10 HSK 5 Chinese Idioms for Reading Comprehension

Anxious and unsettled

Literal: Seven up eight down

This numerical idiom uses seven (七) up (上) and eight (八) down (下) to describe a state of anxious confusion, originating from Song Dynasty vernacular expressions. The numbers themselves carry no specific meaning beyond creating rhythmic opposition to represent mental turmoil. The phrase gained promin...

Youthful despite old age

Literal: Crane hair, child face

This complimentary idiom describes someone with white hair (鹤发) like a crane yet maintaining a child-like complexion (童颜), representing the ideal of aging gracefully. It first appeared in Tang Dynasty texts describing Daoist masters who supposedly preserved youthful vitality through meditation and a...

Endure hardship for future success

Literal: Sleep on firewood, taste gall

This perseverance idiom combines two historical stories of determined revenge. It references King Goujian of Yue who slept on brushwood (卧薪) to remember his humiliation and Wu Zixu who tasted bile (尝胆) to never forget his family's execution. After being defeated and enslaved by King Fuchai of Wu, Go...

Actions cannot be undone

Literal: Spilled water hard to recover

This irreversible idiom states that water once spilled (覆水) is difficult (难) to gather back (收), originating from Tang Dynasty poetry. It first appeared in a poem about irrevocable separation between husband and wife, comparing their relationship to water impossible to return to its container once p...

Harmful interference ruins growth

Literal: Pull seedlings to help growth

This counterproductive idiom describes pulling up (揠) seedlings (苗) to help (助) their growth (长), originating from Mencius's writings during the Warring States period. The story tells of an impatient farmer from Song who, dissatisfied with his seedlings' slow growth, pulled them up slightly each day...

Self-deception through ignoring reality

Literal: Cover ears while stealing bell

This self-deceptive idiom describes covering (掩) one's ears (耳) while stealing (盗) a bell (铃), originating from the Warring States period text 'Lüshi Chunqiu.' It tells of a thief who coveted a bell but worried about its sound. His solution was to cover his own ears while stealing it, foolishly beli...

Narrow-minded from limited experience

Literal: Frog at well bottom

This limited idiom describes a frog (蛙) living at the bottom (底) of a well (井), originating from the Warring States period text 'Zhuangzi.' It tells of a frog who believed its well contained the whole world, until a sea turtle described the immensity of the ocean, revealing the frog's provincial per...

Companions united through shared hardship

Literal: Difficult elder and younger brothers

This related idiom describes troubled (难) elder brother (兄) and troubled (难) younger brother (弟), originating from Qing Dynasty vernacular literature. It described families where siblings shared similar difficulties or misfortunes. The repetition of '难' (difficult) emphasized their common predicamen...

Hiding problems worsens them

Literal: Conceal illness, avoid doctors

This self-defeating idiom describes concealing (讳) illness (疾) and refusing (忌) medical treatment (医), originating from Han Dynasty historical records. It first described Emperor Wen's son who hid his illness for fear of appearing weak, ultimately dying from a treatable condition. During the Tang Dy...

Extreme caution in risky situations

Literal: Like walking on thin ice

This cautious idiom describes moving as if (如) walking (履) on thin (薄) ice (冰), originating from the Book of Changes during the Zhou Dynasty. It appeared in discussions about how noble individuals should conduct themselves with constant awareness of potential danger despite appearing safe. The winte...