成语

Mandarin

simpl.		成语
trad.		成語

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

成语 (simplified, Pinyin chéngyǔ, measure word 句/个/条/本, traditional 成語)

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

   我最喜欢的成语是“画蛇添足”。

   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 成语 chéngyǔ refers to a specific kind of idiomatic expression in Chinese (see Chengyu). Other kinds of idiom types include 俗语 súyǔ, 谚语 yànyǔ and 歇后语 xiēhòuyǔ.