Chinese Idioms & Their Stories

A small phrase. A much bigger story.

Many Chinese idioms hold a whole story in four characters. Explore where an expression comes from, what it means and when it belongs.

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One-to-one25 minutesTaught in Mandarin

Illustration of two adults in ancient China examining the story of adding legs to a snake and discussing actions and consequences

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One person reports a tiger. The king doubts it. — I3 ·三人成虎

A second person repeats it. Then a third. — I3 ·三人成虎

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A pathway that matches what they can do now.

A story can be heard and understood before its expression is used independently. Choose around the child’s understanding and ability to explain.

I1
Follow a story and understand the expression it carries.
I2
Compare situations and explain when an expression fits.
I3
Examine context, conditions and alternative interpretations.

Chinese lesson titles are shown with translations for parents. Materials can use Simplified or Traditional Chinese according to need.

View the full syllabus

I1 Stories and meanings

20 lessons · 25 minutes each

Unit 01 · Observation and judgment5 lessons ＋

畫蛇添足Adding Legs to a Snake
刻舟求劍Marking the Boat to Find a Sword
掩耳盜鈴Covering Your Ears to Steal a Bell
狐假虎威The Fox Borrows the Tiger's Might
井底之蛙The Frog at the Bottom of the Well

Unit 02 · Effort and methods5 lessons ＋

守株待兔Waiting by a Tree Stump for a Rabbit
揠苗助長Pulling Seedlings to Help Them Grow
熟能生巧Practice Makes Skill
鐵杵成針Grinding an Iron Pestle into a Needle
愚公移山The Old Man Who Moved Mountains

Unit 03 · Relationships and cooperation5 lessons ＋

自相矛盾The Spear and Shield Contradiction
濫竽充數Pretending to Play in the Ensemble
葉公好龍Lord Ye's Love of Dragons
鷸蚌相爭The Snipe and the Clam Fight
買櫝還珠Keeping the Box and Returning the Pearl

Unit 04 · Choices and consequences5 lessons ＋

亡羊補牢Mending the Pen After Losing a Sheep
驚弓之鳥The Bird Frightened by a Bow
刮目相看Seeing Someone in a New Light
百發百中A Hundred Shots, a Hundred Hits
塞翁失馬The Old Man Loses His Horse

I2 Comparison and application

20 lessons · 25 minutes each

Unit 01 · Appearances and reality5 lessons ＋

南轅北轍Heading South While Driving North
鄭人買履The Man of Zheng Buys Shoes
盲人摸象Blind Men Feel an Elephant
望梅止渴Thinking of Plums to Quench Thirst
杯弓蛇影A Bow's Reflection in a Cup Mistaken for a Snake

Unit 02 · Methods and results5 lessons ＋

聞雞起舞Rising to Practice at the Rooster's Crow
鑿壁偷光Making a Hole in the Wall to Borrow Light
專心致志Complete Concentration
邯鄲學步Learning to Walk in Handan
歧路亡羊Losing a Sheep Among Forking Paths

Unit 03 · Trust and perspectives5 lessons ＋

程門立雪Standing in the Snow at Master Cheng's Door
負荊請罪Carrying Thorn Branches to Apologize
完璧歸趙Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao
雞鳴狗盜Rooster Calls and Doglike Sneaking
管鮑之交The Friendship of Guan and Bao

Unit 04 · Strengths, limits, and trade-offs5 lessons ＋

千金市骨Buying Horse Bones for a Thousand Gold Coins
朝三暮四Three in the Morning, Four in the Evening
唇亡齒寒Without Lips, the Teeth Feel Cold
螳螂捕蟬The Mantis Catches the Cicada
黔驢技窮The Guizhou Donkey Runs Out of Tricks

I3 Context and judgment

20 lessons · 25 minutes each

Unit 01 · Perspectives and bias5 lessons ＋

三人成虎Three People Make a Tiger
曾參殺人The Rumor That Zeng Shen Killed a Man
疑鄰盜斧Suspecting a Neighbor of Stealing an Axe
智子疑鄰Praising the Son, Suspecting the Neighbor
杞人憂天The Man of Qi Fears the Sky Will Fall

Unit 02 · Situations and change5 lessons ＋

破釜沉舟Breaking the Pots and Sinking the Boats
背水一戰Fighting with the River at Your Back
紙上談兵Discussing War on Paper
臥薪嘗膽Sleeping on Brushwood and Tasting Gall
退避三舍Retreating Three Marches

Unit 03 · Persuasion and judgment5 lessons ＋

毛遂自薦Mao Sui Volunteers Himself
高山流水High Mountains and Flowing Water
東施效顰Dong Shi Imitates a Frown
指鹿為馬Calling a Deer a Horse
一鳴驚人One Cry Amazes Everyone

Unit 04 · Gains, losses, and reflection5 lessons ＋

樂不思蜀Too Happy to Miss Shu
涸轍之鮒The Fish in a Dry Wheel Rut
螳臂當車The Mantis Tries to Stop a Carriage
鳥盡弓藏When the Birds Are Gone, the Bow Is Stored Away
呆若木雞Still as a Wooden Rooster

Find their next step in Chinese.

Share your child’s experience and goals. Arrange a trial, receive the teacher’s assessment, and choose with a clearer understanding of their needs.

Ask about an introductory trial

A small phrase. A much bigger story.

No tiger. Three reports. A changed belief.

A tiger in the market?

The same claim, again.

A rumour begins to feel real.

More voices. More evidence?

A pathway that matches what they can do now.

Explore another direction

Find their next step in Chinese.