Categorized 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 can be challenging. This may be due to the lack of familiarity with an idiom that precisely conveys the intended meaning, or the difficulty in finding 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 this 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 under each item (excluding the "Other" category) are mostly those with similar or identical meanings. The differences in their meanings are relatively subtle. They may vary in weight (e.g., "tears streaming down to wet the sleeves" vs. "crying bitterly"), focus (e.g., "arrogant to the point of self-delusion" vs. "haughty and self-important"), connotation (affective and stylistic color) (e.g., "attentive to every detail" vs. "extreme and unrestrained," "drain the pond to catch fish" vs. "kill the chicken to get eggs"), or applicability (e.g., "to break the current with a single throw of a spear" 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 and carefully to avoid errors. This dictionary provides abundant material for selecting idioms to accurately convey emotions and thoughts.
2. The synonymous idioms grouped under each item vary in linguistic form (phonetic and written form). 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 under 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 in the dictionary using the phonetic index based on the first character of the idiom. Thus, this dictionary serves the same function as general idiom dictionaries arranged by phonetic order 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 invite experts and readers to point them out.
Compilers October 1986
Table of Contents Explanation
Preface
Meaning Classification Index
Phonetic Index Explanation
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 can be challenging. This may be due to the lack of familiarity with an idiom that precisely conveys the intended meaning, or the difficulty in finding 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 this 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 under each item (excluding the "Other" category) are mostly those with similar or identical meanings. The differences in their meanings are relatively subtle. They may vary in weight (e.g., "tears streaming down to wet the sleeves" vs. "crying bitterly"), focus (e.g., "arrogant to the point of self-delusion" vs. "haughty and self-important"), connotation (affective and stylistic color) (e.g., "attentive to every detail" vs. "extreme and unrestrained," "drain the pond to catch fish" vs. "kill the chicken to get eggs"), or applicability (e.g., "to break the current with a single throw of a spear" 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 and carefully to avoid errors. This dictionary provides abundant material for selecting idioms to accurately convey emotions and thoughts.
2. The synonymous idioms grouped under each item vary in linguistic form (phonetic and written form). 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 under 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 in the dictionary using the phonetic index based on the first character of the idiom. Thus, this dictionary serves the same function as general idiom dictionaries arranged by phonetic order 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 invite experts and readers to point them out.
Compilers October 1986