10 Chinese Idioms Every Anime & Manga Fan Should Know
Chinese idioms commonly used in anime, manga, and donghua - perfect for fans learning East Asian languages.
Love anime and manga? Many Chinese idioms appear in donghua (Chinese animation) and are shared across Japanese and Chinese media. These chengyu will level up your understanding of East Asian pop culture.
一鸣惊人
yī míng jīng rénSudden, remarkable success
Literal: Bird cry that startles all
This idiom emerged during the Han Dynasty in scholarly discourse about late-blooming talent. The image of a seemingly ordinary bird (鸣, cry) suddenly producing an extraordinary song that startles (惊) everyone (人) was inspired by the story of a rural scholar who, after years of obscurity, stunned the...
Example
After years of quiet preparation, his novel became an overnight sensation
经过多年默默准备，他的小说一夜成名
百折不挠
bǎi zhé bù náoUnshakeable despite adversity
Literal: Bend hundred times never yield
Dating to the Warring States period, this idiom describes bamboo that bends a hundred (百) times (折) but never (不) yields (挠). The imagery comes from ancient observations of bamboo groves surviving severe storms by bending rather than breaking. The metaphor gained particular significance during the T...
Example
Despite numerous rejections, she never gave up on her dreams
尽管屡次被拒绝，她从未放弃梦想
天道酬勤
tiān dào chóu qínHeaven rewards diligence
Literal: Heaven's way rewards diligence
This idiom encapsulates the belief that Heaven's way (天道) rewards (酬) diligence (勤). Emerging from Song Dynasty Neo-Confucian teachings, it reflects the synthesis of cosmic order with human effort. The concept challenged both fatalistic acceptance and the belief in pure luck, suggesting instead that...
Example
Her years of hard work finally paid off with a major breakthrough
她多年的努力终于带来了重大突破
破釜沉舟
pò fǔ chén zhōuCommit with no retreat
Literal: Break pots sink boats
Originating from a famous historical event in 207 BCE, this idiom recounts how general Xiang Yu ordered his troops to break (破) their cooking pots (釜) and sink (沉) their boats (舟) before battling the Qin army. By eliminating the possibility of retreat, he created absolute commitment to victory. Duri...
Example
He quit his job to start a business, fully committed to success
他辞去工作创业，全身心投入追求成功
画龙点睛
huà lóng diǎn jīngAdd crucial finishing touch
Literal: Dot dragon's eyes
This vivid idiom comes from a story of the legendary painter Zhang Sengyou during the Southern and Northern Dynasties period. After painting (画) four dragons (龙) on a temple wall, he deliberately left them without pupils. When questioned, he explained that dotting (点) the eyes (睛) would bring them t...
Example
Her final edit transformed the good presentation into an excellent one
她最后的修改把这个好的演讲变成了一个出色的演讲
狐假虎威
hú jiǎ hǔ wēiBorrow authority to intimidate
Literal: Fox uses tiger's power
This idiom emerged from a Warring States period fable where a fox (狐) borrowed (假) the authority (威) of a tiger (虎) to intimidate other animals. The story first appeared in the Zhan Guo Ce, using the clever fox and powerful tiger to criticize political parasites who derived their influence from powe...
Example
The junior manager kept dropping the CEO's name to get his way
这个初级经理总是搬出CEO的名字来达到目的
毛遂自荐
máo suì zì jiànVolunteer oneself confidently
Literal: Mao Sui recommends himself
Named after Mao Sui (毛遂), a lesser official from the Warring States period (475-221 BCE) who boldly recommended (荐) himself (自) for a crucial diplomatic mission. Despite his low rank, he demonstrated such eloquence and courage that he successfully secured an alliance for his state. The story reflect...
Example
When no one else stepped forward, she boldly volunteered to lead the difficult project
当没有人愿意站出来时，她主动请缨领导这个困难的项目
守株待兔
shǒu zhū dài tùWait passively for luck
Literal: Guard tree wait rabbit
This Warring States period parable tells of a farmer who, after seeing a rabbit die by running into a tree stump (株), waited (待) endlessly for more rabbits (兔) at the same spot. His guard (守) of the stump became a classic example of misguided persistence and inflexible thinking. The story appeared i...
Example
Instead of developing new skills, he just waited for promotions to come
他没有提升技能，只是等待升职机会
三人成虎
sān rén chéng hǔRepeated lie becomes truth
Literal: Three people make tiger real
This idiom originates from the Wei state minister Pang Cong's warning to his king about how three (三) people's (人) repeated lies can make even an absurd claim - like a tiger (虎) loose in the marketplace - seem true (成). The story, recorded in Warring States texts, demonstrates how repeated rumors ca...
Example
The untrue rumor about a product defect spread on social media until customers started believing it without evidence
关于产品缺陷的不实传言在社交媒体上传播，直到顾客开始在没有证据的情况下相信它
叶公好龙
yè gōng hào lóngProfessed love hiding actual fear
Literal: Lord Ye loves dragons
This ironic tale tells of Lord Ye (叶公) who professed to love (好) dragons (龙) but fled in terror when faced with a real one. During the Six Dynasties period, it became a standard criticism of superficial appreciation without genuine understanding. The dragon imagery carried particular weight in Chine...
Example
The executive claimed to value innovation but rejected every new idea presented
这位高管声称重视创新，但拒绝了提出的每一个新想法
Quick Reference
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