Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Idioms-in-Han-script

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Hanisation	texts	idioms	place names

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 to learn Han script less tediously.

Just like assigning codes to entities, e.g. ISO 639 language codes, here a Han name is assigned to the same expression in different languages.

In progress

A

• 空中城堡: in the air + castle
  • aerkastelo [epo]
  • castells en l'aire [cat]
  • castelo no ar [por]
  • castillos en el aire [spa]
  • kështjella në erë [als]
  • kule u zraku куле у зраку [hbs]
  • légvár [hun]
  • loftkastali [isl]
  • luchtkasteel [nld]
  • luftkastel [dan]
  • luftslott [nor,swe]
  • lugkasteel [afr]
  • vozdúšnyj zámok воздушный замок [rus]
  • vzdušné zámky [ces]
  • castelos no ar [glg]

• 風造城堡: wind + made + castle
  • castelo de vento [spa]

• 紙牌城堡: playing card + castle
  • castillos de naipes [spa]

• 西國城堡: in Spain + castle
  • châteaux en Espagne [fra]

• 空中樓閣: in the air + tower
  • kōngzhōng lóugé 空中樓閣 空中楼阁 [cmn]
  • migdál poréaḥ baAvír מגדל פורח באויר [heb]

• 雲靄城堡: cloud + castle
  • pilvilinna [fin]

• 夢中城堡: in dream + castle
  • Traumschloss [deu]

• 風造屋舍: wind + made + cottage
  • tuulentupa [fin]

• 畢路通羅: all + roads + lead to + Rome
  • all roads lead to Rome [eng]
  • all Weeër féieren op Roum [ltz]
  • alla vägar bär till Rom [swe]
  • alle veier fører til Rom [nob]
  • alle veje fører til Rom [dan]
  • alle Wege führen nach Rom [deu]
  • alle wegen leiden naar Rome [nld]
  • allir vegir liggja til Rómar [isl]
  • bardık joldor Rimge alıp barat бардык жолдор Римге алып барат [kir]
  • banyak jalan menuju Roma [ind]
  • bolor čanaparhnerə tanum en Hṙom բոլոր ճանապարհները տանում են Հռոմ [hye]
  • bütün yollar Romaya aparır [aze]
  • ĉiuj vojoj kondukas al Romo [epo]
  • đường nào cũng về La Mã [vie]
  • hame-ye râh-hâ be rom mi-farjâmand همه‌یِ راه‌ها به رُم میفرجامند [pes]
  • kaikki tiet vievät Roomaan [fin]
  • kõik teed viivad Rooma [ekk]
  • kól had'rakhím movilót l'Róma כל הדרכים מובילות לרומא [heb]
  • kullu ṭ-ṭuruqi tuʔaddī ʔilā romā كل الطرق تؤدي إلى روما [arb]
  • óloi oi drómoi odigoún sti Rómi όλοι οι δρόμοι οδηγούν στη Ρώμη [ell]
  • lahat ng daan ay magdadala sa'yo sa Roma [tgl]
  • lam:tuing:ha rau:ma.mrui.hcikui u:tanyne-kra.tai လမ်းတိုင်းဟာ ရောမမြို့ဆီကို ဦးတည်နေကြတယ် [mya]
  • minden út Rómába vezet [hun]
  • modeun gireun Romaro tonghanda 모든 길은 로마로 통한다 [kor]
  • omne via duce a Roma [ina]
  • omnēs viae Rōmam dūcunt [lat]
  • q̇vela gza romši midis ყველა გზა რომში მიდის [kat]
  • sárvāḥ pánthāḥ romāyām prá náyanti सर्वाः पन्थाः रोमायाम् प्र नयन्ति [san]
  • šicki drahi vodza do Rimu шицки драги водза до Риму [rsk]
  • śobo rasta rōmer dike jaẏ সব রাস্তা রোমের দিকে যায় [ben]
  • subete no michi wa Rōma ni tsūzu 全ての道はローマに通ず [jpn]
  • svi putevi vode u Rȋm сви путеви воде у Ри̑м [hbs]
  • tiáotiáo dàlù tōng Luómǎ 條條大路通羅馬 条条大路通罗马 [cmn]
  • tiu⁴ tiu⁴ daai⁶ lou⁶ tung¹ lo⁴ maa⁵ 條條大路通羅馬 条条大路通罗马 [yue]
  • toate drumurile duc la Roma [ron]
  • todos los caminos llevan a Roma [spa]
  • todos os caminhos levam a Roma [por]
  • tots els camins duen a Roma [cat]
  • tous les chemins mènent à Rome [fra]
  • tut las vias mainan a Roma [roh]
  • tutte le strade portano a Roma [ita]
  • tüm yollar Roma'ya çıkar [tur]
  • usjé daróhi vjadúcʹ u Rym усе дарогі вядуць у Рым [bel]
  • visi ceļi ved uz Romu [lvs]
  • visi keliai veda į Romą [lit]
  • vse poti vodijo v Rim [slv]
  • všechny cesty vedou do Říma [ces]
  • všetky cesty vedú do Ríma [slk]
  • vse dorógi vedút v Rim все дороги ведут в Рим [rus]
  • vsi doróhy vedútʹ do Rymu всі доро́ги веду́ть до Риму [ukr]
  • wszystkie drogi prowadzą do Rzymu [pol]
  • y mae bob ffordd yn arwain i Rufain [cym]

• 聖年一遇: jubilee + once + meet
  • alle Jubeljahre [deu]

• 百年一遇: hundred + years + once + meet
  • bǎnián yī yù 百年一遇 百年一遇 [cmn]
  • raz v sto lét раз в сто лет [rus]

• 主教一逝: bishop + once + dies
  • cada muerte de obispo [spa]

• 匈年一遇: Hungarian + year + once + meet
  • jednou za uherský rok [ces]
  • raz za uhorský rok [slk]

• 卌年一遇: forty + years + once + meet
  • kırk yılda bir [tur]

• 自從洪鐘: from + big + bell
  • od wielkiego dzwonu [pol]

• 藍月一現: blue + moon + once + shows up
  • once in a blue moon [eng]

• 魯年一遇: Ruthenian + year + once + meet
  • raz na ruski rok [pol]

• 月中卅六: in a month + thirty-sixth day
  • tous les trente-six du mois [fra]

• 一季一時: a + season + one + hour
  • uair san ràith [gla]

• 教宗一逝: Pope + once + dies
  • una volta ogni morte di papa [ita]

• 杳如黃鶴: rare + as + yellow + crane
  • yǎo rú huáng hè 杳如黃鶴 杳如黄鹤 [cmn]

• 終末一滴: the last + one + drop
  • apóšnjaja króplja апошняя кропля [bel]
  • l'ultima goccia [ita]
  • ostánnja kráplja остання крапля [ukr]
  • poslední kapka [ces]
  • poslédnjaja káplja последняя капля [rus]
  • uḳanasḳneli c̣veti უკანასკნელი წვეთი [kat]
  • última gota [por]
  • viimeinen pisara [fin]

• 溢桶之滴: overflow + barrel + (attribute particle) + drop
  • der Tropfen, der das Fass zum Überlaufen bringt [deu]

• 溢瓶之滴: overflow + vase + (attribute particle) + drop
  • la gota que fa vessar el got [cat]
  • la goutte d’eau qui fait déborder le vase [fra]

• 終末一稈: the last + one + straw
  • the last straw [eng]

• 溢杯之滴: overflow + cup + (attribute particle) + drop
  • i stagóna pou xecheílise to potíri η σταγόνα που ξεχείλισε το ποτήρι [ell]

• 積羽沉舟: accumulating + feathers + sinks + boat
  • jī yǔ chén zhōu 積羽沉舟 积羽沉舟 [cmn]

• 滿杯之滴: fulfill + cup + (attribute particle) + drop
  • la gota que colma el vaso [spa]

• 終末一鉚: the last + one + rivet
  • viimeinen niitti [fin]

• 夜半點燈: at midnight + lit + lantern
  • ʔašʕal fānūs al-layl أشعل فانوس الليل [arb]

• 夜半燃油: at midnight + burn + oil
  • burn the midnight oil [eng]

• 焚膏繼晷: burn + grease + continue + sunlight shadow
  • fén gāo jì guǐ 焚膏繼晷 焚膏继晷 [cmn]

• 燒己睫毛: burn + own + eyelashes
  • quemarse las pestañas [spa]

• 朝飯前: breakfast + before
  • asameshimae 朝飯前 [jpn]

• 兒戲一樁: child's play + a + case
  • barnlek [swe]
  • brincadeira de criança [por]
  • dziecinada [pol]
  • gioco da bambini [ita]
  • jeu d’enfant [fra]
  • joacă de copil [ron]
  • juego de niños [spa]
  • kinderspel [nld]
  • Kinderspiel [deu]
  • lastenleikki [fin]

• 吹氣成瓶: blow + air + make + bottles
  • bufar i fer ampolles [cat]

• 黄油圓麭: butter + round + pastry
  • bułka z masłem [pol]

• 小兒耍貨: child + toy
  • çocuk oyuncağı [tur]
  • gyerekjáték [hun]

• 如飲杯水: like + drinking + cup of + water
  • come bere un bicchier d'acqua [ita]

• 無事之事: nothing + (attributive marker) + matter
  • cosa da niente [ita]

• 作縫作歌: do + sew + do + sing
  • coser y cantar [spa]

• 山鶉在囊: partridge + on + bag
  • çantada keklik [tur]

• 花置耳上: flower + put on + ear + upper side
  • floare la ureche [ron]

• 一分口笛: one + cent + whistle
  • fluitje van een cent [nld]

• 貓咳一聲: cat + cough + a + sound
  • mačji kašalj мачји кашаљ [hbs]

• 木瓜附糖: papaya + add + sugar
  • mamão com açúcar [por]

• 蜜抹奶嘴: honey + smeared on + pacifier
  • mel na chupeta [por]

• 菓子一切: cake + a + cut
  • piece of cake [eng]

• 易於蒸蕪: easier + than + steamed + turnip
  • próšče párenoj répy проще пареной репы [rus]

• 偃食打糕: lie down + eat + tteok
  • nuwoseo tteok meokgi 누워서 떡 먹기 [kor]

• 作戲作舞: do + game + do + dance
  • xaġ u par խաղ ու պար [hye]

• 小菜一碟: small + dish + a + plate
  • xiǎocài yī dié 小菜一碟 小菜一碟 [cmn]

• 躍上行車: jump + onto + running + wagon
  • auf den fahrenden Zug aufspringen [deu]
  • kaste seg på lasset [nob]
  • prendre le train en marche [fra]

• 入其波浪: enter + the + waves
  • entrar na onda [por]

• 躍上列車: jump + onto + train
  • hoppa på tåget [swe]

• 躍上花車: jump + onto + decorated + wagon
  • jump on the bandwagon [eng]
  • salire sul carro del vincitore [ita]

• 躍上荷車: jump + onto + cart
  • subirse al carro [spa]

• 隨波逐流: follow + waves + chase + flows
  • suí bō zhú liú 隨波逐流 随波逐流 [cmn]

B

• 或承或折: either + bear + or + break
  • bära eller brista [swe]

• 背水一戰: back-facing-water (formation) + a + battle
  • bèi shuǐ yī zhàn 背水一戰 背水一战 [cmn]

• 或下或上: either + up + or + down
  • erop of eronder [nld]

• 或行或毙: either + walk + or + die
  • marche ou crève [fra]

• 或紳或淵: either + lord + or + abyss
  • pan ili propál пан или пропал [rus]

• 或沒或泅: either + sink + or + swim
  • sink or swim [eng]

• 焦炭陶土: charcoal + potter's clay
  • syteen tai saveen [fin]

• 板車廂車: cart + wagon
  • wóz albo przewóz [pol]

• 雨若出杯: rain + like + out of + cup
  • bardaktan boşalırcasına yağmak [tur]

• 雨下紉綫: rain + threads
  • Bindfäden regnen [deu]

• 雨下杖嫗: rain + sticks + old ladies
  • bwrw hen wragedd â ffyn [cym]

• 雨下釜鼎: rain + cauldrons
  • chover a caldeiros [glg]

• 雨出瓶罐: rain + out of + vessel
  • chover a cântaros [por]
  • llover a cántaros [spa]

• 雨下槍矛: rain + spears
  • chover a chuzos [glg]

• 土砂降: dirt + sands + drop
  • doshaburi 土砂降り [jpn]

• 雨入川流: rain + into + rivers
  • in Strömen regnen [deu]

• 雨若出桶: rain + like + out of + basket
  • lać jak z cebra [pol]
  • lítʹ kak iz vedrá лить как из ведра [rus]
  • llje jak z vidra ллє як з відра [ukr]
  • sataa kuin saavista kaataen [fin]
  • valí kato iz vedró вали като из ведро [bul]
  • wie aus Eimern schütten [deu]
  • zuhog, mintha dézsából öntenék [hun]

• 落狗屎: drop + dog + poop
  • lok⁶ gau² si² 落狗屎 落狗屎 [yue]

• 注若出壺: pour + like + out of + can
  • lít jako z konve [ces]

• 雨下洋海: rain + sea
  • llover a mares [spa]

• 天穹下落: sky + fall down
  • o céu vir abaixo [por]

• 雨出水桶: rain + like + out of + basket
  • pleuvoir à verse [fra]
  • ploua cu găleata [ron]

• 雨下耙妖: rain + harrow + bizarre being
  • sataa äkäisiä ämmiä äkeet selässä [fin]

• 暴雨如注: huge + rain + like + pouring
  • bàoyǔ rú zhù 暴雨如注 暴雨如注 [cmn]
  • sataa kaatamalla [fin]
  • regenen dat het giet [nld]

• 傾盆大雨: turned + basin + huge + rain
  • piovere a catinelle [ita]
  • qīng pén dàyǔ 傾盆大雨 倾盆大雨 [cmn]
  • sataa kuin saavista kaataen [fin]

• 雨下管柄: rain + pipe handles
  • pijpenstelen regenen [nld]

• 雨若神饋: rain + as if + God + sends
  • piovere come Dio la manda [ita]

• 雨可立飲: rain + can be + standing + drunk
  • pleuvoir à boire debout [fra]

• 雨若濺牛: rain + like + pissing + cattle
  • pleuvoir comme vache qui pisse [fra]

• 雨下繩索: rain + ropes
  • pleuvoir des cordes [fra]

• 雨下斧槍: rain + halberds
  • pleuvoir des hallebardes [fra]

• 雨入舟樽: rain + into + boats + barrels
  • ploure a bots i barrals [cat]

• 雨下貓狗: rain + cats + dogs
  • rain cats and dogs [eng]

• 雨下瘋婆: rain + mad + women
  • regne sinte kjerringer [nob]

• 注下椅脚: pour + chair + legs
  • ríchnei kareklopódara ρίχνει καρεκλοπόδαρα [ell]

• 雨下火硫: rain + fire + sulfur
  • rigna eldi og brennisteini [isl]

• 立如地柱: stand + like + ground + rods
  • stå som spön i backen [swe]

• 捉末登天: grasp + tips + climb up to + sky
  • tut ucundan, göyə çıx [aze]

• 雨出皮囊: rain + out of + skin + bag
  • vréchei me to touloúmi βρέχει με το τουλούμι [ell]

• 既見良辰: have already + seen + good + days
  • bessere Tage gesehen haben [deu]
  • betere tijden gekend hebben [nld]
  • ha sett bedre dager [nob]
  • ha sett sina bättre dagar [swe]
  • have seen better days [eng]

• 江河日下: rivers + day by day + go down
  • jiānghé rì xià 江河日下 江河日下 [cmn]

• 捎臘返歸: bring + cured meat + return home
  • bring home the bacon [eng]

• 掙得其麭: earn + his/her + pastry
  • gagner son pain [fra]

• 運家毛象: transport + home + mammoth
  • przynosić mamuta do domu [pol]

• 養家活口: support + family + make a living for + members
  • yǎng jiā huó kǒu 養家活口 养家活口 [cmn]

• 維繫其褲: maintain + his/her + pants
  • zijn eigen broek ophouden [nld]

C

• 啼彼覆乳: cry over + that + spilt + milk
  • chorar sobre o leite derramado [por]
  • cry over spilt milk [eng]
  • græde over spildt mælk [dan]
  • gråta över spilld mjölk [swe]
  • itkeä maahan kaatunutta maitoa [fin]
  • llorar sobre la leche derramada [spa]
  • piangere sul latte versato [ita]
  • płakać nad rozlanym mlekiem [pol]
  • plakat nad rozlitým mlékem [ces]
  • pleurer sur le lait renversé [fra]

• 覆水難收: spilt + water + hard to + collect
  • fùshuǐ nán shōu 覆水難收 覆水难收 [cmn]

• 數年死子: count + age + dead + son
  • shinda ko no toshi o kazoeru 死んだ子の年を数える [jpn]

• 如魚出水: like + fish + out of + water
  • como peixe fora d'água [por]
  • como pez fuera del agua [spa]
  • fiŝo ekster akvo [epo]
  • ħuta barra mill-ilma [mlt]
  • like a fish out of water [eng]
  • peix fora d'aigua [cat]
  • pesce fuor d'acqua [ita]
  • poisson hors de l’eau [fra]

• 如魚在地: like + fish + on + ground
  • kuin kala kuivalla maalla [fin]
  • soos 'n vis op droë grond [afr]
  • wie ein Fisch auf dem Trockenen [deu]

• 上陸河童: been on shore + kappa
  • oka ni agatta kappa 陸に上がった河童 [jpn]

• 如坐針氈: like + sitting on + needle + mat
  • rú zuò zhēnzhān 如坐針氈 如坐针毡 [cmn]

• 如鹿進村: like + deer + entering + village
  • seperti rusa masuk kampung [zsm]

D

• 對牛彈琴: towards + cattle + play + qín (string instrument)
  • dae'utan'geum 대우탄금 對牛彈琴 [kor]
  • đàn gảy tai trâu [vie]
  • duì niú tánqín 對牛彈琴 对牛弹琴 [cmn]
  • sǐi-sɔɔ-hâi-kwaai-fang สีซอให้ควายฟัง [thi]
  • ushi ni tai shite koto o danzu 牛に対して琴を弾ず [jpn]

• 對墙言語: towards + wall + talk
  • falar com as paredes [por]
  • gegen eine Wand reden [deu]
  • mówić jak do ściany [pol]
  • parler à un mur [fra]
  • puhua seinille [fin]
  • tale for døve ører [nor]
  • talk to a brick wall [eng]
  • tegen een muur praten [nld]
  • vorbi cu pereții [ron]

• 馬耳念佛: horse + ear + chant Buddhist prayers
  • ma no mimi ni nenbutsu 馬の耳に念仏 [jpn]
  • so gwie gyeong ilgi 소 귀에 경 읽기 [kor]

• 聾耳說教: deaf + ear + preach
  • preach to deaf ears [eng]

• 豌豆擲墙: pea + throw towards + wall
  • rzucać grochem o ścianę [pol]

• 舌齿相擊: tongue + teeth + towards each other + hit
  • dar com a língua nos dentes [por]

• 放貓出囊: let + cat + out of + bag
  • die kat uit die sak laat [afr]
  • die Katze aus dem Sack lassen [deu]
  • d'Kaz aus dem Sak loossen [ltz]
  • let the cat out of the bag [eng]
  • slippe katta ut av sekken [nob]
  • slippe katten ud af sækken [dan]
  • wypuścić kota z worka [pol]

• 潑洒小豆: spill + little + beans
  • spill the beans [eng]

• 販出引綫: sell + out + fuse
  • vendre la mèche [fra]

• 走動己舌: go + own + tongue
  • irse da lingua [glg]
  • irse de la lengua [spa]

• 走漏風聲: leak + wind + sounds
  • zǒulòu fēnshēng 走漏風聲 走漏风声 [cmn]

• 錯過擺渡: miss + ferry boat
  • de boot missen [nld]
  • miss the boat [eng]

• 錯過馬車: miss + coach
  • manquer le coche [fra]

• 錯過列車: miss + train
  • myöhästyä junasta [fin]
  • perder el tren [spa]
  • perdere il treno [ita]
  • pierde trenul [ron]

• 失之交臂: miss + it + arm touching arm
  • shī zhī jiāobì 失之交臂 失之交臂 [cmn]

E

• 井底之蛙: well + bottom + (attribute particle) + frog
  • ếch ngồi đáy giếng [vie]
  • jǐngdǐ zhī wā 井底之蛙 井底之蛙 [zho]
  • seitei no kawazu 井底の蛙 [jpn]
  • umul an gaeguri 우물 안 개구리 [kor]

• 椰殼之蛙: coconut + shell + (attribute particle) + frog
  • gòp-nai-gà-laa กบในกะลา [thi]
  • katak di bawah tempurung [zsm]

K

• 顯露白牙: show + white + teeth
  • kimutatja a foga fehérjét [hun]

• 顯露真面: show + true + face
  • montrer son vrai visage [fra]
  • mostrare il proprio vero volto [ita]
  • sein wahres Gesicht zeigen [deu]

• 顯露真髮: show + true + hairs
  • näyttää todellinen karvansa [fin]

• 顯露真色: show + true + colours
  • show one's true colours [eng]

• 顯露真紋: show + true + stripes
  • show one's true stripes [eng]
  • tunjuk belang [zsm]

• 原形畢露: original + form + all + exposed
  • yuánxíng bì lù 原形畢露 原形毕露 [cmn]

Explanation

The structures of a set phrase are

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

introduction	variants	parts	Restructure
Hanisation	texts	idioms	place names