---
title: "Chinese Idioms about Time: 71 Chengyu With Pinyin and Audio"
description: "71 Chinese idioms (chengyu) about time, like 一年一度 (annual) and 久而久之 (over time), each with pinyin, meaning and sound. Keep them in one press or print them as flashcards."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-idioms/time"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[Chinese idioms](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-idioms) · 71 idioms

# Chinese idioms about time

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

[Print as flashcards](https://mandarinthewild.com/chinese-flashcards?level=mine&words=%E4%B8%80%E5%B9%B4%E4%B8%80%E5%BA%A6%20%E4%B9%85%E8%80%8C%E4%B9%85%E4%B9%8B%20%E5%BA%94%E8%BF%90%E8%80%8C%E7%94%9F%20%E6%9C%89%E7%94%9F%E4%B9%8B%E5%B9%B4%20%E7%AB%8B%E7%AB%BF%E8%A7%81%E5%BD%B1%20%E6%97%A0%E6%97%B6%E6%97%A0%E5%88%BB%20%E5%90%89%E7%A5%A5%E5%A6%82%E6%84%8F%20%E5%B9%B4%E4%BA%8B%E5%B7%B2%E9%AB%98%20%E8%B5%B7%E6%97%A9%E8%B4%AA%E9%BB%91%20%E5%9C%B0%E8%80%81%E5%A4%A9%E8%8D%92%20%E5%B9%B4%E5%A4%8D%E4%B8%80%E5%B9%B4%20%E6%97%A5%E7%A7%AF%E6%9C%88%E7%B4%AF%20%E6%8B%9B%E8%B4%A2%E8%BF%9B%E5%AE%9D%20%E6%B2%A7%E6%B5%B7%E6%A1%91%E7%94%B0%20%E4%B8%8D%E5%90%88%E6%97%B6%E5%AE%9C%20%E9%9B%A8%E8%BF%87%E5%A4%A9%E6%99%B4%20%E6%97%B6%E4%B8%8D%E6%88%91%E5%BE%85%20%E5%A5%BD%E6%99%AF%E4%B8%8D%E9%95%BF%20%E5%8D%83%E8%BD%BD%E9%9A%BE%E9%80%A2%20%E8%8C%B6%E4%BD%99%E9%A5%AD%E5%90%8E%20%E9%9B%AA%E4%B8%AD%E9%80%81%E7%82%AD%20%E6%9C%9D%E6%80%9D%E6%9A%AE%E6%83%B3%20%E6%96%97%E8%BD%AC%E6%98%9F%E7%A7%BB%20%E5%B0%91%E5%B9%B4%E8%80%81%E6%88%90%20%E4%BA%8B%E4%B8%8D%E5%AE%9C%E8%BF%9F%20%E7%99%BD%E9%A9%B9%E8%BF%87%E9%9A%99%20%E4%BC%BC%E6%B0%B4%E6%B5%81%E5%B9%B4%20%E5%AE%89%E4%B8%8D%E5%BF%98%E5%8D%B1%20%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%88%E5%A6%82%E6%A2%AD%20%E4%B8%8D%E8%88%8D%E6%98%BC%E5%A4%9C%20%E5%85%89%E9%98%B4%E4%BC%BC%E7%AE%AD%20%E5%A4%A9%E9%95%BF%E6%97%A5%E4%B9%85%20%E9%9F%AC%E5%85%89%E5%85%BB%E6%99%A6%20%E7%9B%B8%E6%BF%A1%E4%BB%A5%E6%B2%AB%20%E9%BB%84%E9%87%91%E6%97%B6%E9%97%B4%20%E8%89%AF%E8%BE%B0%E7%BE%8E%E6%99%AF%20%E6%97%B6%E8%BF%87%E5%A2%83%E8%BF%81%20%E5%A4%A9%E8%8D%92%E5%9C%B0%E8%80%81%20%E5%B3%A5%E5%B5%98%E5%B2%81%E6%9C%88%20%E5%A4%84%E5%BF%83%E7%A7%AF%E8%99%91%20%E4%BB%8E%E9%95%BF%E8%AE%A1%E8%AE%AE%20%E7%BB%8F%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88%20%E6%9D%A5%E6%97%A5%E6%96%B9%E9%95%BF%20%E6%8A%AB%E6%98%9F%E6%88%B4%E6%9C%88%20%E5%A4%99%E5%A4%9C%E5%9C%A8%E5%85%AC%20%E4%B9%8D%E6%9A%96%E8%BF%98%E5%AF%92%20%E9%95%BF%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88%20%E7%99%BE%E5%B9%B4%E5%A5%BD%E5%90%88%20%E5%B8%B8%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88%20%E6%98%A5%E5%8E%BB%E7%A7%8B%E6%9D%A5%20%E6%98%A5%E5%AE%B5%E4%B8%80%E5%88%BB%20%E7%A7%AF%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88%20%E5%B1%A1%E6%88%98%E5%B1%A1%E8%B4%A5%20%E6%B2%A1%E6%97%A5%E6%B2%A1%E5%A4%9C%20%E5%90%8D%E5%99%AA%E4%B8%80%E6%97%B6%20%E7%94%9F%E7%A6%BB%E6%AD%BB%E5%88%AB%20%E7%94%9F%E6%AD%BB%E5%85%B3%E5%A4%B4%20%E7%9B%9B%E6%9E%81%E4%B8%80%E6%97%B6%20%E4%B8%80%E6%9D%A5%E4%BA%8C%E5%8E%BB%20%E4%B8%80%E5%B9%B4%E5%8D%8A%E8%BD%BD%20%E6%95%B4%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88%20%E7%99%BE%E5%B9%B4%E6%A0%91%E4%BA%BA%20%E4%B8%8D%E8%AF%86%E6%97%B6%E5%8A%A1%20%E6%99%A8%E5%85%89%E7%86%B9%E5%BE%AE%20%E5%BA%A6%E6%97%A5%E5%A6%82%E5%B9%B4%20%E5%90%A6%E6%9E%81%E6%B3%B0%E6%9D%A5%20%E8%A7%81%E7%BC%9D%E6%8F%92%E9%92%88%20%E5%8E%86%E4%B9%85%E5%BC%A5%E5%9D%9A%20%E9%A9%AC%E5%88%B0%E6%88%90%E5%8A%9F%20%E6%97%A5%E5%A4%9C%E5%85%BC%E7%A8%8B%20%E5%9B%A0%E6%97%B6%E5%88%B6%E5%AE%9C)

- [一年一度yīnián-yīdùannual](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E5%B9%B4%E4%B8%80%E5%BA%A6)
- [久而久之jiǔ’ér-jiǔzhīover time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B9%85%E8%80%8C%E4%B9%85%E4%B9%8B)
- [应运而生yìngyùn-érshēngto emerge in response to the times](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%BA%94%E8%BF%90%E8%80%8C%E7%94%9F)
- [有生之年yǒushēng-zhīniánin one's lifetime](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%9C%89%E7%94%9F%E4%B9%8B%E5%B9%B4)
- [立竿见影lìgān-jiànyǐngto get instant results](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%AB%8B%E7%AB%BF%E8%A7%81%E5%BD%B1)
- [无时无刻wúshí-wúkèall the time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%97%A0%E6%97%B6%E6%97%A0%E5%88%BB)
- [吉祥如意jíxiáng-rúyìgood luck and happiness (New Year greeting)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%90%89%E7%A5%A5%E5%A6%82%E6%84%8F)
- [年事已高niánshì-yǐgāoadvanced in years](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%B9%B4%E4%BA%8B%E5%B7%B2%E9%AB%98)
- [起早贪黑qǐzǎo-tānhēito work from dawn to dusk](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%B5%B7%E6%97%A9%E8%B4%AA%E9%BB%91)
- [地老天荒dìlǎo-tiānhuānguntil the end of time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%9C%B0%E8%80%81%E5%A4%A9%E8%8D%92)
- [年复一年niánfù-yīniányear after year](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%B9%B4%E5%A4%8D%E4%B8%80%E5%B9%B4)
- [日积月累rìjī-yuèlěito accumulate over time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%97%A5%E7%A7%AF%E6%9C%88%E7%B4%AF)
- [招财进宝zhāocái-jìnbǎoto bring in wealth and treasure (New Year greeting)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%8B%9B%E8%B4%A2%E8%BF%9B%E5%AE%9D)
- [沧海桑田cānghǎi-sāngtiángreat changes over time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%B2%A7%E6%B5%B7%E6%A1%91%E7%94%B0)
- [不合时宜bùhé-shíyíout of step with the times](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%8D%E5%90%88%E6%97%B6%E5%AE%9C)
- [雨过天晴yǔguò-tiānqíngthings improve after a bad time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%9B%A8%E8%BF%87%E5%A4%A9%E6%99%B4)
- [时不我待shíbù-wǒdàitime waits for no one](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%97%B6%E4%B8%8D%E6%88%91%E5%BE%85)
- [好景不长hǎojǐng-bùchánggood times don't last](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A5%BD%E6%99%AF%E4%B8%8D%E9%95%BF)
- [千载难逢qiānzǎi-nánféngonce in a lifetime](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%8D%83%E8%BD%BD%E9%9A%BE%E9%80%A2)
- [茶余饭后cháyú-fànhòuin one's spare time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%8C%B6%E4%BD%99%E9%A5%AD%E5%90%8E)
- [雪中送炭xuězhōng-sòngtàntimely help in time of need](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%9B%AA%E4%B8%AD%E9%80%81%E7%82%AD)
- [朝思暮想zhāosī-mùxiǎngto yearn day and night](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%9C%9D%E6%80%9D%E6%9A%AE%E6%83%B3)
- [斗转星移dǒuzhuǎn-xīngyíthe passage of time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%96%97%E8%BD%AC%E6%98%9F%E7%A7%BB)
- [少年老成shàonián-lǎochéngmature beyond one's years](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%B0%91%E5%B9%B4%E8%80%81%E6%88%90)
- [事不宜迟shìbù-yíchíthere's no time to lose](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%BA%8B%E4%B8%8D%E5%AE%9C%E8%BF%9F)
- [白驹过隙báijū-guòxìtime flies](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%99%BD%E9%A9%B9%E8%BF%87%E9%9A%99)
- [似水流年sìshuǐ-liúniántime passing like flowing water](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%BC%BC%E6%B0%B4%E6%B5%81%E5%B9%B4)
- [安不忘危ānbù-wàngwēito be mindful of danger in times of peace](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%AE%89%E4%B8%8D%E5%BF%98%E5%8D%B1)
- [日月如梭rìyuè-rúsuōtime flies](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%88%E5%A6%82%E6%A2%AD)
- [不舍昼夜bùshě-zhòuyèday and night](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%8D%E8%88%8D%E6%98%BC%E5%A4%9C)
- [光阴似箭guāngyīn-sìjiàntime flies](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%85%89%E9%98%B4%E4%BC%BC%E7%AE%AD)
- [天长日久tiāncháng-rìjiǔover a long period of time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A4%A9%E9%95%BF%E6%97%A5%E4%B9%85)
- [韬光养晦tāoguāng-yǎnghuìto hide one's abilities and bide one's time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%9F%AC%E5%85%89%E5%85%BB%E6%99%A6)
- [相濡以沫xiāngrú-yǐmòto help each other in hard times](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%9B%B8%E6%BF%A1%E4%BB%A5%E6%B2%AB)
- [黄金时间huángjīn-shíjiānprime time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%BB%84%E9%87%91%E6%97%B6%E9%97%B4)
- [良辰美景liángchén-měijǐngbeautiful moment and scene](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%89%AF%E8%BE%B0%E7%BE%8E%E6%99%AF)
- [时过境迁shíguò-jìngqiāntimes have changed](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%97%B6%E8%BF%87%E5%A2%83%E8%BF%81)
- [天荒地老tiānhuāng-dìlǎotill the end of time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A4%A9%E8%8D%92%E5%9C%B0%E8%80%81)
- [峥嵘岁月zhēngróng-suìyuèeventful years](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%B3%A5%E5%B5%98%E5%B2%81%E6%9C%88)
- [处心积虑chǔxīn-jīlǜto scheme for a long time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A4%84%E5%BF%83%E7%A7%AF%E8%99%91)
- [从长计议cóngcháng-jìyìto take one's time to consider](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%BB%8E%E9%95%BF%E8%AE%A1%E8%AE%AE)
- [经年累月jīngnián-lěiyuèfor years on end](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%BB%8F%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88)
- [来日方长láirì-fāngchángthere's plenty of time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%9D%A5%E6%97%A5%E6%96%B9%E9%95%BF)
- [披星戴月pīxīng-dàiyuèto work from dawn to dusk](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%8A%AB%E6%98%9F%E6%88%B4%E6%9C%88)
- [夙夜在公sùyè-zàigōngworking day and night for the public](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%A4%99%E5%A4%9C%E5%9C%A8%E5%85%AC)
- [乍暖还寒zhànuǎn-huánhánwarm one moment and cold the next (of early spring)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B9%8D%E6%9A%96%E8%BF%98%E5%AF%92)
- [长年累月chángnián-lěiyuèyear after year](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E9%95%BF%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88)
- [百年好合bǎinián-hǎohémay you live happily together forever (wedding wish)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%99%BE%E5%B9%B4%E5%A5%BD%E5%90%88)
- [常年累月chángnián-lěiyuèyear after year](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%B8%B8%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88)
- [春去秋来chūnqù-qiūláias time goes by](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%98%A5%E5%8E%BB%E7%A7%8B%E6%9D%A5)
- [春宵一刻chūnxiāo-yīkèa moment of a spring night (is worth a thousand gold)](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%98%A5%E5%AE%B5%E4%B8%80%E5%88%BB)
- [积年累月jīnián-lěiyuèfor years on end](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%A7%AF%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88)
- [屡战屡败lǚzhàn-lǚbàito fight repeatedly and lose every time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%B1%A1%E6%88%98%E5%B1%A1%E8%B4%A5)
- [没日没夜méirì-méiyèday and night](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%B2%A1%E6%97%A5%E6%B2%A1%E5%A4%9C)
- [名噪一时míngzào-yīshíto become famous for a time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%90%8D%E5%99%AA%E4%B8%80%E6%97%B6)
- [生离死别shēnglí-sǐbiéparting forever](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E7%A6%BB%E6%AD%BB%E5%88%AB)
- [生死关头shēngsǐ-guāntóucritical moment](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%94%9F%E6%AD%BB%E5%85%B3%E5%A4%B4)
- [盛极一时shèngjí-yīshíto be all the rage for a time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%9B%9B%E6%9E%81%E4%B8%80%E6%97%B6)
- [一来二去yīlái-èrqùover time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E6%9D%A5%E4%BA%8C%E5%8E%BB)
- [一年半载yīnián-bànzǎia year or so](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%80%E5%B9%B4%E5%8D%8A%E8%BD%BD)
- [整年累月zhěngnián-lěiyuèyear after year](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%95%B4%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%AF%E6%9C%88)
- [百年树人bǎinián-shùrénit takes a hundred years to cultivate people](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E7%99%BE%E5%B9%B4%E6%A0%91%E4%BA%BA)
- [不识时务bùshíshíwùto be unaware of the times](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%B8%8D%E8%AF%86%E6%97%B6%E5%8A%A1)
- [晨光熹微chénguāng-xīwēifaint light of dawn](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%99%A8%E5%85%89%E7%86%B9%E5%BE%AE)
- [度日如年dùrì-rúniáneach day feels like a year](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%BA%A6%E6%97%A5%E5%A6%82%E5%B9%B4)
- [否极泰来pǐjí-tàiláiafter bad times come good times](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%90%A6%E6%9E%81%E6%B3%B0%E6%9D%A5)
- [见缝插针jiànfèng-chāzhēnto make use of every bit of space or time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E8%A7%81%E7%BC%9D%E6%8F%92%E9%92%88)
- [历久弥坚lìjiǔ-míjiānto grow firmer with time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%8E%86%E4%B9%85%E5%BC%A5%E5%9D%9A)
- [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)
- [日夜兼程rìyè-jiānchéngto travel day and night](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E6%97%A5%E5%A4%9C%E5%85%BC%E7%A8%8B)
- [因时制宜yīnshí-zhìyíto act according to the circumstances of the time](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E5%9B%A0%E6%97%B6%E5%88%B6%E5%AE%9C)

## What is a Chinese idiom about time?

一年一度 (yīnián-yīdù): annual. It is the most common of the 71 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.