---
title: "Chinese Idioms about Life: 51 Chengyu With Pinyin and Audio"
description: "51 Chinese idioms (chengyu) about life, like 一生一世 (one's whole life) and 生机勃勃 (full of life), each with pinyin, meaning and sound. Keep them in one press or print them as flashcards."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-idioms/life"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[Chinese idioms](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-idioms) · 51 idioms

# Chinese idioms about life

Chengyu whose meaning is about life, each with pinyin, meaning and sound.

[Print as flashcards](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-flashcards?level=mine&words=%E4%B8%80%E7%94%9F%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%96%20%E7%94%9F%E6%9C%BA%E5%8B%83%E5%8B%83%20%E7%97%9B%E4%B8%8D%E6%AC%B2%E7%94%9F%20%E7%94%9F%E9%BE%99%E6%B4%BB%E8%99%8E%20%E6%96%AD%E5%AD%90%E7%BB%9D%E5%AD%99%20%E5%8F%8A%E6%97%B6%E8%A1%8C%E4%B9%90%20%E8%A1%8C%E5%B0%B8%E8%B5%B0%E8%82%89%20%E8%A7%86%E6%AD%BB%E5%A6%82%E5%BD%92%20%E7%94%9F%E8%80%81%E7%97%85%E6%AD%BB%20%E8%8A%B8%E8%8A%B8%E4%BC%97%E7%94%9F%20%E7%BA%B8%E9%86%89%E9%87%91%E8%BF%B7%20%E4%B9%9D%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%80%E7%94%9F%20%E7%99%BE%E6%97%A0%E8%81%8A%E8%B5%96%20%E6%B0%91%E4%B8%8D%E8%81%8A%E7%94%9F%20%E6%AD%BB%E9%87%8C%E9%80%83%E7%94%9F%20%E7%94%9F%E6%AD%BB%E5%AD%98%E4%BA%A1%20%E5%90%8D%E4%B8%8D%E5%89%AF%E5%AE%9E%20%E7%99%BE%E5%B9%B4%E4%B9%8B%E5%90%8E%20%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%8D%E7%9E%91%E7%9B%AE%20%E5%90%8C%E7%94%9F%E5%85%B1%E6%AD%BB%20%E7%81%AF%E7%BA%A2%E9%85%92%E7%BB%BF%20%E8%A7%81%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%8D%E6%95%91%20%E4%B8%80%E4%BA%86%E7%99%BE%E4%BA%86%20%E4%B8%80%E5%88%87%E4%BC%97%E7%94%9F%20%E5%90%83%E7%A9%BF%E7%94%A8%E5%BA%A6%20%E4%BB%8E%E4%B8%80%E8%80%8C%E7%BB%88%20%E6%9E%AF%E6%9C%A8%E9%80%A2%E6%98%A5%20%E7%94%9F%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%8E%E5%85%B1%20%E6%AD%BB%E4%BA%8E%E9%9D%9E%E5%91%BD%20%E9%A5%AE%E9%A3%9F%E8%B5%B7%E5%B1%85%20%E5%AE%89%E8%BA%AB%E7%AB%8B%E5%91%BD%20%E4%B8%89%E5%8D%81%E8%80%8C%E7%AB%8B%20%E5%BB%B6%E5%B9%B4%E7%9B%8A%E5%AF%BF%20%E8%87%B3%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%8D%E6%B8%9D%20%E5%87%BA%E7%94%9F%E5%85%A5%E6%AD%BB%20%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E4%B8%89%E6%95%99%20%E4%BD%A0%E6%AD%BB%E6%88%91%E6%B4%BB%20%E7%9B%8A%E5%AF%BF%E5%BB%B6%E5%B9%B4%20%E9%86%89%E7%94%9F%E6%A2%A6%E6%AD%BB%20%E5%9D%90%E4%BB%A5%E5%BE%85%E6%AF%99%20%E5%91%B1%E5%91%B1%E5%9D%A0%E5%9C%B0%20%E4%B8%89%E6%95%99%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%20%E7%94%9F%E6%AD%BB%E4%B9%8B%E4%BA%A4%20%E9%A3%8E%E9%9C%9C%E9%9B%A8%E9%9B%AA%20%E7%9B%96%E6%A3%BA%E5%AE%9A%E8%AE%BA%20%E8%BA%AB%E5%AE%B6%E6%80%A7%E5%91%BD%20%E7%94%9F%E8%80%8C%E7%9F%A5%E4%B9%8B%20%E7%94%9F%E6%9D%80%E4%BA%88%E5%A4%BA%20%E4%B8%BA%E5%9B%BD%E6%8D%90%E8%BA%AF%20%E4%B8%80%E5%91%BD%E5%91%9C%E5%91%BC%20%E9%B1%BC%E6%AD%BB%E7%BD%91%E7%A0%B4)

- [一生一世yīshēng-yīshìone's whole life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E7%94%9F%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%96)
- [生机勃勃shēngjī-bóbófull of life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E6%9C%BA%E5%8B%83%E5%8B%83)
- [痛不欲生tòngbù-yùshēnggrieved to the point of wanting to die](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%97%9B%E4%B8%8D%E6%AC%B2%E7%94%9F)
- [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)
- [断子绝孙duànzǐ-juésūnto die without descendants (often as a curse)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%96%AD%E5%AD%90%E7%BB%9D%E5%AD%99)
- [及时行乐jíshí-xínglèto enjoy life while one can](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%8F%8A%E6%97%B6%E8%A1%8C%E4%B9%90)
- [行尸走肉xíngshī-zǒuròuperson living without purpose](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%A1%8C%E5%B0%B8%E8%B5%B0%E8%82%89)
- [视死如归shìsǐ-rúguīto face death fearlessly](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%A7%86%E6%AD%BB%E5%A6%82%E5%BD%92)
- [生老病死shēnglǎo-bìngsǐbirth, aging, sickness and death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E8%80%81%E7%97%85%E6%AD%BB)
- [芸芸众生yúnyún-zhòngshēngall living things](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%8A%B8%E8%8A%B8%E4%BC%97%E7%94%9F)
- [纸醉金迷zhǐzuì-jīnmílife of luxury and dissipation](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%BA%B8%E9%86%89%E9%87%91%E8%BF%B7)
- [九死一生jiǔsǐ-yīshēnga narrow escape from death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B9%9D%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%80%E7%94%9F)
- [百无聊赖bǎiwú-liáolàibored to death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%99%BE%E6%97%A0%E8%81%8A%E8%B5%96)
- [民不聊生mínbù-liáoshēngthe people have no means of living](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%B0%91%E4%B8%8D%E8%81%8A%E7%94%9F)
- [死里逃生sǐlǐ-táoshēngto have a narrow escape from death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%AD%BB%E9%87%8C%E9%80%83%E7%94%9F)
- [生死存亡shēngsǐ-cúnwánglife or death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E6%AD%BB%E5%AD%98%E4%BA%A1)
- [名不副实míngbù-fùshínot living up to one's name](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%90%8D%E4%B8%8D%E5%89%AF%E5%AE%9E)
- [百年之后bǎinián-zhīhòuafter one's death (euphemism)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%99%BE%E5%B9%B4%E4%B9%8B%E5%90%8E)
- [死不瞑目sǐbù-míngmùto die with eyes open (with a grievance)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%8D%E7%9E%91%E7%9B%AE)
- [同生共死tóngshēng-gòngsǐto live and die together](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%90%8C%E7%94%9F%E5%85%B1%E6%AD%BB)
- [灯红酒绿dēnghóng-jiǔlǜ(fig.) life of luxury and debauchery](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%81%AF%E7%BA%A2%E9%85%92%E7%BB%BF)
- [见死不救jiànsǐ-bùjiùto stand by and watch someone die](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%A7%81%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%8D%E6%95%91)
- [一了百了yīliǎo-bǎiliǎoall troubles end at once (often of death)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E4%BA%86%E7%99%BE%E4%BA%86)
- [一切众生yīqiè-zhòngshēng(Buddhism) all living beings](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E5%88%87%E4%BC%97%E7%94%9F)
- [吃穿用度chīchuān-yòngdùdaily living expenses](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%90%83%E7%A9%BF%E7%94%A8%E5%BA%A6)
- [从一而终cóngyī-érzhōngto remain faithful to one's husband till death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%BB%8E%E4%B8%80%E8%80%8C%E7%BB%88)
- [枯木逢春kūmù-féngchūnto get a new lease on life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%9E%AF%E6%9C%A8%E9%80%A2%E6%98%A5)
- [生死与共shēngsǐ-yǔgòngto share life and death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%8E%E5%85%B1)
- [死于非命sǐyú-fēimìngto die an unnatural death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%AD%BB%E4%BA%8E%E9%9D%9E%E5%91%BD)
- [饮食起居yǐnshí-qǐjūdaily life (eating, sleeping and so on)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%A5%AE%E9%A3%9F%E8%B5%B7%E5%B1%85)
- [安身立命ānshēn-lìmìngto settle down and get on with one's life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%AE%89%E8%BA%AB%E7%AB%8B%E5%91%BD)
- [三十而立sānshí-érlìat thirty, one should be established in life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%89%E5%8D%81%E8%80%8C%E7%AB%8B)
- [延年益寿yánnián-yìshòuto prolong one's life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%BB%B6%E5%B9%B4%E7%9B%8A%E5%AF%BF)
- [至死不渝zhìsǐ-bùyúunwavering until death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%87%B3%E6%AD%BB%E4%B8%8D%E6%B8%9D)
- [出生入死chūshēng-rùsǐto risk one's life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%87%BA%E7%94%9F%E5%85%A5%E6%AD%BB)
- [九流三教jiǔliú-sānjiàoall schools of thought and walks of life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E4%B8%89%E6%95%99)
- [你死我活nǐsǐ-wǒhuólife-and-death (struggle)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%BD%A0%E6%AD%BB%E6%88%91%E6%B4%BB)
- [益寿延年yìshòu-yánniánto prolong life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%9B%8A%E5%AF%BF%E5%BB%B6%E5%B9%B4)
- [醉生梦死zuìshēng-mèngsǐto lead a befuddled life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%86%89%E7%94%9F%E6%A2%A6%E6%AD%BB)
- [坐以待毙zuòyǐ-dàibìto sit and wait for death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%9D%90%E4%BB%A5%E5%BE%85%E6%AF%99)
- [呱呱坠地gūgū-zhuìdì(of a baby) to be born](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%91%B1%E5%91%B1%E5%9D%A0%E5%9C%B0)
- [三教九流sānjiào-jiǔliúpeople from all walks of life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%89%E6%95%99%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81)
- [生死之交shēngsǐ-zhījiāofriends for life and death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E6%AD%BB%E4%B9%8B%E4%BA%A4)
- [风霜雨雪fēngshuāng-yǔxuěhardships of life](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%A3%8E%E9%9C%9C%E9%9B%A8%E9%9B%AA)
- [盖棺定论gàiguān-dìnglùna person can only be judged after death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%9B%96%E6%A3%BA%E5%AE%9A%E8%AE%BA)
- [身家性命shēnjiā-xìngmìngone's own life and one's family's lives](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%BA%AB%E5%AE%B6%E6%80%A7%E5%91%BD)
- [生而知之shēng’ér-zhīzhīto be born knowing](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E8%80%8C%E7%9F%A5%E4%B9%8B)
- [生杀予夺shēngshā-yǔduópower over life and death](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E6%9D%80%E4%BA%88%E5%A4%BA)
- [为国捐躯wèiguó-juānqūto die for one's country](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%BA%E5%9B%BD%E6%8D%90%E8%BA%AF)
- [一命呜呼yīmìng-wūhūto die](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E5%91%BD%E5%91%9C%E5%91%BC)
- [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)

## 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 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.