10 Soaring Chinese Idioms With Bird (鸟)

Work harder to compensate

Literal meaning: Slow bird flies first

This disarmingly simple idiom emerged from folk wisdom observing that slow (笨) birds (鸟) must start first (先飞) to reach their destination with the flock. During the Song Dynasty, it gained prominence in educational texts as encouragement for students who weren't naturally gifted. The imagery challen...

Two goals with one action

Literal meaning: One stone two birds

A fascinating example of cross-cultural linguistic exchange, emerged during China's period of modernization in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a direct translation of the English phrase 'killing two birds with one stone.' While sharing similar words - one (一) stone (石) two (二) birds (鸟) - ...

Overly fearful and suspicious

Literal meaning: Wind sound crane call

Dating back to the Jin Dynasty (265-420 CE), this idiom emerged from the aftermath of the Battle of Fei River. The defeated army became so paranoid that they mistook every wind (风) sound (声) and crane's (鹤) cry (唳) for enemy movements. The image draws from the watchful nature of cranes, known in Chi...

Stand out from crowd

Literal meaning: Crane stands among chickens

Han Dynasty observers first used this image of a crane standing (鹤立) among chickens (鸡群) to describe natural nobility amid the common. Unlike artificial status, it described innate distinction that becomes immediately apparent through contrast. Modern usage celebrates those whose natural excellence ...

Extremely rare

Literal meaning: Phoenix feather unicorn horn

Combining two of the most rare mythical elements - phoenix (凤) feathers (毛) and unicorn/qilin (麟) horns (角) - this idiom emerged from Han Dynasty imperial court documents describing exceptional talents or items of extraordinary rarity. The phoenix and qilin were considered divine creatures whose app...

Youthful despite old age

Literal meaning: 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...

Completely silent; so quiet you could hear a pin drop

Literal meaning: Crows and sparrows without sound

This idiom describes a scene where even crows (鸦) and sparrows (雀) make no (无) sound (声). These common birds are normally noisy, so their silence indicates extreme quiet. The phrase appeared in texts describing solemn occasions, tense moments, or places of deep concentration. It represents perfect s...