按图索骥 Looking for a steed with the aid of its picture
百发百中 A hundred shots, a hundred bull"s-eyes
班门弄斧 Showing off one"s proficiency with the axe before Lu Ban the master carpenter
杯弓蛇影 Mistaking the reflection of a bow for a snake
闭门造车 Building a cart behind closed doors
病入膏肓 The disease has attacked the vitals
草木皆兵 every bush and tree looks like an enemy
吹毛求疵 Blow apart the hairs upon a fur to discover any defect
打草惊蛇 Beating the grass and flushing out the snake
调虎离山 Luring the tiger out of the mountains
东施效颦 Aping the Beauty"s frown
对牛弹琴 Playing the lute to a cow
负荆请罪 Bringing the birch and asking for flogging
功亏一篑 Running an enterprise for the lack of one basketful
故步自封 Content with staying where one is
含沙射影 spitting sand on a shadow-attacking by insinuation
狐假虎威 Basking in reflected glory
囫囵吞枣 Gulping down a whole date
画饼充饥 Allaying hunger with pictures of cakes
画龙点睛 Putting the finishing touch to the picture of a dragon
画蛇添足 Drawing a snake and adding feet
惊弓之鸟 Birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring
精卫填海 Jingwei fills up the sea
井底之蛙 A frog in a well
刻舟求剑 Notching the boat to find the sword
空中楼阁 A castle in the air
滥竽充数 Passing oneself off as a member of the orchestra
狼狈为奸 A wolf working hand in glove with a jackal
老马识途 An old horse knows the way
梁上君子 A gentleman on the beam
临渴掘井 Not digging a well until one is thirsty
满城风雨 A storm enveloping the city
盲人摸象 Blind men touching an elephant
毛遂自荐 Mao Sui recommending himself
门庭若市 A courtyard as crowded as a marketplace
名落孙山 Failing to pass an examination
南辕北辙 Going south by driving the chariot north
怒发冲冠 So angry that one"s hair lifts up one"s hat
披荆斩棘 Breaking open a way through brambles and thorns
蚍蜉撼树 An ant trying to shake a big tree
破釜沉舟 Smashing the cauldrons and sinking the boats
破镜重圆 A broken mirror made whole again
骑虎难下 When one rides a tiger, it is hard to dismount
杞人忧天 The man of Qi who worried that the sky would fall
黔驴技穷 The Guizhou donkey has exhausted its tricks
日暮途穷 The day is waning and the road is ending
如火如荼 Like a raging fire
如鱼得水 To feel just like a fish in water
入木三分 To enter three-tenths of an inch into the timber
塞翁失马 The old man of frontier lost his horse
三顾茅庐 paying three visits to the cottage
三人成虎 repeat a lie enough times and it will be believed
丧家之犬 A homeless dog
杀鸡吓猴 Killing the chicken to frighten the monkeys
甚嚣尘上 Making a great clamor
势如破竹 Like splitting bamboo
世外桃源 A heaven of peace and happiness
手不释卷 Always with a book in hand
守株待兔 Sitting by a stump, waiting for a careless hare
蜀犬吠日 A Sichuan dog barks at the sun.
束之高阁 Putting it on a high shelf
水落石出 when the water ebbs, stones will appear
四面楚歌 songs of Chu on all sides
谈虎色变 Turn pale at the mention of a tiger
昙花一现 A flower that vanishes as soon as it appears
螳臂当车 A mantis trying to halt a chariot
天花乱坠 As if it were raining flowers
天涯海角 The end of sky and the corner of the sea
同舟共济 Crossing a river in the same boat
偷天换日 Stealing the sky and changing the sun
天衣无缝 Divine garments without seams
图穷匕见 When the map is unrolled the dagger is revealed
完璧归赵 Returning the jade intact to Zhao
亡羊补牢 Mending the fold after the sheep have been stolen
望梅止渴 looking at plums to quench the thirst
望洋兴叹 Gazing at the ocean and sighing
为虎作伥 helping the tiger to Pounce upon its victims
卧薪尝胆 Sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall
笑里藏刀 Hiding a dagger behind a smile
胸有成竹 Having a ready-formed plan
削足适履 Cutting one"s feet to fit one"s shoes
揠苗助长 Pulling up seedlings to help them grow
掩耳盗铃 Plugging one"s ears while stealing a bell
偃旗息鼓 To lower the banners and silence the drums
叶公好龙 Lord She loves dragons
夜郎自大 the conceited King of Yelang
一鼓作气 Rousing the spirits with the first drum roll
一箭双雕 Killing two bids with one stone
一鸣惊人 Amazing the world with a single feat
一丘之貉 Jackals of the same lair
愚公移山 The foolish old man who removed the mountains
鱼目混珠 Passing off fish eyes as pearls
余音绕梁 The tune lingers in the house
与虎谋皮 Borrowing the skin from a tiger
鹬蚌相争 A snipe and a clam locked in combat
朝三暮四 Three in the morning and four in the evening
趾高气扬 Stepping high and haughtily
指鹿为马 Calling a stag a horse
纸上谈兵 Discussing stratagems on paper
自相矛盾 Contradicting oneself