Self-created Suspision - 杯弓蛇影

杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng)

杯: cup, in cup
弓: bow
蛇: snake
影: shadow

Literal translation: Mistake the shadow of a bow in one's cup as a snake.

It came from a story: Long long ago, Ying Chen treat Du Xuan to dinner, and there was a red bow on the wall, after several cups of wine, they became a little drunk, and suddenly Du Xuan saw a snake in his cup which actually was the shadow of the red bow, he became so afraid, but since Ying Chen was so zealous, and Du Xuan didn't wanna be an impolite, so he drank the wine with that "snake" anyway. When Du Xuan got home, he felt very bad and sick, several days later, Yin Chen came to visit him to see if he was fine, Du Xuan finally told him the truth. Yin Chen felt so sorry, but when he got home, he saw the bow on the wall and figured out that it was a mistake, so he told Du Xuan, after knowing this, Du Xuan laughed and recovered from the sickness immediately. From then on, "Mistake the shadow of a bow in one's cup as a snake" is used to describe that people who are always jittery with imaginary fear.

Corresponding English idom: Self-created suspision.

Example sentence: That's just a stone, don't be so suspicious, you are just frightening yourself!
（那是块石头！别杯弓蛇影，自己吓自己！）

A Good Sword Never Get Dull - 宝刀不老

宝刀不老 (bǎo dāo bù lǎo)

宝: precious, unique

刀: sword, big knife

不: not, never

老: grow old, here means rust

Literal translation: A good sword remains always sharp; The treasured sword is not yet blunt.

Generally it's used to describe that some old people are old but still vigorous in mind and body.

Corresponding English idiom: A good sword never get dull.


Example sentence: He is already 40 years old, but "a good sword remains always sharp", he still plays basketball as well as young people.
(他已经四十岁了，不过宝刀不老，打篮球依旧不输年轻人.)

Give Up Halfway; Fall By The Way

半途而废 (bàn tú ér fèi)

半: Half
途: Way
而: However, while
废: Give up

Literal translation: Give up when you finish half of your work.

It means that one is not pacient enough to finish one's work, and always leaves work unfinished.

Corresponding English idiom: Give up halfway; fall by the way.

Example sentence: You should keep on learning Chinese, never give up halfway.
(你应该坚持学汉语，绝不能半途而废.)

Tweedledum and Tweedledee; As Broad As It Is Long; Birds Of A Feather - 半斤八两

半斤八两 (bàn jīn bā liǎng)

斤: Jin, a unit of weight (=1/2 kilogram)
两: Liang, a unit of weight (=1/10 jin)
半: Half, half of
八: Eight

Actually, in ancient China, 1 jin was equal to 16 liang, so half jin was eight liang.

Literal translation: Half jin and eight liang.

It means two or more things or people equally suck; not much to choose between the two.

Corresponding English idom: Tweedledum and tweedledee; as broad as it is long; birds of a feather.

Example sentence: You wanna teach him English? You two are actually two birds of a feather.
(你还想着教他英语？你俩水平半斤八两.)

Teach One's Granny How to Suck Eggs - 班门弄斧

班门弄斧 (bān mén nòng fǔ)

班: Lu Ban(507 BC - 444 BC), the best carpenter in Chinese history, he made so many amazing carpenter's tools that Chinese carpenters are still using now.
门: home door, outside thd door
弄: play, show off, parade
斧: axe, skill of using axe

Literal translation: Display one's slight axe skill outside Lu Ban's home door.

It means display one's slight skill before an expert.

Correspording English idiom: Teach one's granny how to suck eggs; teach fish to swim.

Example sentence: He used to stay in USA for ten years, you wanna teach him English? It's like to teach fish to swim.
(他在美国呆过十年，你教他英语，那是班门弄斧.)

Old Institutions Die Hard - 百足之虫, 死而不僵

百足之虫, 死而不僵 (bǎi zú zhī chóng, sǐ ér bù jiāng)

百: hundred, many
足: foot, leg
之: of, with
虫: worm, insect, bug
死: dead, die
而: however, but
不: not
僵: fall down, stop wriggling, stiff, topple over

Literal translation: A centipede with hundreds of legs does not topple over even when dead.

It means rich or noble family (or people), they still have enormous amount of influence or much money left even when they go broke.

Corresponding English idiom: Old institutions die hard.

Example sentence: China already entered a new era long time ago, but there are still many old opinions staying in people's mind, old institutions die hard.
(中国早已经进入新纪元, 但一些陈旧的思想如百足之虫, 死而不僵.)

Jump Through Hoops - 百依百顺

百依百顺 (bǎi yī bǎi shùn)

百: hundred, hundred times, here means "always "
依: and
顺: obey, be obedient, agree

Literal translation: Obey in every way, agree with sb. about everthing, all obedience.

Corresponding English idiom: Jump through hoops.

Eample sentence: His wife is a very meek woman, like a clay in the hands of the potter. (他的妻子是一个很柔和的女人, 对他百依百顺.)