---
title: "Chinese Idioms with Animals: 81 Chengyu With Pinyin and Audio"
description: "81 Chinese idioms (chengyu) with animals, like 天马行空 (unrestrained) and 走马观花 (to gain a superficial understanding from a hurried look), each with pinyin, meaning and sound. Keep them in one press or print them as flashcards."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-idioms/animals"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[Chinese idioms](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-idioms) · 81 idioms

# Chinese idioms with animals

Chengyu written with animals, each with pinyin, meaning and sound.

[Print as flashcards](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-flashcards?level=mine&words=%E5%A4%A9%E9%A9%AC%E8%A1%8C%E7%A9%BA%20%E8%B5%B0%E9%A9%AC%E8%A7%82%E8%8A%B1%20%E9%9D%92%E6%A2%85%E7%AB%B9%E9%A9%AC%20%E7%94%9F%E9%BE%99%E6%B4%BB%E8%99%8E%20%E9%B1%BC%E9%BE%99%E6%B7%B7%E6%9D%82%20%E8%99%8E%E8%A7%86%E7%9C%88%E7%9C%88%20%E5%A6%82%E8%99%8E%E6%B7%BB%E7%BF%BC%20%E9%B9%85%E6%AF%9B%E5%A4%A7%E9%9B%AA%20%E9%BE%99%E9%A3%9E%E5%87%A4%E8%88%9E%20%E8%9B%9B%E4%B8%9D%E9%A9%AC%E8%BF%B9%20%E7%BE%A4%E9%9B%84%E9%80%90%E9%B9%BF%20%E5%A6%82%E9%B1%BC%E5%BE%97%E6%B0%B4%20%E7%89%9B%E9%AC%BC%E8%9B%87%E7%A5%9E%20%E6%B3%A5%E7%89%9B%E5%85%A5%E6%B5%B7%20%E9%AC%BC%E5%93%AD%E7%8B%BC%E5%9A%8E%20%E6%B5%91%E6%B0%B4%E6%91%B8%E9%B1%BC%20%E9%B8%9F%E8%AF%AD%E8%8A%B1%E9%A6%99%20%E5%A6%82%E7%8B%BC%E4%BC%BC%E8%99%8E%20%E9%92%BB%E7%89%9B%E8%A7%92%E5%B0%96%20%E6%89%93%E8%8D%89%E6%83%8A%E8%9B%87%20%E5%A4%9A%E5%A6%82%E7%89%9B%E6%AF%9B%20%E8%99%8E%E5%A4%B4%E8%9B%87%E5%B0%BE%20%E4%B9%9D%E7%89%9B%E4%B8%80%E6%AF%9B%20%E9%A9%AC%E9%A9%AC%E8%99%8E%E8%99%8E%20%E9%B8%A1%E7%8A%AC%E5%8D%87%E5%A4%A9%20%E9%87%91%E6%88%88%E9%93%81%E9%A9%AC%20%E5%81%B7%E9%B8%A1%E6%91%B8%E7%8B%97%20%E7%BE%8A%E8%82%A0%E5%B0%8F%E9%81%93%20%E8%BD%A6%E6%B0%B4%E9%A9%AC%E9%BE%99%20%E7%BC%9A%E9%B8%A1%E4%B9%8B%E5%8A%9B%20%E7%8B%90%E7%8B%B8%E5%B0%BE%E5%B7%B4%20%E9%A9%AC%E4%B8%8D%E5%81%9C%E8%B9%84%20%E8%97%8F%E9%BE%99%E5%8D%A7%E8%99%8E%20%E9%BB%84%E9%9B%80%E5%9C%A8%E5%90%8E%20%E9%B8%A1%E9%A3%9E%E8%9B%8B%E6%89%93%20%E9%BE%99%E4%BA%89%E8%99%8E%E6%96%97%20%E6%82%AC%E5%B4%96%E5%8B%92%E9%A9%AC%20%E7%9C%9F%E9%BE%99%E5%A4%A9%E5%AD%90%20%E5%8D%95%E6%9E%AA%E5%8C%B9%E9%A9%AC%20%E5%BF%AB%E9%A9%AC%E5%8A%A0%E9%9E%AD%20%E7%8B%BC%E7%8B%88%E4%B8%BA%E5%A5%B8%20%E5%BC%95%E7%8B%BC%E5%85%A5%E5%AE%A4%20%E6%8B%9B%E5%85%B5%E4%B9%B0%E9%A9%AC%20%E7%8B%90%E5%81%87%E8%99%8E%E5%A8%81%20%E6%AC%A2%E5%91%BC%E9%9B%80%E8%B7%83%20%E9%B8%A1%E6%AF%9B%E8%92%9C%E7%9A%AE%20%E7%8B%BC%E7%8B%88%E4%B8%8D%E5%A0%AA%20%E6%9C%9B%E5%AD%90%E6%88%90%E9%BE%99%20%E9%99%A9%E8%B1%A1%E7%8E%AF%E7%94%9F%20%E5%85%B5%E8%8D%92%E9%A9%AC%E4%B9%B1%20%E8%B1%BA%E7%8B%BC%E8%99%8E%E8%B1%B9%20%E7%8B%97%E7%9A%AE%E8%86%8F%E8%8D%AF%20%E8%99%8E%E8%83%8C%E7%86%8A%E8%85%B0%20%E7%8B%BC%E5%AD%90%E9%87%8E%E5%BF%83%20%E5%A3%B0%E5%90%8D%E7%8B%BC%E8%97%89%20%E9%BC%A0%E7%9B%AE%E5%AF%B8%E5%85%89%20%E4%B8%87%E8%B1%A1%E6%9B%B4%E6%96%B0%20%E5%8D%A7%E8%99%8E%E8%97%8F%E9%BE%99%20%E5%BF%83%E7%8C%BF%E6%84%8F%E9%A9%AC%20%E4%BF%A1%E9%A9%AC%E7%94%B1%E7%BC%B0%20%E4%B8%80%E9%A9%AC%E5%BD%93%E5%85%88%20%E4%B8%80%E7%9F%B3%E4%BA%8C%E9%B8%9F%20%E9%B1%BC%E8%B7%83%E9%BE%99%E9%97%A8%20%E7%9B%B4%E6%8D%A3%E9%BB%84%E9%BE%99%20%E9%9E%8D%E5%89%8D%E9%A9%AC%E5%90%8E%20%E8%BF%87%E8%A1%97%E8%80%81%E9%BC%A0%20%E8%99%8E%E5%8F%A3%E6%8B%94%E7%89%99%20%E9%B8%A1%E9%A3%9E%E7%8B%97%E8%B7%B3%20%E9%BE%99%E5%87%A4%E5%91%88%E7%A5%A5%20%E9%BE%99%E8%A1%8C%E8%99%8E%E6%AD%A5%20%E9%B9%BF%E6%AD%BB%E8%B0%81%E6%89%8B%20%E9%A9%AC%E5%88%B0%E6%88%90%E5%8A%9F%20%E7%BE%A4%E9%BE%99%E6%97%A0%E9%A6%96%20%E4%B8%87%E9%A9%AC%E5%A5%94%E8%85%BE%20%E8%9D%87%E8%90%A5%E7%8B%97%E8%8B%9F%20%E9%B1%BC%E8%B4%AF%E8%80%8C%E5%85%A5%20%E9%B1%BC%E7%9B%AE%E6%B7%B7%E7%8F%A0%20%E9%B1%BC%E6%B0%B4%E6%B7%B1%E6%83%85%20%E9%B1%BC%E6%AD%BB%E7%BD%91%E7%A0%B4%20%E8%B4%BC%E7%9C%89%E9%BC%A0%E7%9C%BC%20%E9%80%90%E9%B9%BF%E4%B8%AD%E5%8E%9F)

- [天马行空tiānmǎ-xíngkōngunrestrained](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A4%A9%E9%A9%AC%E8%A1%8C%E7%A9%BA)
- [走马观花zǒumǎ-guānhuāto gain a superficial understanding from a hurried look](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%B5%B0%E9%A9%AC%E8%A7%82%E8%8A%B1)
- [青梅竹马qīngméi-zhúmǎchildhood sweethearts](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%9D%92%E6%A2%85%E7%AB%B9%E9%A9%AC)
- [生龙活虎shēnglóng-huóhǔfull of life and energy](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E9%BE%99%E6%B4%BB%E8%99%8E)
- [鱼龙混杂yúlóng-hùnzáa motley mix of good and bad people](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B1%BC%E9%BE%99%E6%B7%B7%E6%9D%82)
- [虎视眈眈hǔshì-dāndānto eye covetously](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%99%8E%E8%A7%86%E7%9C%88%E7%9C%88)
- [如虎添翼rúhǔ-tiānyìlike a tiger that has grown wings](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A6%82%E8%99%8E%E6%B7%BB%E7%BF%BC)
- [鹅毛大雪émáo-dàxuěheavy snow in big flakes](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B9%85%E6%AF%9B%E5%A4%A7%E9%9B%AA)
- [龙飞凤舞lóngfēi-fèngwǔlively and vigorous (of calligraphy)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%BE%99%E9%A3%9E%E5%87%A4%E8%88%9E)
- [蛛丝马迹zhūsī-mǎjìclues](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%9B%9B%E4%B8%9D%E9%A9%AC%E8%BF%B9)
- [群雄逐鹿qúnxióng-zhúlùrival powers vying for supremacy](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%BE%A4%E9%9B%84%E9%80%90%E9%B9%BF)
- [如鱼得水rúyú-déshuǐlike a fish in water](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A6%82%E9%B1%BC%E5%BE%97%E6%B0%B4)
- [牛鬼蛇神niúguǐ-shéshénevil people](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%89%9B%E9%AC%BC%E8%9B%87%E7%A5%9E)
- [泥牛入海níniú-rùhǎigone without a trace](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%B3%A5%E7%89%9B%E5%85%A5%E6%B5%B7)
- [鬼哭狼嚎guǐkū-lángháoto wail and howl](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%AC%BC%E5%93%AD%E7%8B%BC%E5%9A%8E)
- [浑水摸鱼húnshuǐ-mōyúto fish in troubled waters](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%B5%91%E6%B0%B4%E6%91%B8%E9%B1%BC)
- [鸟语花香niǎoyǔ-huāxiāngbirds singing and flowers fragrant](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B8%9F%E8%AF%AD%E8%8A%B1%E9%A6%99)
- [如狼似虎rúláng-sìhǔferocious](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A6%82%E7%8B%BC%E4%BC%BC%E8%99%8E)
- [钻牛角尖zuānniú-jiǎojiānto split hairs](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%92%BB%E7%89%9B%E8%A7%92%E5%B0%96)
- [打草惊蛇dǎcǎo-jīngshéto alert the enemy by a careless act](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%89%93%E8%8D%89%E6%83%8A%E8%9B%87)
- [多如牛毛duōrú-niúmáocountless](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A4%9A%E5%A6%82%E7%89%9B%E6%AF%9B)
- [虎头蛇尾hǔtóu-shéwěia strong start and a weak finish](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%99%8E%E5%A4%B4%E8%9B%87%E5%B0%BE)
- [九牛一毛jiǔniú-yīmáoa drop in the ocean](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B9%9D%E7%89%9B%E4%B8%80%E6%AF%9B)
- [马马虎虎mǎmǎ-hǔhǔvery 马虎 (vivid)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%A9%AC%E9%A9%AC%E8%99%8E%E8%99%8E)
- [鸡犬升天jīquǎn-shēngtiān(fig.) when a man rises, his relatives and hangers-on rise with him](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B8%A1%E7%8A%AC%E5%8D%87%E5%A4%A9)
- [金戈铁马jīngē-tiěmǎwarfare](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%87%91%E6%88%88%E9%93%81%E9%A9%AC)
- [偷鸡摸狗tōujī-mōgǒuto have illicit affairs](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%81%B7%E9%B8%A1%E6%91%B8%E7%8B%97)
- [羊肠小道yángcháng-xiǎodàonarrow winding path](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%BE%8A%E8%82%A0%E5%B0%8F%E9%81%93)
- [车水马龙chēshuǐ-mǎlóngheavy traffic](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%BD%A6%E6%B0%B4%E9%A9%AC%E9%BE%99)
- [缚鸡之力fùjī-zhīlìthe strength to truss a chicken (usu. negated: utterly feeble)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%BC%9A%E9%B8%A1%E4%B9%8B%E5%8A%9B)
- [狐狸尾巴húli-wěiba(fig.) telltale sign of one's true nature](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%8B%90%E7%8B%B8%E5%B0%BE%E5%B7%B4)
- [马不停蹄mǎbù-tíngtíwithout a pause](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%A9%AC%E4%B8%8D%E5%81%9C%E8%B9%84)
- [藏龙卧虎cánglóng-wòhǔhidden talents](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%97%8F%E9%BE%99%E5%8D%A7%E8%99%8E)
- [黄雀在后huángquè-zàihòuthe oriole behind (as in 螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%BB%84%E9%9B%80%E5%9C%A8%E5%90%8E)
- [鸡飞蛋打jīfēi-dàndǎto lose everything](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B8%A1%E9%A3%9E%E8%9B%8B%E6%89%93)
- [龙争虎斗lóngzhēng-hǔdòufierce struggle between evenly matched rivals](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%BE%99%E4%BA%89%E8%99%8E%E6%96%97)
- [悬崖勒马xuányá-lèmǎto rein in at the edge of the precipice](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%82%AC%E5%B4%96%E5%8B%92%E9%A9%AC)
- [真龙天子zhēnlóng-tiānzǐthe true emperor](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%9C%9F%E9%BE%99%E5%A4%A9%E5%AD%90)
- [单枪匹马dānqiāng-pǐmǎsingle-handed](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%8D%95%E6%9E%AA%E5%8C%B9%E9%A9%AC)
- [快马加鞭kuàimǎ-jiābiānto speed up](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%BF%AB%E9%A9%AC%E5%8A%A0%E9%9E%AD)
- [狼狈为奸lángbèi-wéijiānto collude](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%8B%BC%E7%8B%88%E4%B8%BA%E5%A5%B8)
- [引狼入室yǐnláng-rùshìto let the wolf into the house](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%BC%95%E7%8B%BC%E5%85%A5%E5%AE%A4)
- [招兵买马zhāobīng-mǎimǎto recruit staff](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%8B%9B%E5%85%B5%E4%B9%B0%E9%A9%AC)
- [狐假虎威hújiǎ-hǔwēito borrow someone's power to intimidate others](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%8B%90%E5%81%87%E8%99%8E%E5%A8%81)
- [欢呼雀跃huānhū-quèyuèto jump for joy](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%AC%A2%E5%91%BC%E9%9B%80%E8%B7%83)
- [鸡毛蒜皮jīmáo-suànpítrivial matters](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B8%A1%E6%AF%9B%E8%92%9C%E7%9A%AE)
- [狼狈不堪lángbèi-bùkānin a sorry state](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%8B%BC%E7%8B%88%E4%B8%8D%E5%A0%AA)
- [望子成龙wàngzǐ-chénglóngto hope one's child will succeed](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%9C%9B%E5%AD%90%E6%88%90%E9%BE%99)
- [险象环生xiǎnxiàng-huánshēngdangers everywhere](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%99%A9%E8%B1%A1%E7%8E%AF%E7%94%9F)
- [兵荒马乱bīnghuāng-mǎluànturmoil and chaos of war](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%85%B5%E8%8D%92%E9%A9%AC%E4%B9%B1)
- [豺狼虎豹cháiláng-hǔbàowild beasts](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%B1%BA%E7%8B%BC%E8%99%8E%E8%B1%B9)
- [狗皮膏药gǒupí-gāoyàoquack remedy](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%8B%97%E7%9A%AE%E8%86%8F%E8%8D%AF)
- [虎背熊腰hǔbèi-xióngyāostrong and burly](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%99%8E%E8%83%8C%E7%86%8A%E8%85%B0)
- [狼子野心lángzǐ-yěxīnwild ambition](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%8B%BC%E5%AD%90%E9%87%8E%E5%BF%83)
- [声名狼藉shēngmíng-lángjídisreputable](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A3%B0%E5%90%8D%E7%8B%BC%E8%97%89)
- [鼠目寸光shǔmù-cùnguāngshortsighted](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%BC%A0%E7%9B%AE%E5%AF%B8%E5%85%89)
- [万象更新wànxiàng-gēngxīneverything takes on a new look](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%87%E8%B1%A1%E6%9B%B4%E6%96%B0)
- [卧虎藏龙wòhǔ-cánglónghidden talents](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%8D%A7%E8%99%8E%E8%97%8F%E9%BE%99)
- [心猿意马xīnyuán-yìmǎrestless](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%BF%83%E7%8C%BF%E6%84%8F%E9%A9%AC)
- [信马由缰xìnmǎ-yóujiāngto ride with loose reins](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%BF%A1%E9%A9%AC%E7%94%B1%E7%BC%B0)
- [一马当先yīmǎ-dāngxiānto take the lead](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E9%A9%AC%E5%BD%93%E5%85%88)
- [一石二鸟yīshí-èrniǎoto kill two birds with one stone](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E7%9F%B3%E4%BA%8C%E9%B8%9F)
- [鱼跃龙门yúyuè-lóngméncarp leaping over the dragon gate](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B1%BC%E8%B7%83%E9%BE%99%E9%97%A8)
- [直捣黄龙zhídǎo-huánglóngto strike straight at the enemy's heart](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%9B%B4%E6%8D%A3%E9%BB%84%E9%BE%99)
- [鞍前马后ānqián-mǎhòuto serve faithfully](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%9E%8D%E5%89%8D%E9%A9%AC%E5%90%8E)
- [过街老鼠guòjiē-lǎoshǔ(fig.) someone hated by everyone](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%BF%87%E8%A1%97%E8%80%81%E9%BC%A0)
- [虎口拔牙hǔkǒu-báyáto pull a tooth from a tiger's mouth (extremely dangerous)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%99%8E%E5%8F%A3%E6%8B%94%E7%89%99)
- [鸡飞狗跳jīfēi-gǒutiàochaos](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B8%A1%E9%A3%9E%E7%8B%97%E8%B7%B3)
- [龙凤呈祥lóngfèng-chéngxiángdragon and phoenix bring good fortune (wedding wish)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%BE%99%E5%87%A4%E5%91%88%E7%A5%A5)
- [龙行虎步lóngxíng-hǔbùimposing gait](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%BE%99%E8%A1%8C%E8%99%8E%E6%AD%A5)
- [鹿死谁手lùsǐ-shéishǒuwho will win the prize](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B9%BF%E6%AD%BB%E8%B0%81%E6%89%8B)
- [马到成功mǎdào-chénggōngto win instant success](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%A9%AC%E5%88%B0%E6%88%90%E5%8A%9F)
- [群龙无首qúnlóng-wúshǒuleaderless group](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%BE%A4%E9%BE%99%E6%97%A0%E9%A6%96)
- [万马奔腾wànmǎ-bēnténga surging advance](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%87%E9%A9%AC%E5%A5%94%E8%85%BE)
- [蝇营狗苟yíngyíng-gǒugǒuto go to any lengths for personal gain](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%9D%87%E8%90%A5%E7%8B%97%E8%8B%9F)
- [鱼贯而入yúguàn-érrùto file in](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B1%BC%E8%B4%AF%E8%80%8C%E5%85%A5)
- [鱼目混珠yúmù-hùnzhūto pass off fakes as genuine](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B1%BC%E7%9B%AE%E6%B7%B7%E7%8F%A0)
- [鱼水深情yúshuǐ-shēnqíngclose bond like fish and water](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B1%BC%E6%B0%B4%E6%B7%B1%E6%83%85)
- [鱼死网破yúsǐ-wǎngpòfight to the death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%B1%BC%E6%AD%BB%E7%BD%91%E7%A0%B4)
- [贼眉鼠眼zéiméi-shǔyǎnshifty-eyed](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%B4%BC%E7%9C%89%E9%BC%A0%E7%9C%BC)
- [逐鹿中原zhúlù-zhōngyuánto fight for supremacy](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%80%90%E9%B9%BF%E4%B8%AD%E5%8E%9F)

## What is a Chinese idiom with animals?

天马行空 (tiānmǎ-xíngkōng): unrestrained. It is the most common of the 81 on this page.

## What is a chengyu?

A set phrase, nearly always four characters, that packs a story or an image into a few words: 画蛇添足, “drawing legs on a snake”, means spoiling something by overdoing it. Chinese speakers use them in writing, speeches and everyday talk.

## More free tools

- [Chengyu quiz](https://mandarinthewild.com/chengyu-quiz)
- [Every chengyu](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/chengyu)
- [Chinese dictionary](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-dictionary)
- [Chinese grammar](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-grammar)

Chengyu from the Xinhua idiom list; meanings from our own dictionary. Open one for its characters and real sentences.