HSK Chinese Idioms Vocabulary List

The following vocabulary list features vocabulary words from the HSK centered around the topic of Chinese Idioms. In some cases the HSK vocabulary might be a bit lacking, and we may follow it will additional vocabulary we recommend for a fuller discussion on the topic.

See also

• HSK Nouns (all HSK levels' noun lists together)

Chinese	Pinyin	English	HSK Level
名胜古迹	míngshèng gǔjì	historical sites and scenic spots	HSK5
讨价还价	tǎojià-huánjià	to haggle over a price	HSK5
博大精深	bódàjīngshēn	wide-ranging and profound	HSK6
不可思议	bùkěsīyì	inconceivable	HSK6
称心如意	chènxīnrúyì	after one's heart (idiom); gratifying and satisfactory	HSK6
得天独厚	détiāndúhòu	blessed by heaven (idiom)/enjoying exceptional advantages/favored by nature	HSK6
丢三落四	diūsānlàsì	forgetful/empty-headed	HSK6
根深蒂固	gēnshēndìgù	deep-rooted (problem etc)	HSK6
家喻户晓	jiāyùhùxiǎo	understood by everyone (idiom); well known/a household name	HSK6
见多识广	jiànduōshíguǎng	experienced and knowledgeable (idiom)	HSK6
锦上添花	jǐnshàngtiānhuā	lit. on brocade, add flowers (idiom); to decorate sth already perfect/gilding the lily	HSK6
刻不容缓	kèbùrónghuǎn	to brook no delay/to demand immediate action	HSK6
空前绝后	kōngqiánjuéhòu	unprecedented and never to be duplicated/the first and the last/unmatched/unique	HSK6
理所当然	lǐsuǒdāngrán	as a matter of course	HSK6
力所能及	lìsuǒnéngjí	as far as one's capabilities extend (idiom); to the best of one's ability/within one's powers	HSK6
名副其实	míngfùqíshí	o be worthy of the name	HSK6
莫名其妙	mòmíngqímiào	baffling	HSK6
日新月异	rìxīnyuèyì	daily renewal, monthly change (idiom)/every day sees new developments/rapid progress	HSK6
微不足道	wēibùzúdào	something is of little importance or insignificance	HSK6
无穷无尽	wúqióngwújìn	something that is endless or infinite	HSK6
无忧无虑	wúyōuwúlǜ	something that is carefree and without worries	HSK6
物美价廉	wùměijiàlián	something that is of good quality and cheap price.	HSK6
喜闻乐见	xǐwénlèjiàn	something that is pleasing and enjoyable to people	HSK6
雪上加霜	xuěshàngjiāshuāng	to add hail to snow (idiom)	HSK6
知足常乐	zhīzúchánglè	to be satisfied with what one has	HSK6
不屑一顾	bùxièyīgù	to disdain as unworthy of consideration	HSK6
不言而喻	bùyánéryù	it goes without saying	HSK6
废寝忘食	fèiqǐnwàngshí	to neglect sleep and forget about food (idiom)	HSK6
竭尽全力	jiéjìnquánlì	to spare no effort (idiom); to do one's utmost	HSK6
津津有味	jīnjīnyǒuwèi	with keen interest pleasure (idiom); with gusto/to relish/eagerly/with great interest	HSK6
聚精会神	jùjīnghuìshén	to concentrate one's attention (idiom)	HSK6
狼吞虎咽	lángtūnhǔyàn	to wolf down one's food (idiom); to devour ravenously/to gorge oneself	HSK6
理直气壮	lǐzhíqìzhuàng	in the right and self-confident (idiom); bold and confident with justice on one's side/to have the courage of one's convictions/just and forceful	HSK6
迫不及待	pòbùjídài	impatient (idiom); in a hurry/itching to get on with it	HSK6
齐心协力	qíxīnxiélì	to work together as one	HSK6
恰到好处	qiàdàohǎochù	it's just perfect/it's just right	HSK6
千方百计	qiānfāngbǎijì	lit. thousand ways, a hundred plans (idiom); by every possible means	HSK6
肆无忌惮	sìwújìdàn	absolutely unrestrained/unbridled/without the slightest scruple	HSK6
滔滔不绝	tāotāobùjué	unceasing torrent (idiom)/talking non-stop/gabbling forty to the dozen	HSK6
吞吞吐吐	tūntūntǔtǔ	swallowing and stammering	HSK6
无微不至	wúwēibùzhì	in every way	HSK6
想方设法	xiǎngfāngshèfǎ	try to find a way	HSK6
小心翼翼	xiǎoxīnyìyì	be careful	HSK6
兴高采烈	xìnggāocǎiliè	with great enthusiasm	HSK6
兴致勃勃	xìngzhìbóbó	with great enthusiasm	HSK6
一丝不苟	yīsībùgǒu	meticulously	HSK6
有条不紊	yǒutiáobùwěn	regular and thorough (idiom); methodically arranged	HSK6
斩钉截铁	zhǎndīngjiétiě	decisive and firm	HSK6
当务之急	dāngwùzhījí	top priority job/matter of vital importance	HSK6
飞禽走兽	fēiqínzǒushòu	birds and animals/the beasts of the field and the birds of the air	HSK6
风土人情	fēngtǔrénqíng	local conditions and customs (idiom)	HSK6
后顾之忧	hòugùzhīyōu	fears of trouble in the rear (idiom); family worries (obstructing freedom of action)/worries about the future consequences/often in negative expressions, meaning "no worries about anything"	HSK6
天伦之乐	tiānlúnzhīlè	family love and joy/domestic bliss	HSK6
统筹兼顾	tǒngchóujiāngù	an overall plan taking into account all factors	HSK6
悬崖峭壁	xuányáqiàobì	sheer cliffs and precipitous rock faces (idiom)	HSK6
一目了然	yīmùliǎorán	it is clear at a glance	HSK6
爱不释手	àibùshìshǒu	to love too much to part with it	HSK6
拔苗助长	bámiáo zhùzhǎng	to spoil things through excessive enthusiasm (idiom)	HSK6
半途而废	bàntúérfèi	to give up halfway, leave unfinished	HSK6
饱经沧桑	bǎojīngcāngsāng	having lived through many changes	HSK6
层出不穷	céngchūbùqióng	more and more emerg	HSK6
川流不息	chuānliúbùxī	the stream flows without stopping (idiom); unending flow	HSK6
得不偿失	débùchángshī	gains do not make up for the losses	HSK6
东张西望	dōngzhāngxīwàng	to look in all directions (idiom)/to glance around	HSK6
各抒己见	gèshūjǐjiàn	everyone gives their own view	HSK6
供不应求	gōngbùyìngqiú	supply fails to meet demand	HSK6
恍然大悟	huǎngrándàwù	to suddenly realize/to suddenly see the light	HSK6
急于求成	jíyúqiúchéng	anxious for quick results (idiom); to demand instant success/impatient for result/impetuous	HSK6
见义勇为	jiànyìyǒngwéi	to see what is right and act courageously (idiom, from Analects); to stand up bravely for the truth/acting heroically in a just cause	HSK6
精打细算	jīngdǎxìsuàn	meticulous planning and careful accounting (idiom)	HSK6
精益求精	jīngyìqiújīng	to perfect sth that is already outstanding (idiom); constantly improving	HSK6
侃侃而谈	kǎnkǎnértán	to speak frankly with assurance	HSK6
苦尽甘来	kǔjìngānlái	bitterness finishes, sweetness begins (idiom); the hard times are over, the good times just beginning	HSK6
礼尚往来	lǐshàngwǎnglái	lit. proper behavior is based on reciprocity (idiom)/fig. to return politeness for politeness	HSK6
潜移默化	qiányímòhuà	imperceptible influence/to influence secretly	HSK6
全力以赴	quánlìyǐfù	to do at all costs/to make an all-out effort	HSK6
热泪盈眶	rèlèiyíngkuàng	eyes brimming with tears of excitement (idiom)/extremely moved	HSK6
深情厚谊	shēnqínghòuyì	deep friendship	HSK6
实事求是	shíshìqiúshì	to seek truth from facts (idiom)/to be practical and realistic	HSK6
无理取闹	wúlǐqǔnào	unjustifiable	HSK6
相辅相成	xiāngfǔxiāngchéng	complement each other	HSK6
心甘情愿	xīngānqíngyuàn	willingly	HSK6
鸦雀无声	yāquèwúshēng	crow and peacock make no sound	HSK6
优胜劣汰	yōushèngliètài	survival of the fittest	HSK6
与日俱增	yǔrìjùzēng	to increase steadily	HSK6
再接再厉	zàijiēzàilì	to continue the struggle (idiom)	HSK6