Article by Sergej Iwanaga (05.06.2025)

Beautiful, full of moral lesson and sometimes unorthodox: Those are Chinese idioms, also called Chengyu.

Not only do Chinese idioms hold a significant value to the language itself, but also to the culture surrounding it. Be it an uncle giving you unsolicited advice or your mother scolding you, it could not be expressed more beautifully than with an idiom. I have found some of my favorite creative and whacky ones to share with you.

The history of Chengyu is directly related to the history of written poetry and classical literature in China. Chengyu are made up of four Chinese characters, and most of them originate from ancient texts such as the Zuo Zhuan, Shiji, and works by philosophers like Confucius and Laozi. Many were derived from historical anecdotes, military strategies, fables, and moral tales recorded thousands of years ago. Their structure—concise, rhythmic, and poetic—was shaped by the classical Chinese language, which prioritized brevity and balance. While modern Chinese allows for more flexibility, Chengyu often preserve the grammar and vocabulary of their time, making them both elegant and challenging. This unique structure allows Chengyu to deliver complex meanings, often with metaphorical depth, in just four characters. Due to their short nature, they have lost their ability to be understood directly,  without knowing what the Chengyu is trying to say. 

One of the most interesting idioms is quite hilarious as well. 

畫蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) – "Drawing legs on a snake" 

What this idiom possibly mean? To draw a snake with human legs? Was this possibly the discovery of a lizard or gecko? Well, no. In essence, this means to overcomplicate things.

Snake with several pairs of legs - Drawception User:Meep1503

It comes from a legend told over thousands of years.  A long time ago, a nobleman held a drinking contest, rewarding the winner with a fine bottle of wine. A group of scholars competed to quickly draw a snake. One man finished first, but instead of claiming his prize, he decided to show off and added legs to his snake. While he was busy with the unnecessary detail, another scholar finished a correct drawing of a snake and claimed the wine. The first man lost the contest because he added something that didn’t belong — a snake with legs. The moral of the story is not to overcomplicate things and keep it simple.

Another idiom relates back to the animal kingdom.

井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā)  — "A frog at the bottom of a well"

A frog lived at the bottom of a well, believing its world was vast and wonderful. It could see a small circle of sky above, assuming that was the entire universe. One day, a sea turtle stopped by and told the frog about the endless ocean—a place far bigger and deeper than the frog’s tiny well. The frog laughed, refusing to believe anything beyond what it could see.

This idiom is often used to describe people who are narrowminded or refuse to believe anything else. It also teaches us to broaden our horizons and to be open to new knowledge.

The last idiom I would like to present is:

畫龍點睛 huà lóng diǎn jīng —  "Painting a dragon and dotting its eyes." 

This idiom originates from the tale of Zhang Sengyou, a famous painter during the Southern and Northern Dynasties (5th–6th century). He was commissioned to paint dragons on the walls of a temple. Weirdly, his dragons were beautifully detailed but lacked eyes. When asked why, he explained that if he added eyes, the dragons would come to life. The people, of course in disbelief, insisted he complete the painting, so he finally dotted the dragons’ eyes and they appeared from the walls, soaring into the sky.

This idiom refers to the idea that many artworks just need one small finishing touch to truly make it a masterpiece. Of course, this story is especially important to Chinese culture because it mentions the mythical creature of China. This particular dragon depicted here is the Azure Dragon, used by the imperial dynasty in the Qing Dynasty.

In conclusion, Chengyu are timeless expressions of wisdom passed down through the centuries all the way to us. They can be funny and creative while passing down advice. Their unique charm has left a lasting impression of the language, turning it into a beautiful flow of metaphors and stories.

Sources:

1. Chengyu. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengyu. Accessed 2 June 2025.
   
   

2. “畫蛇添足.” Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%95%AB%E8%9B%87%E6%B7%BB%E8%B6%B3. Accessed 2June 2025.
   
   

3. TutorABC Chinese. “The Chinese Idiom 井底之蛙 (Jǐng Dǐ Zhī Wā): ‘The Frog at the Bottom of the Well.’” TutorABC Chinese Blog, https://blog.tutorabcchinese.com/chinese-learning-tips/chengyu-jing-di-zhi-wa. Accessed 2 June 2025.
   
   

4. Nora. “Dragons’ Eyes Transform Good Art into Great Art: The Chinese Idiom 畫龍點睛 (Huà Lóng Diǎn Jīng).” Medium, https://medium.com/@chinesewithnora/dragons-eyes-transform-good-art-into-great-art-the-chinese-idiom-%E7%94%BB%E9%BE%99%E7%82%B9%E7%9D%9B-hu%C3%A0-l%C3%B3ng-di%C7%8En-j%C4%ABng-5098d56176c4. Accessed 3 June 2025.
   
   

5. “Drawing Legs on a Snake.” Taipei Times, 3 July 2017, https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2017/07/03/2003673754?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 3 June 2025.
   
   

Images:

Drawception User Meep1503. “Snake with Several Pairs of Legs.” Drawception, https://drawception.com/game/LwKErCRAc6/snake-with-several-pairs-of-legs/#panel-40847222. Accessed 3 June 2025.

Rhys, Dani. “Flag of China – What Does It Mean?” Symbol Sage, 3 Nov. 2022, https://symbolsage.com/chinese-flag-meaning/. Accessed 3 June 2025.