1、半途而废
Give Up Halfway
A breakdown of the characters in 半途而废 (bàn tú ér fèi)
半 (bàn): half
途 (tú): way or road (路途-lù tú)
而 (ér): conjunction meaning “but” here
废 (fèi): to abandon (eg. 废弃–fèi qì )
Is there a shortcut to Chinese fluency?
Nope.
There are ways to learn faster or better, but to achieve fluency, there is one key condition: you have to persevere and not give up. This brings us to our essential chengyu: 半途而废 (bàn tú ér fèi).
半途而废 means to start doing something, only to give up halfway. Literally, it means to walk half the road and give up.
Examples
“运动不能半途而废，要坚持不懈”
“yùndòng bùnéng bàntúérfèi, yào jiānchíbúxiè”
“You can’t give up halfway with exercising – you need to persevere”
“世界上只有一种失败它叫做半途而废”
“shìjiè shàng zhǐyǒu yīzhǒng shībài tā jiàozuò bàntúérfèi”
“In the world there is only one kind of failure, and it is called giving up halfway”
“普京:做事不喜欢半途而废因此打算竞选总统”
“pǔjīng: zuòshì bú xǐhuān bàntúérfèi yīncǐ dǎsuàn jìngxuǎn zǒngtǒng”
“Putin: I don’t like to give up halfway when doing things so I plan on running for president”
“我不是半途而废的人”
“wǒ búshì bàntúérfèi de rén”
“I’m not someone who gives up halfway”
2、半真半假
Half Real, Half fake
A breakdown of the characters in 半真半假 (bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ):
半(bàn): half
真(zhēn): real (真实 – zhēn shí)
半(bàn): half
假(jiǎ): false (假币 – jiǎ bì)
You know to watch out for counterfeit RMB.
But did you know you should also watch out for RMB that’s only half real?
It’s a kind of “mutant counterfeit currency” (变种假币 – biàn zhǒng jiǎ bì) that has appeared in recent years. Sometimes the counterfeiters cut the bill in half up the middle and stick them together. Sometimes, they actually cut the bill so that it’s half as thick!
As always, there is a great chengyu for this phenomenon 半 真半假 (bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ).
半真半假 literally means “half real half fake” and it’s used for anything that’s not completely real. It can be used for both abstract concepts and tangible things. It’s important to note that it doesn’t necessarily have a negative meaning, and can also mean “half-jokingly” or “half-seriously”
“我们手牵手逛大街小巷，半真半假地 穿情侣T恤 “
“wǒ men shǒu qiān shǒu guàng dà jiē xiǎo xiàng, bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ de chuān qíng lǚ T xù”
“We held hands and strolled the streets and alleyways, and half-seriously wore matching couple T-shirts”
“…半真半假的东西就成了事实“
“…bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ de dōng xi jiù chéng le shì shí”
“…something that was only half real became completely real”
“…混杂着很多半真半假的洋品牌“
“…hùn zá zhe hěn duō bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ de yáng pǐn pái”
“there are many half real, half fake foreign brands mixed in”
“我跟他半真半假地说，以后我给你写 一本书“
“wǒ gēn tā bàn zhēn bàn jiǎ de shuō, yǐ hòu wǒ gěi nǐ xiě yī běn shū “
“I told her half-jokingly, later I’ll write you a book”
3、笨鸟先飞
Dumb birds must start flying early
A breakdown of the characters in 笨鸟先飞 ( bèn niǎo xiān fēi)
笨 (bèn): dumb or clumsy
鸟 (niǎo): bird
先 (xiān): first or earlier
飞 (fēi): to fly
How to express modesty when receiving a compliment?
Ditch the commonplace 哪里哪里, and try out this-笨鸟 先飞 ( bèn niǎo xiān fēi)!
笨鸟先飞 generally means that people with less ability have to try harder, and literally means that “dumb birds have to start flying early.” It’s usually used to refer to yourself in a self- deprecating manner. It’s a light-hearted chengyu.
“她知道自己要笨鸟先飞，什么都要努 力去争取…”
“tā zhīdào zìjǐ yào bènniǎoxiānfēi, shénme dōuyào nǔlì qù zhēngqǔ…”
“He knows he must make up for his lack of ability with effort, he has to strive to earn everything”
“…优秀的球员太多了，我必须得笨鸟 先飞”
“…yōuxiù de qiúyuán tài duō le, wǒ bìxū děi bènniǎoxiānfēi”
“…there are too many great players, I need to make up for my lack of ability by working the hardest”
“以你的经验来说，笨鸟先飞型的人是 不是有好处?”
“yǐ nǐ de jīngyàn lái shuō, bènniǎoxiānfēi xíng de rén shì bùshì yǒu hǎochù”
“From your experience, do you think underdogs who have to work extra hard are actually at an advantage”
“我要用笨鸟先飞的精神…”
“wǒ yào yòng bènniǎoxiānfēi de jīngshén…”
“I need to use the spirit of making up for lack of ability through effort…”
4、擦肩而过 cā jiān ér guò
Missed encounter
A breakdown of the characters in 擦肩而过 (cā jiān ér guò):
擦 (cā): to brush, rub up against
肩 (jiān): shoulder (肩膀 – jiān bǎng)
而 (ér): conjunction meaning “but” here
过 (guò): to pass by (as in过去 – guò qù)
The fodder for countless chick-flicks: two strangers work and live near each other and would be a perfect couple; however, they keep missing each other!
It turns out there is a chengyu that’s perfect for this situation: 擦肩而过 (cā jiān ér guò).
擦肩而过 literally means “to brush shoulders and pass by”. It means to come into close contact with someone or something, but then barely miss it. 擦肩而过 can be used for very specific, tangible things (eg. asteroid almost hitting the earth) as well as very abstract things (love and death).
“AMY是一个渴望抓住爱情的女孩，却 屡屡和真爱擦肩而过”
“AMY shì yígè kěwàng zhuāzhù àiqíng de nǚhái, què lǚlǚ hé zhēn’ài cā jiān ér ɡuò “
“AMY is a girl who longs to experience love, but often barely misses true love”
“乔布斯感到如释重负，因为自己曾经 和死神擦肩而过”
“qiáobùsī gǎndào rúshìzhòngfù, yīnwèi zìjǐ céngjīng hé sǐshén cā jiān ér ɡuò “
“Steve Jobs felt a sense of relief because he had brushed up against death, but came out alive”
“在这里，和别人擦肩而过的时候，即 使是素不相识的陌生人，大家也会互相 打招呼”
“zài zhèlǐ, hé biérén cā jiān ér ɡuò de shíhou, jíshǐ shì sùbùxiāngshí de mòshēng rén, dàjiā yě huì hùxiāng dǎzhāohu “
“Here, whenever anyone brushes shoulders with someone, even if it’s a complete stranger, everyone will say “hi” to one another”
“在繁忙的现代都市生活中，不要让擦 肩而过的友谊成为遗憾”
“zài fánmáng de xiàndài dūshì shēnghuó zhōng, búyào ràng cā jiān ér ɡuò de yǒuyì chéngwéi yíhàn “
“Amongst the hustle and bustle of a modern city, don’t let a barely missed friendship become a regret”
5、粗心大意 cū xīn dà yì
Negligent and careless
Know anybody extremely careless?
Perhaps they’re always spilling something, forgetting dates, or bumping into things?
Here’s a chengyu to describe that person (or your own clumsy behavior): 粗心大意(cū xīn dà yì).
粗心大意 simply means negligent or careless. It is a bit stronger in tone than 马虎 (mǎhu), also meaning careless.
Here’s a breakdown of the characters in 粗心大意 (cū xīn dà yì):
粗(cū): negligent or rough ( 粗糙 – cū cāo)
心(xīn): heart
大 (dà): generally means “big,” but here it means general or approximate (大概 – dà gài)
意 (yì): generally 意 means “meaning,” but here it means attention or focus (注意力 – zhù yì lì)
“粗心大意是许多年轻人共有的毛病”
“cūxīndàyì shì xǔduō niánqīngrén gòngyǒu de máobìng”
“Being careless is a common problem shared by many young people”
“…经常犯一些粗心大意的错误”
“…jīngcháng fàn yìxiē cūxīndàyì de cuòwù”
“…to often make some careless mistakes”
“有些粗心大意的消费者在网络购票中 落入陷阱”
“yǒuxiē cūxīndàyì de xiāofèizhě zài wǎngluò gòu piào zhōng luòrù xiànjǐng”
“Some careless consumers fall into traps while buying tickets online”
“骗子就是利用广撒网的方式，等待那 种 粗 心 大 意 的 人 上 当 ”
“piànzi jiùshì lìyòng guǎng sǎwǎng de fāngshì, děngdài nà zhǒng cūxīndàyì de rén shàngdàng”
“Swindlers use the method of casting a wide net and waiting for that sort of careless person to get tricked”
6、得寸进尺 dé cùn jìn chǐ
Give an inch and take a yard
A breakdown of the characters in 得寸进尺(dé cùn jìn chǐ):
得 (dé): to get, acquire (得到 – dé dào)
寸 (cùn): a Chinese unit of length, approximately equal to 3 cm
进 (jìn): to advance (前进 – qián jìn)
尺 (chǐ): a Chinese unit of length, approximately equal to 1/3 of a meter
There are tough negotiators.
And then there are people 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 describes someone who’s so greedy that if you give them a little bit, they’ll come right back and ask for much more. It’s more or less similar to “give an inch and take a yard,” except the units of measurement are Chinese (see below). It indicates insatiable greediness, and is not a term to be tossed around lightly.
“越南、菲律宾等国家得寸进尺，一再 冲击中国的底线 “
“yuènán, fēilǜbīn děng guójiā décùnjìnchǐ, yízài chōngjí zhōngguó de dǐxiàn”
“Vietnam, the Philippines, and other such countries will get an inch and take a yard, repeatedly attacking China’s Southern border line.”
“老板们又能不能不为了一些细枝末节 得寸进尺，早点跟球员达成协议呢?”
“lǎobǎn men yòu néngbùnéng bú wèile yìxiē xìzhīmòjié décùnjìnchǐ, zǎo diǎn gēn qiúyuán dáchéng xiéyì ne?”
“Can the owners try not to be so greedy over such minor details, and instead, try to reach an agreement with the players a little earlier?”
“在我们做过这么多让步之后，他们现 在居然还要得寸进尺 “
“zài wǒmen zuò ɡuò zhème duō ràngbù zhīhòu, tāmen xiànzài jūrán háiyào décùnjìnchǐ “
“After we’ve made so many concessions, they are still seeking more”
“不单是进化论，他有点得寸进尺地 说…”
“bùdānshì jìnhuà lùn, tā yǒudiǎn décùnjìnchǐ de shuō…”
“He didn’t just stop at the theory of evolution, but further went on to say (negatively) that…”
7、对号入座 duì hào rù zuò
To assume you are being criticized
A breakdown of the characters in 对号入座(duì hào rù zuò):
对 (duì): to check (对表 – duì biǎo)
号 (hào): number
入 (rù): to enter(进入 – jìn rù)
座 (zuò): seat (座位 – zuò wèi)
Have you ever made an innocent comment…
…only to have someone jump on you because they thought you were talking about them?
Use this idiom to keep them at bay: 对号入座 (duì hào rù zuò).
对号入座 literally means “to take your seat based on your number”, but the meaning has expanded to include situations when someone jumps out and assumes that a criticism or comment is about them. Someone mentioning that they hate poorly written blogs, and us geting defensive because we assume that they’re talking about us is a classic example of 对号入座.
“…并不针对任何人，请不要自行对号 “不是真凶的人千万别对号入座哦” 入座”
“…bìng bù zhēnduì rènhé rén,qǐng búyào zìxíng duìhàorùzuò “
“…I’m not targeting anyone, please don’t assume that we’re talking about you”
“…请勿对号入座，没有提到她”
“…qǐngwù duìhàorùzuò,méiyǒu tídào tā “
“…Please don’t assume we’re talking about her – we didn’t bring her up at all”
“不是真凶的人千万别对号入座哦”
“búshì zhēnxiōng de rén qiānwàn bié duìhàorùzuò o”
“If you’re not the real killer, please don’t assume we’re talking about you”
“我并不是要引起80和90的争执，我只 是说大多数的情况，请理智的90后朋 友不要对号入座”
“wǒ bìngbúshì yào yǐnqǐ 80 hé 90 de zhēngzhí,wǒ zhǐshì shuō dàduōshù de qíngkuàng,qǐng lǐzhì de 90hòu péngyǒu búyào duìhàorùzuò”
“I’m not trying to create con ict between people born in the 80s and 90s. I’m just talking about the majority of situations, so those of you who are rational and born in the 90s – please don’t assume we’re talking about you.”
8、对牛弹琴 duì niú tán qín
To preach to deaf ears
A breakdown of the characters in 对牛弹琴(duì niú tán qín):
对(duì): at or to
牛(niú): cow
弹 (tán): to play
琴 (qín): a stringed instrument
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) means “to preach to deaf ears,” and literally means “to play the lute for a cow.” It’s used to describe a situation where A is telling B something that B is unable to understand or appreciate. It is a negative word and implies that A is talking without really considering his or her audience.
“微博营销不是对牛弹琴，而是和粉丝 谈恋爱。。。”
“wēibó yíngxiāo búshì duìniútánqín, érshì hé fěnsī tán liànài…”
“Microblog marketing is not about preaching to deaf ears, but rather, about dating your fans…”
“如果权力总是不受约束。。。只对官 员高唱道德修养和道德自律的调调，无 疑是对牛弹琴 “
“rúguǒ quánlì zǒngshì búshòu yuēshù… zhǐ duì guānyuán gāochàng dàodé xiūyǎng hé dàodé zìlǜ de diàodiào, wúyí shì duìniútánqín “
“If power is not restricted… just telling o cials about moral cultivation and moral self restraint, is undoubtedly just preaching to deaf ears”
“网络上论战是没有意义的。。。根本 就是对牛弹琴 “
“wǎngluò shàng lùnzhàn shì méiyǒu yìyì de… gēnběn jiùshì duìniútánqín “
“Engaging in a debate online is meaningless… it’s essentially casting pearls before swine”
“在利益驱使之下，对于某些人强调‘不 许转包’，恐怕连对牛弹琴的作用都达 不 到 “
“zài lìyì qūshǐ zhīxià, duìyú mǒuxiērén qiángdiào’bùxǔ zhuǎn bāo’, kǒngpà lián duìniútánqín de zuòyòng dōu dábúdào”
“When they’re compelled by pro ts, to emphasize to some people that “subcontracting is not allowed,” unfortunately is even worse than preaching to deaf ears”
