12 Advanced Chinese Idioms for HSK 5 Learners
Challenging Chinese idioms for HSK 5 preparation - expand your vocabulary for upper-intermediate Mandarin.
HSK 5 requires a broader range of idiomatic expressions. These chengyu represent the sophistication expected at upper-intermediate level, appearing in reading passages and listening comprehension.
本末倒置
běn mò dào zhìPrioritize minor over fundamental matters
Literal: Root branch reversed position
This organizational idiom criticizes reversing (倒置) the proper order of root/fundamental (本) and branch/peripheral matters (末), originating from Han Dynasty governance texts. It first appeared in discussions about administrative priorities, warning officials against focusing on secondary issues whil...
Example
The project focused on minor details while neglecting the core objectives
项目专注于次要细节，而忽视了核心目标
不胫而走
bù jìng ér zǒuSpread widely and rapidly on its own
Literal: Without legs yet walks
This mysterious idiom describes something that walks/spreads (走) without (不) legs (胫), originating from Han Dynasty discussions of information dissemination. It first appeared in texts describing how news traveled rapidly through informal networks despite official efforts to control communication. T...
Example
The rumor spread throughout the organization without any official announcement
谣言在没有任何官方宣布的情况下传遍了整个组织
不痛不痒
bù tòng bù yǎngIneffective and inconsequential
Literal: Neither painful nor itchy
This sensory idiom describes something neither (不) painful (痛) nor (不) itchy (痒), originating from Song Dynasty medical texts. It initially described symptoms too mild to definitively diagnose or require treatment. The pairing was meaningful as pain and itching represented the two primary categories...
Example
The committee issued a vague statement that addressed none of the real concerns
委员会发表了一份模糊的声明，没有解决任何实际问题
泰然自若
tài rán zì ruòMaintain perfect composure under pressure
Literal: Calm naturally as before
This composed idiom describes remaining perfectly calm (泰然) and naturally (自) maintaining one's usual manner (若), originating from Han Dynasty philosophical texts. It first appeared in Daoist discussions of maintaining internal equilibrium regardless of external circumstances. The term 泰 specificall...
Example
Despite the chaos around her, the surgeon performed the procedure with perfect composure
尽管周围一片混乱，外科医生仍然泰然自若地进行手术
口干舌燥
kǒu gān shé zàoExhausted from excessive talking
Literal: Mouth dry tongue parched
This physical idiom describes a dry (干) mouth (口) and parched (燥) tongue (舌), originating from Tang Dynasty medical texts. It initially appeared in clinical descriptions of febrile diseases where dehydration produced these uncomfortable symptoms. During the Song Dynasty, it expanded beyond medical c...
Example
After speaking for three hours, the presenter needed water desperately
讲了三个小时后，演讲者迫切需要水
如醉如梦
rú zuì rú mèngEntranced in dreamlike state
Literal: Like drunk like dream
This ethereal idiom compares an experience to being both drunk (醉) and dreaming (梦), originating from Tang Dynasty poetry. It first appeared in Li Bai's verses describing transcendent states where boundaries between reality and illusion dissolve. The repeated structure of 'like' (如) emphasizes the d...
Example
The surreal landscape left the travelers in a dreamlike state of wonder
超现实的风景让旅行者处于一种如梦似幻的惊奇状态
名存实亡
míng cún shí wángExist in name only
Literal: Name exists reality gone
This discrepant idiom describes situations where the name/form (名) continues to exist (存) while the substance/reality (实) has perished (亡), originating from Han Dynasty political analysis. It first appeared in court historian Sima Qian's assessments of declining institutions that maintained formal e...
Example
The historic treaty remained officially active but was completely ignored in practice
这个历史条约在官方上仍然有效，但在实践中被完全忽视
浮光掠影
fú guāng lüè yǐngSuperficial impression without depth
Literal: Floating light fleeting shadow
This ephemeral idiom combines floating (浮) light (光) with fleeting (掠) shadows (影), originating from Southern Dynasty poetry. It first appeared in verses describing the transient nature of reflections on water, creating a powerful metaphor for superficial experiences without depth. The imagery drew ...
Example
The one-day tour only gave tourists a superficial impression of the ancient culture
一日游只能给游客留下古老文化的肤浅印象
隔靴搔痒
gé xuē sāo yǎngIneffective indirect solution
Literal: Scratch itch through boot
This frustrating idiom describes scratching (搔) an itch (痒) through (隔) a boot (靴), originating from Song Dynasty vernacular literature. It first appeared in stories illustrating the futility of indirect solutions to immediate problems. The image created a perfect metaphor for ineffective efforts th...
Example
The vague explanation failed to address the underlying problem
这个模糊的解释未能解决根本问题
差强人意
chà qiáng rén yìMeets minimum standards only
Literal: Barely satisfies expectations
This nuanced idiom describes something that somewhat (差) forcefully (强) satisfies (人意) expectations, originating from Han Dynasty literary criticism. Interestingly, its meaning evolved significantly - originally indicating exceeding expectations, it gradually shifted to describe barely adequate perf...
Example
The project's results were acceptable but not impressive
项目的结果可以接受，但并不令人印象深刻
买椟还珠
mǎi dú huán zhūValuing packaging over content
Literal: Buy case, return pearl
This misguided idiom describes buying (买) a decorative box (椟) but returning (还) the pearl (珠) inside, originating from the Warring States period text 'Han Feizi.' It tells of a merchant from Chu who offered a valuable pearl in a beautifully carved box. The buyer from Zheng was so captivated by the ...
Example
The collector purchased the elaborate frame but returned the valuable painting it contained
收藏家购买了精美的画框，却退回了其中的名贵画作
过犹不及
guò yóu bù jíModeration in all things
Literal: Excess equals deficiency
This balanced idiom states that going too far (过) is just as (犹) problematic as not reaching far enough (不及), originating from Confucius's teachings in the Analects. The concept formed a cornerstone of Confucian moderation philosophy, where extremes in either direction were considered equally flawed...
Example
The excessive marketing campaign alienated customers instead of attracting them
过度的营销活动疏远了顾客，而不是吸引他们
Quick Reference
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