八仙过海——各显神通 The eight immortals cross the sea － each displaying his or her special prowess

半天空里装口袋——装疯（风） Hanging a bag in mid-air — holding the wind (feigning madness)

半夜里偷桃吃——找软的捏 Stealing peaches at midnight — picking only the soft ones

搽粉进棺材——死要面子 Putting make-up on before entering the coffin — saving face even when dying

茶壶里煮饺子——倒不出来 Boiling dumplings in a teapot — no way to get them out

城门里扛竹竿——直进直出 Carrying a pole through a city gate — in and out in a straight line

窗户上的纸——一戳就破 Paper window panes — torn by a touch

打破沙锅——问到底 Breaking an earthenware pot — cracking down to the bottom (getting to the root of the matter)

大姑娘坐花轿——头一回 A girl sitting in a bridal sedan chair — the very first time

打热天穿棉袄——不是时候 Wearing a padded coat on a hot day — out of season

大水冲了龙王庙——一家人不认一家人 The temple of the Dragon King away by a flood — not recognizing one"s kinsman

电线杆当筷子——大材小用 Using telephone poles as chopsticks — putting much material to petty use

擀面杖吹火——一窍不通 Using a rolling pin to blow a fire — totally impenetrable

高射炮打蚊子——小题大做 Killing a mosquito with a cannon — making a mountain out of a molehill

狗拿耗子——多管闲事 A dog catching a mouse — poking one"s nose into other people"s business

狗咬吕洞宾——不识好人心 A dog biting Lv Dongbin — not being able to recognize a kind-hearted man

棺材里伸手——死要钱 A hand stretched from a coffin — asking for money even when dead

和尚打伞——无法（发）无天 A monk holding an umbrella — having neither hair (law) nor sky (Providence)

黄连树下弹琴——苦中作乐 Playing the zither under a Chinese pistache tree — seeking happiness from bitterness

黄鼠狼给鸡拜年——没安好心 The weasel pays a New Year call on the hen — not with good intentions

鸡蛋里挑骨头——故意找错 Picking bones from eggs — finding fault deliberately

姜太公钓鱼——愿者上钩 A fish jumping to Jiang Taigong"s hookless and baitless line — a willing victim

孔夫子搬家——净是输（书） Confucius moves house — nothing but books (always lose)

癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉——痴心妄想 A toad craving for swan"s flesh — an impractical dream

老鼠掉进书箱里——咬文嚼字 A mouse in a bookcase — chewing up the pages

老鼠钻进风箱里——两头受气 A mouse in a bellows — pressed from both ends （ blamed by both sides ）

老王卖瓜——自卖自夸 Lao Wang selling melons — praising his own wares

聋子的耳朵——摆设 A deaf man"s ears — just for show

猫哭老鼠——假慈悲 A cat crying over a mouse"s misfortune — sham mercy

门缝里瞅人——把人看扁了 Gazing at someone from behind a slightly opened door

泥菩萨过河——自身难保 A clay Buddha crossing a stream — hardly able to save itself

骑驴看唱本——走着瞧 Reading a book on donkey back — reading while riding

(wait and see)

千里送鹅毛——礼轻情意重 Travel a thousand miles to bestow a goose feather — a small gift may be a token of profound friendship

秋后的蚂蚱——蹦跶不了几天 A grasshopper at the end of autumn — its jumping days are numbered

热锅上的蚂蚁——团团转 A swarm of ants on a hot oven — milling around in a panic

肉包子打狗——有去无还 A meat bun thrown at a dog — by no means retrievable

十五只吊桶打水——七上八下 Fifteen buckets to draw water from a well — seven up and eight down (all at sixes and sevens)

铁公鸡——一毛不拔 An iron rooster — not a feather can be pulled out

秃子头上的虱子——明摆着 A louse on a bald head — too obvious

外甥打灯笼——照旧（舅） The nephew holds a lantern for his uncle — things stay unchanged

瞎子点灯——白费蜡 A blind man lighting a candle — wasting wax

秀才遇见兵——有理说不清 A scholar meeting a warrior — unable to vindicate oneself against an unreasonable opponent

哑巴吃黄连——有苦说不出 A dumb person tasting bitter herbs — unable to express bitter feelings

哑巴吃饺子——心里有数 A mute person eating jiaozi — knowing how many he has eaten

张飞穿针——粗中有细 Zhang Fei threading a needle — subtle in one"s rough ways

竹篮子打水——一场空 Drawing water with a bamboo basket — achieving nothing