Chinese For Dummies (8 page)

yì mó yí yàng
一模一样
(
一模一樣
) (ee maw ee yahng) (
exactly alike
)

yǐ shēn zuò zé
以身作则
(
以身作則
) (ee shun dzwaw dzuh) (
to set a good example
)

yì zhēn jiàn xiě
一针见血
(
一針見血
) (ee jun jyan shyeh) (
to hit the nail on the head
)

Another fact you quickly become aware of when you start speaking with
chéngyǔ
is that the expressions are sometimes full of references to animals. Here are some of those:

chē shuǐ mǎ lóng
车水马龙
(
車水馬龍
) (chuh shway mah loong) (
heavy traffic
[Literally:
cars flowing like water and horses, creating a solid line looking like a dragon
])

dǎ cǎo jīng shé
打草惊蛇
(
打草驚蛇
) (dah tsaow jeeng shuh) (
to give a warning
[Literally:
to beat the grass to frighten the snake
])

duì niú tán qín
对牛弹琴
(
對牛彈琴
) (dway nyo tahn cheen) (
to cast pearls before swine
[Literally:
to play music to a cow
])

Gǒu zhàng rén shì.
狗仗人势
. (
狗仗人勢
.) (go jahng run shir.) (
to take advantage of one's connections with powerful people
[Literally:
The dog acts fierce when his master is present.
])

guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu
挂羊头卖狗肉
(
掛羊頭賣狗肉
) (gwah yahng toe my go roe) (
to cheat others with false claims
[Literally:
to display a lamb's head but sell dog meat
])

huà shé tiān zú
画蛇添足
(
畫蛇添足
) (hwah shuh tyan dzoo) (
to gild the lily/to do something superfluous
[Literally:
to paint a snake and add legs
])

hǔ tóu shé wěi
虎头蛇尾
(
虎頭蛇尾
) (hoo toe shuh way) (
to start strong but end poorly
[Literally:
with the head of a tiger but the tail of a snake
])

xuán yá lè mǎ
悬崖勒马
(
懸崖勒馬
) (shywan yah luh mah) (
to halt
[Literally:
to rein in the horse before it goes over the edge
])

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