Chinese idioms · 51 idioms
Chinese idioms about life
Chengyu whose meaning is about life, each with pinyin, meaning and sound.
- 一生一世yīshēng-yīshìone's whole life
- 生机勃勃shēngjī-bóbófull of life
- 痛不欲生tòngbù-yùshēnggrieved to the point of wanting to die
- 生龙活虎shēnglóng-huóhǔfull of life and energy
- 断子绝孙duànzǐ-juésūnto die without descendants (often as a curse)
- 及时行乐jíshí-xínglèto enjoy life while one can
- 行尸走肉xíngshī-zǒuròuperson living without purpose
- 视死如归shìsǐ-rúguīto face death fearlessly
- 生老病死shēnglǎo-bìngsǐbirth, aging, sickness and death
- 芸芸众生yúnyún-zhòngshēngall living things
- 纸醉金迷zhǐzuì-jīnmílife of luxury and dissipation
- 九死一生jiǔsǐ-yīshēnga narrow escape from death
- 百无聊赖bǎiwú-liáolàibored to death
- 民不聊生mínbù-liáoshēngthe people have no means of living
- 死里逃生sǐlǐ-táoshēngto have a narrow escape from death
- 生死存亡shēngsǐ-cúnwánglife or death
- 名不副实míngbù-fùshínot living up to one's name
- 百年之后bǎinián-zhīhòuafter one's death (euphemism)
- 死不瞑目sǐbù-míngmùto die with eyes open (with a grievance)
- 同生共死tóngshēng-gòngsǐto live and die together
- 灯红酒绿dēnghóng-jiǔlǜ(fig.) life of luxury and debauchery
- 见死不救jiànsǐ-bùjiùto stand by and watch someone die
- 一了百了yīliǎo-bǎiliǎoall troubles end at once (often of death)
- 一切众生yīqiè-zhòngshēng(Buddhism) all living beings
- 吃穿用度chīchuān-yòngdùdaily living expenses
- 从一而终cóngyī-érzhōngto remain faithful to one's husband till death
- 枯木逢春kūmù-féngchūnto get a new lease on life
- 生死与共shēngsǐ-yǔgòngto share life and death
- 死于非命sǐyú-fēimìngto die an unnatural death
- 饮食起居yǐnshí-qǐjūdaily life (eating, sleeping and so on)
- 安身立命ānshēn-lìmìngto settle down and get on with one's life
- 三十而立sānshí-érlìat thirty, one should be established in life
- 延年益寿yánnián-yìshòuto prolong one's life
- 至死不渝zhìsǐ-bùyúunwavering until death
- 出生入死chūshēng-rùsǐto risk one's life
- 九流三教jiǔliú-sānjiàoall schools of thought and walks of life
- 你死我活nǐsǐ-wǒhuólife-and-death (struggle)
- 益寿延年yìshòu-yánniánto prolong life
- 醉生梦死zuìshēng-mèngsǐto lead a befuddled life
- 坐以待毙zuòyǐ-dàibìto sit and wait for death
- 呱呱坠地gūgū-zhuìdì(of a baby) to be born
- 三教九流sānjiào-jiǔliúpeople from all walks of life
- 生死之交shēngsǐ-zhījiāofriends for life and death
- 风霜雨雪fēngshuāng-yǔxuěhardships of life
- 盖棺定论gàiguān-dìnglùna person can only be judged after death
- 身家性命shēnjiā-xìngmìngone's own life and one's family's lives
- 生而知之shēng’ér-zhīzhīto be born knowing
- 生杀予夺shēngshā-yǔduópower over life and death
- 为国捐躯wèiguó-juānqūto die for one's country
- 一命呜呼yīmìng-wūhūto die
- 鱼死网破yúsǐ-wǎngpòfight to the death
What is a Chinese idiom about life?
一生一世 (yīshēng-yīshì): one's whole life. It is the most common of the 51 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 from the Xinhua idiom list; meanings from our own dictionary. Open one for its characters and real sentences.