Category Chinese Idioms Dictionary

Author: Wang Qin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1988-11-01
Features: Chinese idioms are treasures in the Chinese vocabulary. They are concise in language, rigorous in structure, profound in meaning, and rich in expressiveness. A well-used idiom can enhance the color of language and the brilliance of writing. They are popular tools for expression among the people across generations, widely used in both spoken and written language. Chinese idioms are diverse and abundant. For those who are well-read and knowledgeable, using idioms comes naturally. However, for the general public, especially for or those with a medium level of education, accurately expressing certain thoughts or emotions with an idiom might be challenging. This is because they may not be familiar with the idiom that accurately conveys the intended meaning, or they may find it difficult to locate it in a general idiom dictionary. To help readers overcome such difficulties and provide convenience for writing or speaking, we have categorized thousands of idioms based on their meanings and compiled this meaning-based Chinese idiom dictionary. Readers can quickly find the desired idiom in a specific category within the dictionary based on the meaning they intend to express. In addition to the above functions, this dictionary has the following features:
1. The idioms grouped within each item (excluding the "Other" category) are mostly those with similar or identical meanings. The differences in their meanings are relatively subtle. There are variations in weight (e.g., "tears streaming down to wet the sleeves" vs. "crying bitterly"), focus (e.g., "arrogant to the point of self-importance" vs. "haughty and arrogant"), tone (emotional and stylistic) (e.g., "attentive to every detail" vs. "gone to extremes," "drain the pond to catch fish" vs. "kill the chicken to get eggs"), and applicability (e.g., "to throw a single horse to stop the river" vs. "shoulder to shoulder"). On one hand, this reflects the richness and precision of Chinese idiom meanings; on the other hand, it also highlights the need to use idioms cautiously, as careful consideration is required to avoid errors. This dictionary provides abundant material for selecting idioms to accurately convey emotions and thoughts.
2. The synonymous idioms grouped within each item exhibit variations in linguistic form (phonetic and written forms). This offers the opportunity to use idioms to express similar meanings while ensuring the beauty of varied linguistic forms.
3. This dictionary aids in accumulating and enriching vocabulary, creating conditions for expanding thinking and improving writing and speaking skills. If readers frequently consult this dictionary, familiarize themselves with the idioms in each category, and compare and contrast them in terms of form and meaning, they can quickly expand their vocabulary and enhance their writing and speaking abilities.
4. This dictionary is organized by meaning categories. If readers are looking for unfamiliar idioms, they can quickly locate them using the phonetic index based on the first character of the idiom. Thus, this dictionary serves the same function as general idiom dictionaries organized by phonetic or stroke order.
This dictionary was compiled by Wang Qin, Ma Guofan, Xu Zhengyuan, and Sun Yuzhen. The entire book was organized, edited, and finalized by Wang Qin. Compiling such a dictionary is a new attempt for us. It is inevitable that there may be omissions or inaccuracies in this dictionary, and we sincerely welcome criticism and corrections from experts and readers.
Compilers October 1986
Table of Contents
Preface
Explanatory Notes
Meaning Index
Phonetic Index
Explanatory Notes for Phonetic Index
Main Body
Editorial Notes: Chinese idioms are treasures in the Chinese vocabulary. They are concise in language, rigorous in structure, profound in meaning, and rich in expressiveness. A well-used idiom can enhance the color of language and the brilliance of writing. They are popular tools for expression among the people across generations, widely used in both spoken and written language. Chinese idioms are diverse and abundant. For those who are well-read and knowledgeable, using idioms comes naturally. However, for the general public, especially for or those with a medium level of education, accurately expressing certain thoughts or emotions with an idiom might be challenging. This is because they may not be familiar with the idiom that accurately conveys the intended meaning, or they may find it difficult to locate it in a general idiom dictionary. To help readers overcome such difficulties and provide convenience for writing or speaking, we have categorized thousands of idioms based on their meanings and compiled this meaning-based Chinese idiom dictionary. Readers can quickly find the desired idiom in a specific category within the dictionary based on the meaning they intend to express. In addition to the above functions, this dictionary has the following features:
1. The idioms grouped within each item (excluding the "Other" category) are mostly those with similar or identical meanings. The differences in their meanings are relatively subtle. There are variations in weight (e.g., "tears streaming down to wet the sleeves" vs. "crying bitterly"), focus (e.g., "arrogant to the point of self-importance" vs. "haughty and arrogant"), tone (emotional and stylistic) (e.g., "attentive to every detail" vs. "gone to extremes," "drain the pond to catch fish" vs. "kill the chicken to get eggs"), and applicability (e.g., "to throw a single horse to stop the river" vs. "shoulder to shoulder"). On one hand, this reflects the richness and precision of Chinese idiom meanings; on the other hand, it also highlights the need to use idioms cautiously, as careful consideration is required to avoid errors. This dictionary provides abundant material for selecting idioms to accurately convey emotions and thoughts.
2. The synonymous idioms grouped within each item exhibit variations in linguistic form (phonetic and written forms). This offers the opportunity to use idioms to express similar meanings while ensuring the beauty of varied linguistic forms.
3. This dictionary aids in accumulating and enriching vocabulary, creating conditions for expanding thinking and improving writing and speaking skills. If readers frequently consult this dictionary, familiarize themselves with the idioms in each category, and compare and contrast them in terms of form and meaning, they can quickly expand their vocabulary and enhance their writing and speaking abilities.
4. This dictionary is organized by meaning categories. If readers are looking for unfamiliar idioms, they can quickly locate them using the phonetic index based on the first character of the idiom. Thus, this dictionary serves the same function as general idiom dictionaries organized by phonetic or stroke order.
This dictionary was compiled by Wang Qin, Ma Guofan, Xu Zhengyuan, and Sun Yuzhen. The entire book was organized, edited, and finalized by Wang Qin. Compiling such a dictionary is a new attempt for us. It is inevitable that there may be omissions or inaccuracies in this dictionary, and we sincerely welcome criticism and corrections from experts and readers.
Compilers October 1986