Chinese Chengyu Quiz 成语测验
Hear a Chinese chengyu (four-character idiom), then pick its English meaning. The fastest way to learn the idioms that make your Mandarin sound fluent.
How to Play
Ready to master Chinese idioms?
Select a difficulty above, then start the quiz.
Listen to each chengyu and choose its English meaning.
Popular Chengyu Reference
| Chengyu | Pīnyīn | Literal | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 加油 | jiāyóu | Add oil | Go for it! You can do it! |
| 一举两得 | yìjǔ liǎngdé | One move, two gains | Kill two birds with one stone |
| 马到成功 | mǎ dào chénggōng | Horse arrives, success comes | Instant success |
| 心想事成 | xīn xiǎng shì chéng | Heart wishes, things succeed | May all your wishes come true |
| 锦上添花 | jǐn shàng tiān huā | Add flowers to brocade | Icing on the cake |
| 熟能生巧 | shú néng shēng qiǎo | Familiarity breeds skill | Practice makes perfect |
| 入乡随俗 | rù xiāng suí sú | Enter village, follow customs | When in Rome, do as the Romans do |
| 温故知新 | wēn gù zhī xīn | Warm the old, know the new | Review the old to learn the new |
| 水滴石穿 | shuǐ dī shí chuān | Water drips through stone | Persistence conquers all |
| 愚公移山 | yúgōng yíshān | The Foolish Old Man moves the mountains | Perseverance moves mountains |
| 半途而废 | bàntú ér fèi | Stop halfway and abandon | To give up halfway |
| 画蛇添足 | huà shé tiān zú | Draw a snake and add feet | To ruin it by overdoing |
| 守株待兔 | shǒu zhū dài tù | Guard the stump, await a rabbit | To trust foolishly to luck |
| 亡羊补牢 | wáng yáng bǔ láo | Mend the pen after losing sheep | Better late than never |
| 雪中送炭 | xuě zhōng sòng tàn | Send charcoal in the snow | Help in someone's hour of need |
Tips for Learning Chengyu
Learn the story, not just the words
Most chengyu come from a fable or historical event. 守株待兔 (waiting by a stump for a rabbit) makes sense once you know the farmer's tale. The story is the memory hook.
Don't translate character by character
The literal meaning rarely equals the real meaning. 鱼香 isn't fish, and 画蛇添足 isn't about snakes — chengyu are figurative. Learn the whole phrase as one unit.
Start with the everyday ones
加油, 一举两得 and 入乡随俗 come up constantly. Master a handful of high-frequency idioms first — you'll hear and use them far more than the rare literary ones.
Listen, then say it out loud
Chengyu have a rhythm — usually two beats of two characters. After the audio plays, repeat it aloud to lock in the tones and that satisfying four-syllable cadence.