“Chéngyǔ” (成语) are Chinese idioms that usually occur in groups of four characters and often originate from old fables in classical Chinese writing. As a testament to China’s long history and rich culture, chéngyǔ have persisted as a fundamental component of modern Chinese language in both formal writing and in everyday language. There are over 5000 chéngyǔ, with the average Chinese person today probably knowing around 200-400 of them. You really can’t claim to know Chinese without knowing some chéngyǔ!
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