Discover 30 timeless idiom stories that have shaped Chinese culture. Each story comes with pinyin annotations to help you learn Mandarin.
Adding eyes to a dragon painting. Making something perfect with final touch.
Having a bamboo in mind. Planning thoroughly before acting.
Penetrating three points into wood. Profound insight.
Dripping water penetrates stone. Perseverance prevails.
Practice makes perfect. Skill comes from repetition.
Hitting target every time. Perfect accuracy.
One arrow hits two eagles. Achieve two goals at once.
Horse arrives, success follows. Quick victory.
One action, two gains. Double benefit.
Half effort, double result. Efficient work.
Water recedes, stones appear. Truth revealed.
Willows dark, flowers bright. New hope after difficulty.
Mountains end, waters dry. No way out.
Fix pen after losing sheep. Correct mistakes.
Add feet to snake. Unnecessary embellishment.
Play lute to cow. Wasting effort on unappreciative audience.
Fill numbers with bad yu players. Incompetent person in group.
Contradict oneself. Inconsistent statements.
Steal bell covering ears. Deceive oneself.
Buy box, return pearl. Value appearance over substance.
Go south with north-facing cart. Actions contradict goal.
Mark boat to find lost sword. Not adapting to change.
Frog in well. Limited perspective.
Fox borrows tiger's authority. Abuse power through association.
Wait by stump for rabbit. Rely on luck.
Old man loses horse. Misfortune may turn to blessing.
Old man moves mountains. Perseverance.
Snipe and clam fight. Mutual destruction.
Mantis catches cicada. Overlook bigger danger.
Call deer horse. Deliberate deception.