Selected Proverbs and Idioms: 10,000 Entries

Author: Tian Tian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features:
A proverb is a type of set phrase, also known as a witty saying, explanatory phrase, or reference phrase. Proverbs are an important part of Chinese vocabulary and are passed down among the people. They express truths clearly, vividly, and humorously, with lively and amusing characteristics, making them widely enjoyed by the masses. Proverbs consist of two parts: the first part acts like the riddle face of a riddle, serving as a "shadow" to lead into the second part. The second part is like the answer to the riddle, containing an explanation or clarification of the first part. The two parts of a proverb have different functions in terms of meaning. The first part plays a supporting role in expressing a certain meaning, while the second part is the key to the meaning expressed by the first part, conveying the overall meaning of the proverb.
A saying is also a form of set phrase. It is a ready-made sentence widely circulated among the people, representing the sum of long-term experience in production and daily life. It expresses profound truths in simple and popular language. Whether our speech and writing are lively and engaging depends largely on our mastery of language skills. To improve language skills, we can use various rhetorical devices to express thoughts and emotions appropriately and accurately. Proverbs and sayings are widely enjoyed by the people and offer multiple rhetorical approaches. Appropriately using proverbs and sayings can enhance the artistry and persuasiveness of our speech and writing.
The vocabulary of proverbs and sayings is vast, with characteristics of folk nature, tradition, and colloquialism. This book selects commonly used proverbs and sayings, basically meeting the reading and usage needs of readers. Conciseness and practicality are the features of this book. Currently, proverbs and sayings are published separately, but this book combines them into one volume, compiling commonly used proverbs and sayings into a single book, saving readers both time and money. The entries in the main text are arranged in the order of the Chinese phonetic alphabet. For entries with the same first character, they are arranged by the second character's phonetic alphabet, and so on. An index of the phonetic order of the first character of the entries is provided at the beginning of the main text.