/ proverbes chinois et en explique la signification. Elle commece par les soi-disant proverbes chinois complètement inconnus en Chine.
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1. 脱颖而出 tuōyǐng’érchū
Baidu Hits: 51,100,000 Google Hits: 32,100,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “a sharp stick points out.”
Translation (翻译): To fully expose one’s talent.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To come to the fore.
Example (例子): 他在比赛中脱颖而出。Tā zài bǐsài zhōng tuōyǐngérchū. — He came to the fore in the competition.
2. 一丝不苟 yīsībùgǒu
Baidu Hits: 25,000,000 Google Hits: 12,800,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “一丝 [even] a little bit 不苟 not careless – to attend to every thread.”
Translation (翻译): To be meticulous; to attend to every detail.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To cross one’s T’s
Example (例子): 他做事从来都是一丝不苟。Tā zuòshì cónglái dōu shì yīsībùgǒu. — He’s always meticulous in everything he does.
3. 司空见惯 sīkōngjiànguàn
Baidu Hits: 14,400,000 Google Hits: 8,570,000
Explanation (解释): Long story short – 司空 comes from the title of “the Minister of Construction” in ancient China who commented on “sing-song girls” during a feast as 见惯 (“a common sight”).
Translation (翻译): To be an everyday occurrence; nothing unusual.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (unless you can think of one).
Example (例子): 在中国，闯红灯是司空见惯的事。Zài Zhōngguó, chuǎnghóngdēng shì sīkōngjiànguàn de shì. — In China, people running red lights is a common sight.
4. 半途而废 bàntú’érfèi
Baidu Hits: 13,400,000 Google Hits: 8,360,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “半途 half-way 而 yet 废 is given up/is wasted.”
Translation (翻译): To give up halfway; to leave something unfinished.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To throw the towel in (sort of).
Example (例子): 小时候我学钢琴半途而废。Xiǎoshíhou wǒ xué gāngqín bàntúérfèi. — When I was little I tried to learn how to play the piano but gave up.
5. 不可思议 bùkěsīyì
Baidu Hits: 100,000,000 Google Hits: 7,930,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “不可 cannot be 思议 conceived.”
Translation (翻译): To be inconceivable; unbelievable.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (off the top of my head).
Example (例子): 对我来说，吃狗肉是不可思议的事情。Duì wǒ lái shuō, chī gǒuròu shì bùkěsīyì de shìqíng. — The way I see it, eating dog is inconceivable.
6. 一鸣惊人 yīmíngjīngrén
Baidu Hits: 11,600,000 Google Hits: 7,760,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “one chirp [which] surprises people”, a metaphor for someone suddenly displaying talent.
Translation (翻译): To become famous overnight.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To set the world on fire.
Example (例子): 李玉春一鸣惊人。Lǐ Yǔchūn yīmíngjīngrén. — Li Yuchun became famous overnight.
7. 一窍不通 yīqiàobùtōng
Baidu Hits: 11,900,000 Google Hits: 7,570,000
Explanation (解释): 一 (“all”) 窍 (the [seven] orifices”) 不通 (“not linked up”).
Translation (翻译): To be completely ignorant about something; to be out of one’s depth.
Similar English Expressions (类似英文成语): To not know one’s arse from one’s elbow (hah!); to be “all Greek” to someone.
Example (例子): 他对电脑一窍不通。Tā duì diànnǎo yīqiàobùtōng. — He doesn’t know the first thing about computers.
8. 谈何容易 tánhéróngyì
Baidu Hits: 11,600,000 Google Hits: 7,420,000
Explanation (解释): 谈 (“to speak”) + 何 (classical Chinese, meaning “什么” [what]) + 容易 (“easy”); “in what way is it easy?”
Translation (翻译): To be no means easy; difficult to do.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): Easier said than done.
Example (例子): 我跟他分手谈何容易。Wǒ gēn tā fēnshǒu tánhéróngyì. — Breaking up with him is easier said than done.
9. 自由自在 zìyóuzìzài
Baidu Hits: 31,400,000 Google Hits: 6,160,000
Explanation (解释): 自由 (“free”) + 自在 (“lacking restrictions”)
Translation (翻译): To be carefree; to be peaceful and relaxed.
Similar English Expressions (类似英文成语): To not have a care in the world; to be footloose and fancy-free; to be man or woman of leisure.
Example (例子): 我想自由自在的生活。Wǒ xiǎng zìyóuzìzài de shēnghuó. — I want a carefree life.
10. 乱七八糟 luànqībāzāo
Baidu Hits: 59,300,000 Google Hits: 4,200,000
Explanation (解释): 乱 (“chaotic”) + 七 (“seven”) + 八 (“eight”) + 糟 (“rotten; in a wretched state”)
Translation (翻译): To be in a huge mess.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To be at sixes and sevens.
Example (例子): 这个公司的管理乱七八糟。Zhè ge gōngsī de guǎnlǐ luànqībāzāo. — This company’s administration is a complete mess.
11. 一见钟情 yījiànzhōngqíng
Baidu Hits: 37,200,000 Google Hits: 3,850,000
Explanation (解释): 一见 (“upon first seeing”) + 钟情 (“to fall deeply in love”)
Translation (翻译): To fall in love at first sight.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): Same as above.
Example (例子): 我跟我的男朋友一见钟情。Wǒ gēn wǒ de nán péngyǒu yījiànzhōngqíng. — I fell in love with my bofriend at first sight.
12. 爱不释手 àibùshìshǒu
Baidu Hits: 24,500,000 Google Hits: 2,460,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “to love and not let go of.”
Translation (翻译): To love something too much to part with it.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (that I can think of).
Example (例子): 我对我的新玩具爱不释手！Wǒ duì wǒ de xīn wánjù àibùshìshǒu! — I simply can’t put down my new toy!
13. 一无所有 yīwúsuǒyǒu
Baidu Hits: 29,500,000 Google Hits: 2,220,000
Explanation (解释): 一 (in classical Chinese it means 全 or 都 [“everything”]) + 无 (“not”) + 所有 (“have”)
Translation (翻译): To not own a thing in the world.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To not have a thing to one’s name.
Example (例子): 如果你离开了我，我就一无所有。Rúguǒ nǐ líkāi le wǒ, wǒ jiù yīwúsuǒyǒu. — If you leave me, I’ll have nothing left.
14. 自相矛盾 zìxiāngmáodùn
Baidu Hits: 9,270,000 Google Hits: 747,000
Explanation (解释): 自相 (“self-”) + 矛盾 (“contradictory”), from the famous story about the man who bragged he could sell a spear (矛) that could pierce anything in the world and a shield (盾) that was impenetrable to any spear, an obvious paradox.
Translation (翻译): To contradict oneself.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (I’m guessing).
Example (例子): 你说的话自相矛盾。Nǐ shuō de huà zìxiāngmáodùn. — You’re contradicting yourself.
15. 倾盆大雨 qīngpéndàyǔ
Baidu Hits: 6,680,000 Google Hits: 468,000
Explanation (解释): 倾盆 (“pouring hard”) + 大雨 (“heavy rain”)
Translation (翻译): Heavy rain; downpour.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To rain cats and dogs.
Example (例子): 今 天上午突然下起了倾盆大雨，所以比赛临时取消了。Jīntiān shàngwǔ tūrán xiàqǐ le qīngpéndàyǔ, suǒyǐ bǐsài línshí qǔxiāo le. — The competition was postponed this morning because of the sudden downpour.
16. 画蛇添足 huàshétiānzú
Baidu Hits: 6,340,000 Google Hits: 447,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “[when] drawing [a] snake, add [a] foot”.
Translation (翻译): To ruin the effect my adding something superfluous.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To gild the lily (old-fashioned).
Example (例子): 发明这两个多余的电钮纯粹是画蛇添足。Fāmíng zhè liǎng gè duōyú de diànniǔ chúncuì shì huàshétiānzú — The two extra buttons on this invention is really overdoing it.
17. 守口如瓶 shǒukǒurúpíng
Baidu Hits: 5,220,000 Google Hits: 438,000
Explanation (解释): Literally,”to keep [one’s] mouth shut, like [a] bottle.”
Translation (翻译): To keep one’s mouth shut; to not breathe a word.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To keep one’s lips sealed.
Example (例子): 总理对这个问题守口如瓶。Zǒnglǐ duì zhège wèntí shǒukǒurúpíng. — The president was tight-lipped about this issue.
18. 塞翁失马 sàiwēngshīmǎ
Baidu Hits: 4,800,000 Google Hits: 319,000
Explanation (解释): 塞翁失马: ”When the old man from the frontier lost his horse…”, often followed by the second part 焉知非福: ”How could one have known that it would not be fortuitous?” You can read more about the story in both English and Chinese at Wiktionary.
Translation (翻译): A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): A blessing in disguise; every cloud has a silver lining.
Example (例子): 我 不小心摔倒了，碰伤了自己，但却在地板上发现了一张50元的纸币，真是塞翁失马 啊！Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn shuāi dǎo le, pèng shāng le zìjǐ, dàn què zài dìbǎn shàng fāxiàn le yī zhāng wǔ shí yuán de zhǐbì, zhēnshi sàiwēngshīmǎ a— I fell over and hurt myself, but on the floor I found a fifty dollar note – what a blessing in disguise!
19. 对牛弹琴 duìniútánqín
Baidu Hits: 4,400,000 Google Hits: 276,000
Explanation (解释): “To play a qin (a traditional Chinese musical instrument) to a cow.”
Translation (翻译): To address the wrong listener.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To cast pearls before swine. (old-fashioned)
Example (例子): 跟一个不讲道理的人讲道理是对牛弹琴。Gēn yīgè bù jiǎng dàolǐ de rén jiǎng dàolǐ shì duìniútánqín. — Trying to talk sense to an irrational person is like casting pearls before swine.
20. 九牛一毛 jiǔniúyīmáo
Baidu Hits: 3,190,000 Google Hits: 225,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “nine cows, one hair.”
Translation (翻译): An insignificant number in the midst of an enormous quantity.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): A drop in the ocean; a drop in a bucket.
Example (例子): 一块钱对一个大款来说是九牛一毛。Yīkuài qián duì yīgè dàkuǎn lái shuō shì jiǔniúyīmáo. — One dollar to a millionaire is a drop in the ocean.
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