Four-character expressions (四字词语) are a defining feature of Chinese. Some are true chengyu — classical idioms with stories behind them, like 画蛇添足 (drawing legs on a snake). Others are four-character compounds that function as set phrases, like 人工智能 (artificial intelligence). HSK 3.0 includes both types, and they cluster overwhelmingly at HSK 7.
This page lists every four-character entry in the HSK 3.0 vocabulary standard, grouped by level, with pinyin and English definitions.
Chengyu are part of a bigger picture. The HSK 3.0 syllabus defines topics, tasks, and grammar alongside vocabulary at every level. See the HSK 3.0 Syllabus Guide for the full framework.
Distribution
| HSK Level | Four-Character Expressions |
|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 1 |
| HSK 2 | 1 |
| HSK 3 | 0 |
| HSK 4 | 2 |
| HSK 5 | 7 |
| HSK 6 | 17 |
| HSK 7–9 | 430 |
| Total | 458 |
At HSK 1 through 6, four-character entries trickle in — 28 total across six levels. Then HSK 7–9 adds 430 in one shot, a 15x increase. This is the single biggest qualitative shift in the entire HSK system: the vocabulary stops being conversational and becomes literary.
HSK 1–4
Four entries across the first four levels. These are not classical idioms — they are everyday multi-character phrases that happen to be four characters long.
| Word | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 有一点儿 | yǒu yī diǎn r | a bit; a little |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎo yì si | to feel embarrassed; to be sorry (for inconveniencing sb) |
| 十字路口 | shí zì lù kǒu | crossroads; intersection |
| 差一点儿 | chà yī diǎn r | almost; nearly |
HSK 5
7 four-character expressions.
| Word | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一路顺风 | yī lù shùn fēng | to have a pleasant journey (idiom) |
| 中华民族 | Zhōng huá mín zú | the Chinese nation; the Chinese people |
| 丰富多彩 | fēng fù duō cǎi | richly colorful |
| 五颜六色 | wǔ yán liù sè | multicolored; every color under the sun |
| 亲朋好友 | qīn péng hǎo yǒu | friends and family; kith and kin |
| 各行各业 | gè háng gè yè | every trade; all professions; all walks of life |
| 酸甜苦辣 | suān tián kǔ là | lit. sour, sweet, bitter and spicy (idiom); the joys and sorrows of life |
HSK 6
17 four-character expressions. The first true chengyu start appearing here alongside modern compounds.
| Word | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一帆风顺 | yī fān fēng shùn | plain sailing; to go smoothly |
| 一模一样 | yī mú yī yàng | exactly alike; identical |
| 二氧化碳 | èr yǎng huà tàn | carbon dioxide (CO2) |
| 人山人海 | rén shān rén hǎi | multitude; vast crowd |
| 人工智能 | rén gōng zhì néng | artificial intelligence (AI) |
| 众所周知 | zhòng suǒ zhōu zhī | as everyone knows |
| 千家万户 | qiān jiā wàn hù | every family |
| 多才多艺 | duō cái duō yì | multitalented |
| 大吃一惊 | dà chī yī jīng | astounded; flabbergasted |
| 家家户户 | jiā jiā hù hù | each and every family |
| 成千上万 | chéng qiān shàng wàn | by the thousands and tens of thousands; innumerable |
| 方方面面 | fāng fāng miàn miàn | all sides; all aspects |
| 未成年人 | wèi chéng nián rén | minor (person under 18) |
| 自言自语 | zì yán zì yǔ | to talk to oneself; to think aloud |
| 至关重要 | zhì guān zhòng yào | extremely important; vital; crucial |
| 衣食住行 | yī shí zhù xíng | clothing, food, housing and transportation; people's basic needs |
| 高新技术 | gāo xīn jì shù | high tech; high technology |
HSK 7–9
430 four-character expressions. HSK 7, 8, and 9 share the same vocabulary pool — the levels differ in topic complexity and text length, not word lists. This is where the classical chengyu arrive en masse — idioms rooted in ancient fables, historical events, and literary allusions. Many follow patterns like ABAC (一心一意), AABB (断断续续), or negation structures (不知不觉).
| Word | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一丝不苟 | yī sī bù gǒu | meticulous; strictly according to the rules |
| 一举一动 | yī jǔ yī dòng | every movement; each and every move |
| 一举两得 | yī jǔ liǎng dé | one move, two gains; two birds with one stone |
| 一事无成 | yī shì wú chéng | to have achieved nothing; to be a total failure |
| 一动不动 | yī dòng bù dòng | motionless |
| 一塌糊涂 | yī tā hú tu | in an awful condition; a total mess |
| 一声不吭 | yī shēng bù kēng | to not say a word |
| 一如既往 | yī rú jì wǎng | just as in the past; continuing as always |
| 一干二净 | yī gān èr jìng | thoroughly; completely; one and all |
| 一应俱全 | yī yīng jù quán | with everything needed available |
| 一心一意 | yī xīn yī yì | single-minded; concentrating one's thoughts and efforts |
| 一成不变 | yī chéng bù biàn | immutable; set in stone |
| 一技之长 | yī jì zhī cháng | proficiency in a particular field |
| 一无所有 | yī wú suǒ yǒu | not having anything at all; utterly lacking |
| 一无所知 | yī wú suǒ zhī | not knowing anything at all; completely ignorant |
| 一概而论 | yī gài ér lùn | to lump different matters together |
| 一毛不拔 | yī máo bù bá | extremely stingy |
| 一目了然 | yī mù liǎo rán | obvious at a glance |
| 一筹莫展 | yī chóu mò zhǎn | to be unable to find a solution; at wits' end |
| 一言一行 | yī yán yī xíng | every word and action |
| 一言不发 | yī yán bù fā | to not say a word |
| 一针见血 | yī zhēn jiàn xiě | to hit the nail on the head |
| 一鼓作气 | yī gǔ zuò qì | in a spurt of energy |
| 七嘴八舌 | qī zuǐ bā shé | lively discussion with everybody talking at once |
| 万无一失 | wàn wú yī shī | surefire; absolutely safe |
| 三番五次 | sān fān wǔ cì | over and over again |
| 不了了之 | bù liǎo liǎo zhī | to settle a matter by leaving it unsettled |
| 不亦乐乎 | bù yì lè hū | extremely; awfully |
| 不以为然 | bù yǐ wéi rán | to object; to disapprove; to take exception to |
| 不假思索 | bù jiǎ sī suǒ | to act without taking time to think; to react instantly |
| 不厌其烦 | bù yàn qí fán | to take great pains; to be very patient |
| 不可思议 | bù kě sī yì | inconceivable; unimaginable |
| 不可或缺 | bù kě huò quē | necessary; must have |
| 不得而知 | bù dé ér zhī | unknown; unable to find out |
| 不折不扣 | bù zhé bù kòu | a hundred percent; to the letter |
| 不正之风 | bù zhèng zhī fēng | unhealthy tendency |
| 不由自主 | bù yóu zì zhǔ | can't help but; involuntarily |
| 不相上下 | bù xiāng shàng xià | equally matched; about the same |
| 不知不觉 | bù zhī bù jué | unconsciously; unwittingly |
| 不知所措 | bù zhī suǒ cuò | at one's wits' end; embarrassed and at a complete loss |
| 不约而同 | bù yuē ér tóng | to take the same action without prior consultation |
| 不翼而飞 | bù yì ér fēi | to disappear without trace; to vanish suddenly |
| 不耻下问 | bù chǐ xià wèn | not ashamed to ask and learn from one's subordinates |
| 不言而喻 | bù yán ér yù | it goes without saying; self-evident |
| 不辞而别 | bù cí ér bié | to leave without saying goodbye |
| 与众不同 | yǔ zhòng bù tóng | to stand out from the crowd; distinctive |
| 与日俱增 | yǔ rì jù zēng | to increase steadily; to grow with each passing day |
| 与时俱进 | yǔ shí jù jìn | to keep up with the times; progressive |
| 东奔西走 | dōng bēn xī zǒu | to rush about busily |
| 东张西望 | dōng zhāng xī wàng | to look in all directions; to glance around |
| 丢三落四 | diū sān là sì | forgetful; empty-headed |
| 举一反三 | jǔ yī fǎn sān | to deduce many things from one case |
| 举世瞩目 | jǔ shì zhǔ mù | to receive worldwide attention |
| 举棋不定 | jǔ qí bù dìng | to hesitate; to waver; to shilly-shally |
| 举足轻重 | jǔ zú qīng zhòng | to play a critical role; influential |
| 乐此不疲 | lè cǐ bù pí | to enjoy sth and never tire of it |
| 乱七八糟 | luàn qī bā zāo | chaotic; in disorder; muddled |
| 争先恐后 | zhēng xiān kǒng hòu | striving to be first and fearing to be last; outdoing one another |
| 争分夺秒 | zhēng fēn duó miǎo | a race against time; making every second count |
| 五湖四海 | wǔ hú sì hǎi | all parts of the country |
| 五花八门 | wǔ huā bā mén | myriad; all kinds of; all sorts of |
| 井底之蛙 | jǐng dǐ zhī wā | a frog at the bottom of a well; a person of limited outlook |
| 亡羊补牢 | wáng yáng bǔ láo | to mend the pen after sheep are lost; better late than never |
| 交头接耳 | jiāo tóu jiē ěr | to whisper to one another's ear |
| 从容不迫 | cóng róng bù pò | calm; unruffled |
| 以身作则 | yǐ shēn zuò zé | to set an example; to serve as a model |
| 任重道远 | rèn zhòng dào yuǎn | a heavy load and a long road; to bear heavy responsibilities |
| 众志成城 | zhòng zhì chéng chéng | unity of will is an impregnable stronghold |
| 优胜劣汰 | yōu shèng liè tài | survival of the fittest |
| 似是而非 | sì shì ér fēi | apparently right but actually wrong; specious |
| 似曾相识 | sì céng xiāng shí | deja vu; seemingly familiar |
| 侃侃而谈 | kǎn kǎn ér tán | to speak frankly with assurance |
| 供不应求 | gōng bù yìng qiú | supply does not meet demand |
| 依依不舍 | yī yī bù shě | reluctant to part; broken-hearted at having to leave |
| 倾家荡产 | qīng jiā dàng chǎn | to lose a family fortune |
| 光明磊落 | guāng míng lěi luò | open and candid; straightforward and upright |
| 兢兢业业 | jīng jīng yè yè | conscientious; assiduous |
| 全力以赴 | quán lì yǐ fù | to make an all-out effort |
| 全心全意 | quán xīn quán yì | heart and soul; wholeheartedly |
| 兴高采烈 | xìng gāo cǎi liè | happy and excited; in high spirits |
| 再接再厉 | zài jiē zài lì | to continue the struggle; unremitting efforts |
| 冰天雪地 | bīng tiān xuě dì | a world of ice and snow |
| 冰山一角 | bīng shān yī jiǎo | tip of the iceberg |
| 凤毛麟角 | fèng máo lín jiǎo | as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns; few and far between |
| 出人意料 | chū rén yì liào | unexpected; surprising |
| 出口成章 | chū kǒu chéng zhāng | eloquent; articulate |
| 别具匠心 | bié jù jiàng xīn | to show ingenuity; brilliantly conceived |
| 刮目相看 | guā mù xiāng kàn | to have a whole new level of respect for sb |
| 刻不容缓 | kè bù róng huǎn | to brook no delay; to demand immediate action |
| 刻舟求剑 | kè zhōu qiú jiàn | an action made pointless by changed circumstances |
| 前所未有 | qián suǒ wèi yǒu | unprecedented |
| 前无古人 | qián wú gǔ rén | unprecedented; unheard of |
| 前赴后继 | qián fù hòu jì | to advance dauntlessly in wave upon wave |
| 力不从心 | lì bù cóng xīn | to lack the ability to do what one would wish |
| 力所能及 | lì suǒ néng jí | to the best of one's ability; within one's powers |
| 势不可当 | shì bù kě dāng | impossible to resist; an irresistible force |
| 勇往直前 | yǒng wǎng zhí qián | to advance bravely |
| 勤工俭学 | qín gōng jiǎn xué | to work part-time while studying |
| 包罗万象 | bāo luó wàn xiàng | all-embracing; all-inclusive |
| 化险为夷 | huà xiǎn wéi yí | to turn peril into safety; to avert disaster |
| 千军万马 | qiān jūn wàn mǎ | impressive display of manpower |
| 千变万化 | qiān biàn wàn huà | countless changes; constant permutation |
| 千姿百态 | qiān zī bǎi tài | to come in many different shapes |
| 千方百计 | qiān fāng bǎi jì | by every possible means |
| 千钧一发 | qiān jūn yī fà | a thousand pounds hangs by a thread; perilous moment |
| 半信半疑 | bàn xìn bàn yí | half believing, half doubting; skeptical |
| 半途而废 | bàn tú ér fèi | to give up halfway |
| 南辕北辙 | nán yuán běi zhé | to act in a way that defeats one's purpose |
| 博大精深 | bó dà jīng shēn | wide-ranging and profound |
| 原汁原味 | yuán zhī yuán wèi | original; authentic |
| 发扬光大 | fā yáng guāng dà | to develop and promote; to carry forward |
| 取而代之 | qǔ ér dài zhī | to replace; to supersede |
| 受宠若惊 | shòu chǒng ruò jīng | overwhelmed by favor from superior |
| 受益匪浅 | shòu yì fěi qiǎn | to benefit greatly |
| 变幻莫测 | biàn huàn mò cè | to change unpredictably; erratic |
| 古今中外 | gǔ jīn zhōng wài | at all times and in all places |
| 可乘之机 | kě chéng zhī jī | an opportunity to exploit |
| 可想而知 | kě xiǎng ér zhī | goes without saying; can well be imagined |
| 史无前例 | shǐ wú qián lì | unprecedented in history |
| 司空见惯 | sī kōng jiàn guàn | a common occurrence |
| 吃喝玩乐 | chī hē wán lè | to abandon oneself to a life of pleasure |
| 各抒己见 | gè shū jǐ jiàn | everyone gives their own view |
| 同舟共济 | tóng zhōu gòng jì | having common interests; obliged to collaborate |
| 名副其实 | míng fù qí shí | not just in name only, but also in reality; worthy of the name |
| 后顾之忧 | hòu gù zhī yōu | worries about the future consequences |
| 吞吞吐吐 | tūn tūn tǔ tǔ | to hum and haw; to mumble as if hiding sth |
| 和平共处 | hé píng gòng chǔ | peaceful coexistence |
| 哄堂大笑 | hōng táng dà xiào | the whole room roaring with laughter |
| 哭笑不得 | kū xiào bù dé | not to know whether to laugh or cry; both funny and embarrassing |
| 喜出望外 | xǐ chū wàng wài | to be pleased beyond one's expectations; overjoyed |
| 喜怒哀乐 | xǐ nù āi lè | happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy; emotions |
| 喜闻乐见 | xǐ wén lè jiàn | well received; to one's liking |
| 四通八达 | sì tōng bā dá | accessible from all sides |
| 四面八方 | sì miàn bā fāng | all directions; all around |
| 因人而异 | yīn rén ér yì | varying from person to person |
| 因地制宜 | yīn dì zhì yí | to use methods in line with local circumstances |
| 土生土长 | tǔ shēng tǔ zhǎng | born and raised in the locality; wholly indigenous |
| 在所难免 | zài suǒ nán miǎn | to be unavoidable |
| 垂头丧气 | chuí tóu sàng qì | dejected; crestfallen |
| 埋头苦干 | mái tóu kǔ gàn | to bury oneself in work; to make an all-out effort |
| 夜以继日 | yè yǐ jì rì | night and day; continuous strenuous effort |
| 大公无私 | dà gōng wú sī | selfless; impartial |
| 大同小异 | dà tóng xiǎo yì | virtually the same; differing only on small points |
| 大名鼎鼎 | dà míng dǐng dǐng | renowned; famous |
| 大大咧咧 | dà dà liē liē | carefree; offhand; casual |
| 大惊小怪 | dà jīng xiǎo guài | to make a fuss about nothing |
| 大有可为 | dà yǒu kě wéi | with great prospects for the future; well worth doing |
| 大街小巷 | dà jiē xiǎo xiàng | everywhere in the city |
| 天伦之乐 | tiān lún zhī lè | family love and joy; domestic bliss |
| 天经地义 | tiān jīng dì yì | right and proper; a matter of course |
| 天长地久 | tiān cháng dì jiǔ | enduring while the world lasts; eternal |
| 头头是道 | tóu tóu shì dào | clear and logical |
| 夸夸其谈 | kuā kuā qí tán | to talk big; to be full of hot air |
| 如愿以偿 | rú yuàn yǐ cháng | to have one's wish fulfilled |
| 如痴如醉 | rú chī rú zuì | enthralled; mesmerized |
| 孤陋寡闻 | gū lòu guǎ wén | ignorant and inexperienced; ill-informed |
| 守株待兔 | shǒu zhū dài tù | to wait idly for opportunities; to trust to chance |
| 实事求是 | shí shì qiú shì | to be practical and realistic |
| 实话实说 | shí huà shí shuō | to tell the truth; to tell it as it is |
| 家喻户晓 | jiā yù hù xiǎo | well known; a household name |
| 容光焕发 | róng guāng huàn fā | looking radiant; all smiles |
| 寥寥无几 | liáo liáo wú jǐ | very few |
| 对牛弹琴 | duì niú tán qín | to play the lute to a cow; to cast pearls before swine |
| 对症下药 | duì zhèng xià yào | to study a problem to find the right way to solve it |
| 小心翼翼 | xiǎo xīn yì yì | cautious; careful; prudent |
| 小菜一碟 | xiǎo cài yī dié | a piece of cake; very easy |
| 层出不穷 | céng chū bù qióng | more and more emerge; innumerable succession |
| 居安思危 | jū ān sī wēi | to think of danger in times of safety; to be vigilant in peacetime |
| 居高不下 | jū gāo bù xià | (of prices, rates) to remain high |
| 岂有此理 | qǐ yǒu cǐ lǐ | how can this be so?; preposterous; absurd |
| 峰回路转 | fēng huí lù zhuǎn | an opportunity has come unexpectedly |
| 川流不息 | chuān liú bù xī | unending flow |
| 左顾右盼 | zuǒ gù yòu pàn | glancing to left and right; to look all around |
| 市场经济 | shì chǎng jīng jì | market economy |
| 应有尽有 | yīng yǒu jìn yǒu | everything one needs is on hand |
| 废寝忘食 | fèi qǐn wàng shí | to skip sleep and meals; completely wrapped up in work |
| 开天辟地 | kāi tiān pì dì | to split heaven and earth apart (Pangu creation myth) |
| 异口同声 | yì kǒu tóng shēng | to speak in unison |
| 异想天开 | yì xiǎng tiān kāi | to imagine the wildest thing; to indulge in fantasy |
| 弄虚作假 | nòng xū zuò jiǎ | to practice fraud; by trickery |
| 引人入胜 | yǐn rén rù shèng | to enchant; fascinating |
| 引人注目 | yǐn rén zhù mù | to attract attention; eye-catching |
| 引经据典 | yǐn jīng jù diǎn | to quote the classics; to quote chapter and verse |
| 张灯结彩 | zhāng dēng jié cǎi | to be decorated with lanterns and colored banners |
| 归根到底 | guī gēn dào dǐ | after all; in the final analysis; ultimately |
| 当之无愧 | dāng zhī wú kuì | fully deserving; entirely worthy |
| 当务之急 | dāng wù zhī jí | top priority; a matter of the greatest urgency |
| 当机立断 | dāng jī lì duàn | to make prompt decisions |
| 形形色色 | xíng xíng sè sè | all kinds of; all sorts of |
| 形影不离 | xíng yǐng bù lí | inseparable (as form and shadow) |
| 彬彬有礼 | bīn bīn yǒu lǐ | refined and courteous; urbane |
| 得不偿失 | dé bù cháng shī | the gains do not make up for the losses |
| 得天独厚 | dé tiān dú hòu | blessed by heaven; enjoying exceptional advantages |
| 得心应手 | dé xīn yìng shǒu | skilled at the job; going smoothly and easily |
| 得意扬扬 | dé yì yáng yáng | triumphant; smug |
| 循序渐进 | xún xù jiàn jìn | step by step; to make steady progress |
| 微不足道 | wēi bù zú dào | negligible; insignificant |
| 德才兼备 | dé cái jiān bèi | possessing both integrity and talent |
| 心安理得 | xīn ān lǐ dé | to have a clear conscience |
| 心急如焚 | xīn jí rú fén | burning with anxiety |
| 心想事成 | xīn xiǎng shì chéng | to have one's wishes come true |
| 心灵手巧 | xīn líng shǒu qiǎo | capable; clever; dexterous |
| 心甘情愿 | xīn gān qíng yuàn | perfectly happy to do; most willing |
| 必不可少 | bì bù kě shǎo | absolutely necessary; indispensable |
| 念念不忘 | niàn niàn bù wàng | to keep in mind constantly |
| 忽冷忽热 | hū lěng hū rè | now hot, now cold; to alternate |
| 思前想后 | sī qián xiǎng hòu | to think over the past and future; to ponder |
| 怡然自得 | yí rán zì dé | happy and content |
| 急中生智 | jí zhōng shēng zhì | quick-witted in an emergency |
| 急于求成 | jí yú qiú chéng | anxious for quick results; impatient |
| 急功近利 | jí gōng jìn lì | seeking instant benefit; shortsighted |
| 总而言之 | zǒng ér yán zhī | in short; in a word; in brief |
| 恋恋不舍 | liàn liàn bù shě | reluctant to part |
| 恍然大悟 | huǎng rán dà wù | to suddenly realize; to suddenly see the light |
| 息息相关 | xī xī xiāng guān | closely bound up; intimately related |
| 恰到好处 | qià dào hǎo chù | just perfect; just right |
| 恰如其分 | qià rú qí fèn | appropriate; apt; just right |
| 恼羞成怒 | nǎo xiū chéng nù | to become enraged over a perceived humiliation |
| 悲欢离合 | bēi huān lí hé | joys and sorrows; partings and reunions |
| 情不自禁 | qíng bù zì jīn | cannot refrain from; cannot help |
| 惊天动地 | jīng tiān dòng dì | world-shaking |
| 惊心动魄 | jīng xīn dòng pò | heart-stopping; hair-raising; breathtaking |
| 惊慌失措 | jīng huāng shī cuò | to lose one's head out of fear |
| 想方设法 | xiǎng fāng shè fǎ | to think up every possible method |
| 愁眉苦脸 | chóu méi kǔ liǎn | to look anxious; to look miserable |
| 愈演愈烈 | yù yǎn yù liè | ever more critical; problems intensify |
| 意想不到 | yì xiǎng bù dào | unexpected; previously unimagined |
| 愚公移山 | yú gōng yí shān | the old man moves mountains; where there's a will, there's a way |
| 成家立业 | chéng jiā lì yè | to get married and start a career; to settle down |
| 成群结队 | chéng qún jié duì | in large numbers; forming a troupe |
| 或多或少 | huò duō huò shǎo | more or less |
| 截然不同 | jié rán bù tóng | entirely different; different as black and white |
| 所作所为 | suǒ zuò suǒ wéi | one's conduct and deeds |
| 扑面而来 | pū miàn ér lái | directly in one's face; sth assaults the senses |
| 扣人心弦 | kòu rén xīn xián | to excite; to thrill; exciting |
| 抑扬顿挫 | yì yáng dùn cuò | rising and falling cadence; rhythmic |
| 持之以恒 | chí zhī yǐ héng | to pursue unremittingly; to persevere |
| 指手画脚 | zhǐ shǒu huà jiǎo | to gesticulate while talking; to criticize summarily |
| 挨家挨户 | āi jiā āi hù | to go from house to house |
| 损人利己 | sǔn rén lì jǐ | harming others for one's personal benefit |
| 接二连三 | jiē èr lián sān | one after another; in quick succession |
| 掩耳盗铃 | yǎn ěr dào líng | to cover one's ears whilst stealing a bell; to deceive oneself |
| 措手不及 | cuò shǒu bù jí | caught unprepared |
| 提心吊胆 | tí xīn diào dǎn | nervous; fearful; on edge |
| 揠苗助长 | yà miáo zhù zhǎng | to pull up seedlings to help them grow; to spoil things by excessive enthusiasm |
| 摇摇欲坠 | yáo yáo yù zhuì | tottering; on the verge of collapse |
| 改邪归正 | gǎi xié guī zhèng | to mend one's ways; to turn over a new leaf |
| 救死扶伤 | jiù sǐ fú shāng | to help the dying and heal the injured |
| 敬而远之 | jìng ér yuǎn zhī | to show respect from a distance |
| 数一数二 | shǔ yī shǔ èr | reckoned to be best or second best |
| 斩钉截铁 | zhǎn dīng jié tiě | resolute and decisive; categorical |
| 断断续续 | duàn duàn xù xù | intermittent; off and on |
| 断章取义 | duàn zhāng qǔ yì | to quote out of context |
| 新陈代谢 | xīn chén dài xiè | metabolism; the new replaces the old |
| 无价之宝 | wú jià zhī bǎo | priceless treasure |
| 无关紧要 | wú guān jǐn yào | indifferent; insignificant |
| 无动于衷 | wú dòng yú zhōng | aloof; indifferent; unconcerned |
| 无可厚非 | wú kě hòu fēi | not unreasonable; understandable |
| 无可奈何 | wú kě nài hé | have no way out; have no alternative |
| 无家可归 | wú jiā kě guī | homeless |
| 无微不至 | wú wēi bù zhì | in every possible way; meticulous |
| 无忧无虑 | wú yōu wú lǜ | carefree; without worries |
| 无所事事 | wú suǒ shì shì | to have nothing to do; to idle one's time away |
| 无所作为 | wú suǒ zuò wéi | without any initiative or drive; feckless |
| 无济于事 | wú jì yú shì | to no avail; of no use |
| 无精打采 | wú jīng dǎ cǎi | dispirited and downcast; listless |
| 无能为力 | wú néng wéi lì | powerless to do anything about it |
| 无论如何 | wú lùn rú hé | whatever the case; in any event; by all possible means |
| 无话可说 | wú huà kě shuō | to have nothing to say |
| 无边无际 | wú biān wú jì | boundless; limitless |
| 日复一日 | rì fù yī rì | day after day |
| 日新月异 | rì xīn yuè yì | every day sees new developments; rapid progress |
| 时好时坏 | shí hǎo shí huài | sometimes good, sometimes bad |
| 显而易见 | xiǎn ér yì jiàn | obviously; clearly; it goes without saying |
| 晕头转向 | yūn tóu zhuàn xiàng | confused and disoriented |
| 暴风骤雨 | bào fēng zhòu yǔ | violent wind and rainstorm; tempest |
| 有声有色 | yǒu shēng yǒu sè | vivid; dazzling |
| 有朝一日 | yǒu zhāo yī rì | one day; sometime in the future |
| 有条不紊 | yǒu tiáo bù wěn | methodically arranged |
| 有的放矢 | yǒu dì fàng shǐ | to have a clear objective |
| 朝三暮四 | zhāo sān mù sì | to change sth that is already settled upon; indecisive |
| 朝夕相处 | zhāo xī xiāng chǔ | to spend all one's time together |
| 朝气蓬勃 | zhāo qì péng bó | full of youthful energy; vigorous |
| 杂乱无章 | zá luàn wú zhāng | disordered and in a mess |
| 束手无策 | shù shǒu wú cè | helpless in the face of a crisis |
| 来之不易 | lái zhī bù yì | hard to come by; not easily obtained |
| 来龙去脉 | lái lóng qù mài | the whole sequence of events; causes and effects |
| 根深蒂固 | gēn shēn dì gù | deep-rooted |
| 格格不入 | gé gé bù rù | inharmonious; incompatible |
| 梦寐以求 | mèng mèi yǐ qiú | to deeply long for; to covet |
| 欢声笑语 | huān shēng xiào yǔ | cheers and laughter |
| 欣欣向荣 | xīn xīn xiàng róng | flourishing; thriving |
| 此起彼伏 | cǐ qǐ bǐ fú | to rise and fall in succession |
| 比比皆是 | bǐ bǐ jiē shì | can be found everywhere |
| 水涨船高 | shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo | the tide rises, the boat floats; to change with the overall trend |
| 水滴石穿 | shuǐ dī shí chuān | dripping water penetrates the stone; persistent effort overcomes any difficulty |
| 水落石出 | shuǐ luò shí chū | as the water recedes, the rocks appear; the truth comes to light |
| 求同存异 | qiú tóng cún yì | to put aside differences and work together |
| 汗马功劳 | hàn mǎ gōng láo | heroic contribution |
| 没完没了 | méi wán méi liǎo | without end; incessantly |
| 沸沸扬扬 | fèi fèi yáng yáng | hubbubing; abuzz |
| 津津有味 | jīn jīn yǒu wèi | with keen interest; with gusto |
| 深入人心 | shēn rù rén xīn | to have a real impact on the people |
| 深情厚谊 | shēn qíng hòu yì | deep friendship |
| 源源不断 | yuán yuán bù duàn | in an unending stream; continuous |
| 源远流长 | yuán yuǎn liú cháng | sth goes back to the dim and distant past |
| 滔滔不绝 | tāo tāo bù jué | to produce a torrent of words; to talk on and on |
| 潜移默化 | qián yí mò huà | imperceptible influence; to influence secretly |
| 灵机一动 | líng jī yī dòng | a bright idea suddenly occurs; to be struck by a brainwave |
| 热泪盈眶 | rè lèi yíng kuàng | eyes brimming with tears of excitement |
| 焕然一新 | huàn rán yī xīn | to look completely new; brand new |
| 熙熙攘攘 | xī xī rǎng rǎng | bustling with activity |
| 爱不释手 | ài bù shì shǒu | to like sth so much one is reluctant to put it down |
| 物美价廉 | wù měi jià lián | good quality and cheap; a bargain |
| 犹豫不决 | yóu yù bù jué | hesitancy; indecision; to waver |
| 独一无二 | dú yī wú èr | unique; unmatched |
| 狼吞虎咽 | láng tūn hǔ yàn | to wolf down one's food; to devour ravenously |
| 理所当然 | lǐ suǒ dāng rán | as it should be; proper and to be expected |
| 理直气壮 | lǐ zhí qì zhuàng | bold and confident with justice on one's side |
| 琴棋书画 | qín qí shū huà | the four arts: guqin, Go, calligraphy, and painting |
| 画蛇添足 | huà shé tiān zú | to ruin the effect by adding sth superfluous; to overdo it |
| 画龙点睛 | huà lóng diǎn jīng | to add the vital finishing touch |
| 百科全书 | bǎi kē quán shū | encyclopedia |
| 皆大欢喜 | Jiē dà huān xǐ | everyone is happy; all are satisfied |
| 盛气凌人 | shèng qì líng rén | overbearing; arrogant |
| 目不转睛 | mù bù zhuǎn jīng | unable to take one's eyes off; to gaze steadily |
| 目中无人 | mù zhōng wú rén | so arrogant that no one else matters; condescending |
| 目瞪口呆 | mù dèng kǒu dāi | dumbstruck; stupefied |
| 相提并论 | xiāng tí bìng lùn | to place on a par with; to mention on equal terms |
| 相辅相成 | xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng | to complement one another |
| 眉开眼笑 | méi kāi yǎn xiào | beaming with joy; all smiles |
| 知识分子 | zhī shi fèn zǐ | intellectual; intelligentsia |
| 知足常乐 | zhī zú cháng lè | satisfied with what one has |
| 礼尚往来 | lǐ shàng wǎng lái | to return politeness for politeness |
| 社会主义 | shè huì zhǔ yì | socialism |
| 称心如意 | chèn xīn rú yì | after one's own heart; gratifying |
| 突如其来 | tū rú qí lái | to arise abruptly; happening suddenly |
| 竭尽全力 | jié jìn quán lì | to spare no effort; to do one's utmost |
| 粗心大意 | cū xīn dà yì | negligent; careless |
| 精打细算 | jīng dǎ xì suàn | meticulous planning and careful accounting |
| 精疲力竭 | jīng pí lì jié | spent; drained; washed out |
| 精益求精 | jīng yì qiú jīng | to constantly seek to improve |
| 精彩纷呈 | jīng cǎi fēn chéng | spectacular and dazzling |
| 素不相识 | sù bù xiāng shí | to be total strangers |
| 约定俗成 | yuē dìng sú chéng | established by popular usage; customary convention |
| 纸上谈兵 | zhǐ shàng tán bīng | theoretical discussion useless in practice; armchair strategist |
| 经久不息 | jīng jiǔ bù xī | prolonged (applause, cheering) |
| 绘声绘色 | huì shēng huì sè | vivid and colorful; true to life |
| 络绎不绝 | luò yì bù jué | continuously; in an endless stream |
| 罪魁祸首 | zuì kuí huò shǒu | criminal ringleader; main culprit |
| 美中不足 | měi zhōng bù zú | everything is fine except for one small defect; the fly in the ointment |
| 翻天覆地 | fān tiān fù dì | complete confusion; everything turned on its head |
| 翻来覆去 | fān lái fù qù | to toss and turn; again and again |
| 耐人寻味 | nài rén xún wèi | thought-provoking |
| 耳熟能详 | ěr shú néng xiáng | what's frequently heard can be repeated in detail |
| 耳目一新 | ěr mù yī xīn | a pleasant change; refreshing |
| 聚精会神 | jù jīng huì shén | to concentrate one's attention |
| 肆无忌惮 | sì wú jì dàn | absolutely unrestrained; unbridled |
| 胡思乱想 | hú sī luàn xiǎng | to let one's imagination run wild |
| 胸有成竹 | xiōng yǒu chéng zhú | to have a well-thought-out plan in mind |
| 脚踏实地 | jiǎo tà shí dì | to have one's feet firmly on the ground; realistic |
| 脱口而出 | tuō kǒu ér chū | to blurt out |
| 脱颖而出 | tuō yǐng ér chū | to reveal one's talent; to distinguish oneself |
| 自以为是 | zì yǐ wéi shì | to believe oneself infallible; opinionated |
| 自力更生 | zì lì gēng shēng | self-reliance |
| 自始至终 | zì shǐ zhì zhōng | from start to finish |
| 自强不息 | zì qiáng bù xī | to strive unremittingly |
| 自然而然 | zì rán ér rán | involuntary; automatically |
| 自相矛盾 | zì xiāng máo dùn | to contradict oneself; self-contradictory |
| 节衣缩食 | jié yī suō shí | to live frugally |
| 苦尽甘来 | kǔ jìn gān lái | the hard times are over, the good times beginning |
| 莫名其妙 | mò míng qí miào | baffling; without rhyme or reason |
| 萍水相逢 | píng shuǐ xiāng féng | strangers coming together by chance |
| 袖手旁观 | xiù shǒu páng guān | to watch with folded arms; to look on without lifting a finger |
| 见义勇为 | jiàn yì yǒng wéi | to step in and help; to take brave action |
| 见仁见智 | jiàn rén jiàn zhì | opinions differ |
| 见利忘义 | jiàn lì wàng yì | to abandon morals in the pursuit of profit |
| 见多识广 | jiàn duō shí guǎng | experienced and knowledgeable |
| 触目惊心 | chù mù jīng xīn | shocking; horrible to see |
| 讨价还价 | tǎo jià huán jià | to haggle over price; to bargain |
| 记忆犹新 | jì yì yóu xīn | to remain fresh in one's memory |
| 诸如此类 | zhū rú cǐ lèi | things like this; and so on; etc |
| 资本主义 | zī běn zhǔ yì | capitalism |
| 赞不绝口 | zàn bù jué kǒu | to praise without cease |
| 走投无路 | zǒu tóu wú lù | to be at an impasse; at the end of one's rope |
| 足不出户 | zú bù chū hù | to stay at home |
| 足智多谋 | zú zhì duō móu | resourceful; full of stratagems |
| 身不由己 | shēn bù yóu jǐ | beyond one's control |
| 轻而易举 | qīng ér yì jǔ | easy; with no difficulty |
| 过意不去 | guò yì bù qù | to feel very apologetic |
| 运筹帷幄 | yùn chóu wéi wò | planning strategies |
| 远近闻名 | yuǎn jìn wén míng | well-known far and wide |
| 迫不及待 | pò bù jí dài | unable to hold oneself back; eager |
| 通货膨胀 | tōng huò péng zhàng | inflation |
| 重中之重 | zhòng zhōng zhī zhòng | of the utmost importance |
| 针锋相对 | zhēn fēng xiāng duì | tit for tat; measure for measure |
| 错综复杂 | cuò zōng fù zá | tangled and complicated |
| 锦上添花 | jǐn shàng tiān huā | to give sth additional splendor; the crowning touch |
| 锲而不舍 | qiè ér bù shě | to persevere; unflagging efforts |
| 长期以来 | cháng qī yǐ lái | for a long time |
| 随处可见 | suí chù kě jiàn | can be seen everywhere |
| 随心所欲 | suí xīn suǒ yù | to follow one's heart's desires; to do as one pleases |
| 随时随地 | suí shí suí dì | anytime and anywhere |
| 难以置信 | nán yǐ zhì xìn | hard to believe; incredible |
| 难得一见 | nán dé yī jiàn | rarely seen |
| 难能可贵 | nán néng kě guì | rare and precious; remarkable |
| 集思广益 | jí sī guǎng yì | to pool wisdom for mutual benefit |
| 雪上加霜 | xuě shàng jiā shuāng | to make matters even worse; to add insult to injury |
| 面目全非 | miàn mù quán fēi | change beyond recognition |
| 面红耳赤 | miàn hóng ěr chì | flushed with anger or excitement |
| 面面俱到 | miàn miàn jù dào | to take care of everything |
| 顺其自然 | shùn qí zì rán | to let nature take its course |
| 顺理成章 | shùn lǐ chéng zhāng | logical; only to be expected |
| 顾全大局 | gù quán dà jú | to take the big picture into consideration |
| 顾名思义 | gù míng sī yì | as the name implies |
| 颠倒黑白 | diān dǎo hēi bái | to distort the truth; to misrepresent the facts |
| 风吹雨打 | fēng chuī yǔ dǎ | to undergo hardship |
| 风和日丽 | fēng hé rì lì | fine sunny weather |
| 风土人情 | fēng tǔ rén qíng | local conditions and customs |
| 风雨无阻 | fēng yǔ wú zǔ | regardless of weather conditions; rain or shine |
| 风餐露宿 | fēng cān lù sù | to rough it; to eat and sleep outdoors |
| 飞禽走兽 | fēi qín zǒu shòu | birds and animals |
| 饱经沧桑 | bǎo jīng cāng sāng | having lived through many changes |
| 骇人听闻 | hài rén tīng wén | shocking; horrifying |
| 鲜为人知 | xiǎn wéi rén zhī | rarely known to anyone; almost unknown |
| 鸦雀无声 | yā què wú shēng | absolute silence |
| 鹏程万里 | péng chéng wàn lǐ | brilliant future prospects |
| 鹤立鸡群 | hè lì jī qún | a crane in a flock of chickens; manifestly superior |
| 默默无闻 | mò mò wú wén | unknown; unrenowned |
| 齐心协力 | qí xīn xié lì | to work with a common purpose; to pull together |
Study Tips
Don't memorize the HSK 7–9 list in isolation. These expressions come alive in context. Read stories at your level and notice them in use — most of the chengyu above appear in our HSK 7, HSK 8, and HSK 9 reading material.
Learn the structural patterns. Many chengyu follow recurring templates:
- ABAC: 一心一意, 一举一动, 自言自语, 无忧无虑
- AABB: 断断续续, 兢兢业业, 大大咧咧, 熙熙攘攘
- Negation (不/无): 一成不变, 不知不觉, 无能为力, 不言而喻
- Number pairs: 千方百计, 七嘴八舌, 三番五次, 四面八方
Recognizing these patterns helps you parse unfamiliar chengyu on sight, even before you learn the specific meaning.
Start with the HSK 5–6 entries. They are higher-frequency and appear in more everyday contexts. The HSK 7–9 chengyu are literary — you will encounter them in novels and formal writing, not casual conversation.
Related Resources
- HSK 3.0 Vocabulary Analysis — data-driven breakdown of the full 11,000-word standard
- HSK 7-8-9 Advanced Levels — what reading looks like at the highest levels
- HSK 3.0 vs HSK 2.0 — what changed between the old and new standards