to words that sound nice but are deceiving and artful. Literally, it means “flowery [...]
If you’re into hip-hop music and culture, you may be familiar with the phrase “word is bond.” According to the Urban Dictionary: It’s “short for “My word is my bond”. You’re saying that what you’re saying is true and without reproach.” It means “that you’d stake your life on what you say, and stand behind your [...]
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