10 Chinese Idioms With Hundred (百)

Unshakeable despite adversity

Literal meaning: Bend hundred times never yield

Dating to the Warring States period, this idiom describes bamboo that bends a hundred (百) times (折) but never (不) yields (挠). The imagery comes from ancient observations of bamboo groves surviving severe storms by bending rather than breaking. The metaphor gained particular significance during the T...

Accept all with open mind

Literal meaning: Sea accepts hundred rivers

This idiom describes how the sea (海) accepts (纳) a hundred (百) rivers (川), celebrating inclusivity and breadth of mind. It first gained prominence during the Tang Dynasty, reflecting China's cosmopolitan golden age when the capital Chang'an welcomed influences from across Asia. The metaphor draws po...

Achieve even greater success

Literal meaning: Hundred foot pole top

Emerging from Chan Buddhist teachings of the Tang Dynasty, this idiom depicts a person balanced atop a hundred-foot (百尺) pole (竿头). The image comes from a dialogue between Master Fengxue and his disciples about transcendence, suggesting that true achievement requires advancing even when you seem to ...

Perfected through repeated refinement

Literal meaning: Thousand hammers hundred forges

This metallurgical metaphor describes something subjected to a thousand (千) hammer blows (锤) and a hundred (百) forgings (炼), originating from Han Dynasty descriptions of sword-making. Historical records detail how the finest blades required repeated folding and hammering to remove impurities and str...

Perfect accuracy every single time

Literal meaning: Hundred shots hundred hits

This idiom originated from Tang Dynasty military assessments of elite archers who could hit the target (中) with every single shot (百发) fired. It first appeared in military texts describing the extraordinary precision achieved by master bowmen after decades of practice. During the Song Dynasty, it ex...

Unable to understand despite much thought

Literal meaning: Think a hundred times still not understand

This idiom describes thinking (思) a hundred times (百) yet still not (不) understanding (解), expressing puzzlement that persists despite extensive contemplation. The number 'hundred' suggests numerous attempts rather than a literal count. The phrase emerged in literary contexts describing mysteries an...

Long-term plan; matter of lasting importance

Literal meaning: Hundred-year great plan

This idiom describes a great (大) plan (计) spanning a hundred (百) years (年). It emphasizes long-term thinking and planning that extends beyond immediate concerns to future generations. The phrase appeared in texts discussing governance and national development. It reflects the Chinese cultural value ...

Utterly bored; at loose ends

Literal meaning: Hundred times nothing to rely on

This idiom describes having a hundred (百) times nothing (无) to depend on or occupy (聊赖). It captures extreme boredom and listlessness when one has nothing meaningful to engage with. The phrase appeared in texts describing idle officials or those in forced retirement. It represents not just boredom b...

Essentially the same despite appearances

Literal meaning: Half catty eight taels

This idiom originated from Ming Dynasty marketplace terminology, first appearing in vernacular literature describing equivalent items differently packaged or presented. During the Qing Dynasty, it entered common usage for comparing people or things superficially different but substantively identical...

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...