10 Auspicious Chinese Idioms for Year of the Horse 2026 (马年)

Achieve immediate success

Literal: Success upon the horse's arrival

This idiom originates from ancient Chinese military culture, where cavalry was crucial to victory. When war horses arrived at the battlefield, success was expected to follow swiftly. The phrase first appeared during the Yuan Dynasty in dramatic works describing military campaigns. The horse (马) symb...

Youthful vigor despite old age

Literal: Dragon-horse spirit

This vigorous idiom combines dragon (龙) and horse (马) energy (精神), originating from Tang Dynasty descriptions of elderly but energetic officials. Both animals symbolized tremendous vitality in Chinese culture—dragons representing imperial power and horses signifying tireless strength. The phrase gai...

Powerful unstoppable momentum

Literal: Ten thousand horses galloping

This dynamic idiom envisions ten thousand (万) horses (马) galloping (奔腾) together, originating from Tang Dynasty military descriptions. It first appeared in chronicles describing the impressive cavalry forces of border generals, where the thundering hooves created both visual and auditory spectacle. ...

Experience brings wisdom

Literal: Old horse knows way

Dating back to the Zhou Dynasty, this idiom comes from the story of Duke Mu of Qin who, lost in unfamiliar territory, relied on an old horse (老马) to find their way (识途) home through a snowstorm. The horse, having traversed these paths in its youth, remembered the safe routes despite years passing. O...

Misfortune might be a blessing

Literal: Old man loses horse

This profound idiom originates from the story of a wise old man (塞翁) living near the northern border who lost his prized horse (失马). When neighbors came to console him, he asked, 'How do you know this isn't good fortune?' Indeed, the horse later returned with a magnificent wild horse. When neighbors...

Make thorough preparations; get ready for action

Literal: Sharpen weapons and feed horses

This idiom describes sharpening (厉) weapons (兵) and feeding (秣) horses (马). It originated from ancient military preparations where armies would ensure weapons were sharp and horses well-fed before battle. The phrase appeared in Zuozhuan describing state preparations for warfare. Modern usage describ...

Cannot undo what's done

Literal: Four horses can't catch

Originally from the Spring and Autumn period, this phrase describes how even four (驷) horses (马) cannot catch (难追) spoken words once uttered. The image of a four-horse chariot - the fastest vehicle of ancient China - emphasizes the irreversible nature of speech. The idiom gained particular significa...

Magnificent military might and valor

Literal: Gold spears iron horses

This martial idiom paints a scene of golden (金) spears (戈) and iron (铁) horses (马), first appearing in Li Bai's famous Tang Dynasty poetry describing frontier warfare. The phrase captured both the visual brilliance of bronze weapons and the thundering power of cavalry forces. During the Song Dynasty...

Rise to fame and fortune rapidly

Literal: Flying yellow horse soaring

This idiom describes the flying (飞) yellow horse (黄) soaring (腾达). The yellow horse was a legendary swift steed. The phrase depicts rapid rise to prominence and success. Modern usage describes spectacular career advancement, rising quickly from obscurity to fame and fortune.

Rise rapidly to high position

Literal: Level steps to blue clouds

This idiom describes level (平) steps (步) to blue (青) clouds (云). It depicts rising to great heights with ease, as if walking casually into the sky. The phrase describes effortless ascent to high positions. Modern usage describes rapid, seemingly effortless career advancement, meteoric rises to succe...