Difference between revisions of "Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Idioms-in-Set-Phrases"

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# 攜臘返歸 : carry + cured meat + return home
# 攜臘返歸 : carry + cured meat + return home
* 掙其麵包 : earn + his/her + bread
# 掙其麵包 : earn + his/her + bread
# 攜家毛象 : carry + home + mammoth
# 攜家毛象 : carry + home + mammoth
# 養家活口 : support + family + make a living for + members
# 養家活口 : support + family + make a living for + members
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* [eng] burn the midnight oil
# [eng] burn the midnight oil
|夜半燃油 : at midnight + burn + oil
# [zho] 焚膏繼晷
|焚膏繼晷 : burn + grease + continue + sunlight shadow
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# 夜半燃油 : at midnight + burn + oil
# 焚膏繼晷 : burn + grease + continue + sunlight shadow
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* [eng] don't cry over spilt milk
# [eng] don't cry over spilt milk
|毋啼覆乳 : don't + cry over + spilt + milk
# [zho] 覆水難收
|覆水難收 : spilt + water + hard to + collect
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# 毋啼覆乳 : don't + cry over + spilt + milk
# 覆水難收 : spilt + water + hard to + collect
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* [eng] have seen better days
# [eng] have seen better days
|既見良辰 : have already + seen + good + days
# [zho] 江河日下
|江河日下 : rivers + day by day + go down
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# 既見良辰 : have already + seen + good + days
# 江河日下 : rivers + day by day + go down
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* [eng] jump on the bandwagon
# [eng] jump on the bandwagon
|縱上花車 : jump + onto + bandwagon
# [zho] 隨波逐流
|隨波逐流 : follow + waves + chase + flows
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# 縱上花車 : jump + onto + bandwagon
# 隨波逐流 : follow + waves + chase + flows
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* [eng] let the cat out of the bag
# [eng] let the cat out of the bag
|放貓出囊 : let + cat + out of + bag
# [zho] 走漏風聲
|走漏風聲 : leak + wind + sounds
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# 放貓出囊 : let + cat + out of + bag
# 走漏風聲 : leak + wind + sounds
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* [eng] like a fish out of water
# [eng] like a fish out of water
|如魚出水 : like + fish + out of + water
# [zho] 如坐針氈
|如坐針氈 : like + sitting on + needle + mat
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# 如魚出水 : like + fish + out of + water
# 如坐針氈 : like + sitting on + needle + mat
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* [eng] miss the boat
# [eng] miss the boat
|參差擺渡 : miss + ferry boat
# [zho] 失之交臂
|失之交臂 : miss + it + arm touching arm
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# 參差擺渡 : miss + ferry boat
# 失之交臂 : miss + it + arm touching arm
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* [eng] not my cup of tea
# [eng] not my cup of tea
|非我杯茗 : not + my + cup of + tea
# [zho] 不合我意
|不合我意 : does not + fit + my + mind
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# 非我杯茗 : not + my + cup of + tea
# 不合我意 : does not + fit + my + mind
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* [eng] once in a blue moon
# [eng] once in a blue moon
|藍月一現 : blue + moon + once + shows up
# [zho] 杳如黃鶴
|杳如黃鶴 : rare + as + yellow + crane
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# 藍月一現 : blue + moon + once + shows up
# 杳如黃鶴 : rare + as + yellow + crane
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* [eng] piece of cake
# [eng] piece of cake
|菓子一切 : cake + a + cut
# [zho] 小菜一碟
|小菜一碟 : small + dish + a + plate
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# 菓子一切 : cake + a + cut
# 小菜一碟 : small + dish + a + plate
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* [eng] pull someone's leg
# [eng] pull someone's leg
|扯腿相嬉 : pull + leg + towards the other + amuse
# [zho] 嬉皮笑脸 : playful + skin + smiling + face
|嬉皮笑脸 : playful + skin + smiling + face
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# 扯腿相嬉 : pull + leg + towards the other + amuse
# 嬉皮笑脸
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* [eng] raining cats and dogs
# [eng] raining cats and dogs
|天降貓狗 : from the sky + drop + cats + dogs
# [zho] 傾盆大雨
|傾盆大雨 : turned + basin + huge + rain
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# 天降貓狗 : from the sky + drop + cats + dogs
# 傾盆大雨 : turned + basin + huge + rain
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* [eng] save for a rainy day
# [eng] save for a rainy day
|蓄備雨日 : save + prepare for + rainy + day
# [zho] 未雨綢繆
|未雨綢繆 : not yet + rain + bound (the window) tightly
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# 蓄備雨日 : save + prepare for + rainy + day
# 未雨綢繆 : not yet + rain + bound (the window) tightly
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* [eng] show one's true colours
# [eng] show one's true colours
|顯露真色 : show + true + colours
# [zho] 原形畢露
|原形畢露 : original + form + all + exposed
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# 顯露真色 : show + true + colours
# 原形畢露 : original + form + all + exposed
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* [eng] sink or swim
# [eng] sink or swim
|或沒或泅 : either + sink + or + swim
# [zho] 背水一戰
|背水一戰 : back-facing-water (formation) + a + battle
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# 或沒或泅 : either + sink + or + swim
# 背水一戰 : back-facing-water (formation) + a + battle
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* [eng] the last straw
# [eng] the last straw
|終末一稈 : the last + one + straw
# [zho] 積羽沉舟
|積羽沉舟 : accumulating + feathers + sinks + boat
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# 終末一稈 : the last + one + straw
# 積羽沉舟 : accumulating + feathers + sinks + boat
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Revision as of 16:13, 18 May 2025

Hi, polyglots.

In Han script, there is a type of idiomatic expression called “set phrases” [成語], which are mostly four character long. In this lesson, you will find idioms from various languages in set phrases. This is a way to learn about idioms around the world, as well as a less tedious way to learn Han script.

In progress

Main

idiom idiom in set phrase
  1. [eng] bring home the bacon
  2. [fra] gagner son pain
  3. [pol] przynosić mamuta do domu
  4. [zho] 養家活口
  1. 攜臘返歸 : carry + cured meat + return home
  2. 掙其麵包 : earn + his/her + bread
  3. 攜家毛象 : carry + home + mammoth
  4. 養家活口 : support + family + make a living for + members
  1. [eng] burn the midnight oil
  2. [zho] 焚膏繼晷
  1. 夜半燃油 : at midnight + burn + oil
  2. 焚膏繼晷 : burn + grease + continue + sunlight shadow
  1. [eng] don't cry over spilt milk
  2. [zho] 覆水難收
  1. 毋啼覆乳 : don't + cry over + spilt + milk
  2. 覆水難收 : spilt + water + hard to + collect
  1. [eng] have seen better days
  2. [zho] 江河日下
  1. 既見良辰 : have already + seen + good + days
  2. 江河日下 : rivers + day by day + go down
  1. [eng] jump on the bandwagon
  2. [zho] 隨波逐流
  1. 縱上花車 : jump + onto + bandwagon
  2. 隨波逐流 : follow + waves + chase + flows
  1. [eng] let the cat out of the bag
  2. [zho] 走漏風聲
  1. 放貓出囊 : let + cat + out of + bag
  2. 走漏風聲 : leak + wind + sounds
  1. [eng] like a fish out of water
  2. [zho] 如坐針氈
  1. 如魚出水 : like + fish + out of + water
  2. 如坐針氈 : like + sitting on + needle + mat
  1. [eng] miss the boat
  2. [zho] 失之交臂
  1. 參差擺渡 : miss + ferry boat
  2. 失之交臂 : miss + it + arm touching arm
  1. [eng] not my cup of tea
  2. [zho] 不合我意
  1. 非我杯茗 : not + my + cup of + tea
  2. 不合我意 : does not + fit + my + mind
  1. [eng] once in a blue moon
  2. [zho] 杳如黃鶴
  1. 藍月一現 : blue + moon + once + shows up
  2. 杳如黃鶴 : rare + as + yellow + crane
  1. [eng] piece of cake
  2. [zho] 小菜一碟
  1. 菓子一切 : cake + a + cut
  2. 小菜一碟 : small + dish + a + plate
  1. [eng] pull someone's leg
  2. [zho] 嬉皮笑脸 : playful + skin + smiling + face
  1. 扯腿相嬉 : pull + leg + towards the other + amuse
  2. 嬉皮笑脸
  1. [eng] raining cats and dogs
  2. [zho] 傾盆大雨
  1. 天降貓狗 : from the sky + drop + cats + dogs
  2. 傾盆大雨 : turned + basin + huge + rain
  1. [eng] save for a rainy day
  2. [zho] 未雨綢繆
  1. 蓄備雨日 : save + prepare for + rainy + day
  2. 未雨綢繆 : not yet + rain + bound (the window) tightly
  1. [eng] show one's true colours
  2. [zho] 原形畢露
  1. 顯露真色 : show + true + colours
  2. 原形畢露 : original + form + all + exposed
  1. [eng] sink or swim
  2. [zho] 背水一戰
  1. 或沒或泅 : either + sink + or + swim
  2. 背水一戰 : back-facing-water (formation) + a + battle
  1. [eng] the last straw
  2. [zho] 積羽沉舟
  1. 終末一稈 : the last + one + straw
  2. 積羽沉舟 : accumulating + feathers + sinks + boat

Explanation

The structure of a four-character set phrase are

  • parataxis
  • modifier-head
  • subject-predicate
  • verb-object
  • verb-complement
  • adjective-complement
  • serial verbs
  • verb-pivotal-verb
  • overlap
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