Learning Chinese through Idioms and Stories: 中英成語歷史典故

Latest episodes

• Re2: 半途而廢 ( to give up halfway )

  June 10, 2024 · 4 min

  [bàn tú ér fèi] 半 : half 途 : way, or path 而 : and, but, or thus 廢 : stop, give up, or destroy Def: 比喻做事有始無終，不能堅持到底。 Describing one to quit or give up halfway, and unable to persist to the end.

• Re1: 指鹿為馬 (to blatantly lie in the face of truth)

  June 8, 2024 · 8 min

  指鹿為馬 (to blatantly lie in the face of truth) [zhǐ lù wéi mǎ] 指 : to point to, or to refer to 鹿 : deer 為 : to be, as 馬 : horse Def: 將鹿指稱是馬，以展現自己的威權。比喻人刻意顛倒是非。 Claiming that a deer is a horse, in order to display one’s own power…

• 0 - Lv.A: 東施效顰

  January 31, 2024 · 3 min

  [ dōng shī xiào pín ] 東施: 人名 ；a women that lives on the east side of the village 效 : 仿效 ；copying actions of others 顰 : 皺眉 ；furrowing one’s brows Def: 比喻盲目胡亂地模仿他人，結果卻適得其反 Describing one to imitate the actions of others without…

• 0 - Lv.B: 百步穿楊 , 前功盡棄 - 戰國策 蘇厲謂周君 -

  January 26, 2024 · 13 min

  [ bǎi bù chuān yáng ] ; [ qián gōng jìn qì ] 百 hundred; 步 paces; 穿 penetrate; 楊 willow 前 previous; 功 achievement; 盡 completely; 棄 abandon Annals of the Warring States, Su Li advises the Duke of Zhou. Def: 形容射箭，射擊技藝高超 Describes one…

• 0 - Lv.C: 才疏學淺 - 漢書·谷永傳 -

  January 22, 2024 · 19 min

  [ cái shū xué qiǎn ] Most commonly used as a self-deprecating remark, describing one to have little talent, uneducated, or possess little or limited knowledge. The tone projected is often one of trying to decline politely or to make…

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