成語

Mandarin

simpl.		成语
trad.		成語

Noun

成語 (traditional, Pinyin chéngyǔ, measure word 句/個/條/本, simplified 成语)

1. Chengyu, a certain kind of Chinese set phrase originating in Classical Chinese, typically four or five characters in length.

   我最喜歡的成語是「畫蛇添足」。

   wò zuì xǐhuān de chéngyǔ shì huàshétiānzú

   My favourite chengyu is huàshétiānzú.

2. Any idiomatic expression.

Usage notes

• Although often translated as idiom, in fact 成語 chéngyǔ refers to a specific kind of idiomatic expression in Chinese (see Chengyu). Other kinds of idiom types include 俗語 súyǔ, 諺語 yànyǔ and 歇後語 xiēhòuyǔ.