12 Advanced Chinese Idioms for HSK 5 Learners

Prioritize minor over fundamental matters

Literal meaning: 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...

Spread widely and rapidly on its own

Literal meaning: 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...

Ineffective and inconsequential

Literal meaning: 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...

Maintain perfect composure under pressure

Literal meaning: 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...

Exhausted from excessive talking

Literal meaning: 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...

Entranced in dreamlike state

Literal meaning: 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...

Exist in name only

Literal meaning: 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...

Superficial impression without depth

Literal meaning: 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 ...

Ineffective indirect solution

Literal meaning: 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...

Meets minimum standards only

Literal meaning: 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...

Valuing packaging over content

Literal meaning: 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 ...

Moderation in all things

Literal meaning: 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...