成语不能言语（成语要慎用）

中国的成语通常由四个字组成，其表达的意思往往超过字面含义。很多成语都来自典故、神话或真实故事。能够在对话中使用成语代表了一个人的文化修养。

如果一个外国人能够熟练地使用成语，那说明他对中国的文化和历史非常了解。

在西方国家，英国成语的使用已经没有那么普遍，但时不时使用一下可以达到一针见血的效果。汉语大约有20000个成语，有些比较容易理解，比如“一路顺风”、“一路平安”。还有一些成语从字面上看不出意思，你必须了解其中的典故。比如“马马虎虎”这个成语，说的是宋代京城有一位画家，画什么都随心所欲。一次他刚画了一个虎头，一位朋友刚好来拜访，提出他想画马，他就在虎头下面画了马身子，朋友问他：你这画的是什么？答曰：“马马虎虎。”他的意思是说，这二者都差不多。而他的大儿子看到后问：“这画的是什么？”他回答说是马。等到二儿子问他时，他说是虎。

画家这么“马虎”地一解释，两个儿子也就分不清马和虎了。一天，大儿子外出打猎，竟把人家的马当虎射死了，画家不得不给马主赔钱。而他的小儿子外出碰上老虎，却以为是马，就去骑，结果被老虎活活咬死了。

另外一个成语故事“塞翁失马”说的是战国时期有一位老人，名叫塞翁。他养了许多马，一天马群中忽然有一匹走失了。邻居们听到这事，都来安慰他不必太着急，但塞翁却说：“丢了一匹马损失不大，没准还会带来福气。”过了没几天，丢马不仅自动回家，还带回一匹骏马。塞翁却忧虑地说：“白白得了一匹好马，不一定是什么福气，也许惹出什么麻烦来。”塞翁有个独生子，非常喜欢骑马。他非常喜欢带回来的这匹马，每天都骑马出游，心中洋洋得意。一天，他高兴的有些过火，从马背上跌下来，摔断了腿。塞翁说：“没什么，腿摔断了却保住了性命，或许是福气呢。”邻居们觉得他又在胡言乱语。他们想不出，摔断腿会到来什么福气。不就，匈奴兵大举入侵，青年人被应征入伍，塞翁的儿子因为摔断了腿，不能去当兵。入伍的青年都战死了，唯有塞翁的儿子保全了性命。

在使用成语的时候你必须十分小心，因为成语只有四个字，这中间有些字义是省略了的，外国人很难把握。中国人使用英语试不是件很容易的事。有一次在一个饭局上，一个中国的翻译想要称赞一位加拿大的首脑酒量很好，中文应该是“海量”，但是这个翻译却用了“你喝酒像鱼一样”这个成语。其实是个贬义的成语，用来形容酒鬼的。

使用成语是把双刃剑，有些成语很复杂，需要理解背后的历史；还有些比较简单有趣，说出来会让你的朋友刮目相看。

Chinese Idioms or Cheng Yu成语are Chinesephrases that are used to represent a situation. These idioms are usually four characters although there are some phrases with odd pairing or two sets ofthree characters. They are always balanced and have more meaning that just defining the four individual characters.

They are usually derived from ancient stories, myth or real. It is a measure of a person's intellect, if he or she can use idioms in their conversations. This is especially true if used by expats because it shows that the speaker has knowledge of Chinese culture and history beyond just being able to learn and speak Mandari.

It is estimated that there are over 20.000 idioms in the Chinese language. Some are quite simple and can be used easily to raise the level of your conversational skills with your Chinese friends. It is also a good way to learn Chinese and have your friends add to your vocabulary of idioms.

English idioms are not as commonly used inthe West but they are frequent and sometimes a few words in the form of a sayingwill get the point across faster and with more emphasis.

Some simple, common ones are: Yi Lu ShunFeng一路顺风, Literal meaning: Trip with Prevailing Winds or Yi Lu Ping An一路平安, theliteral meaning Peaceful Trip.

These two idioms are very appropriate to be used when your friends are leaving on a long trip. The equivalent in English is“Bon Voyage", origin is French and means: "Good Journey”, another similar idiom is “God's Speed” This Is a Christian derivative, giving ablessing or a prayer for a safe Trip.

A very common Chinese idiom is Ma Ma Hu Hu :马马虎虎, which literally means: Horse Horse Tiger Tiger.

This is a negative idiom and originates from a fable of an artist that was drawing a tiger and then someone interrupted him asked him to draw a horse. Instead of drawing two paintings, He just added the body of the horseto the painting of the tiger. Later his youngest son came by and asked what was the painting, He said it was a horse. When his eldest son asked, he said it was a tiger. The youngest son then went into the forest and saw a tiger and thinking It was a horse, tried to ride it and was eaten alive. The second son saw a priceless stallion and thinking it was a tiger, drew his bow and arrow and killed the horse.

From that day on, the people in the county called The father Mr. MaHu (马虎Horse Tiger) that represents carelessness or being so-so. You can use this phrase to describe a person or an object, such as after tasting a dish and if you are asked, "How was it?” your negative reply is “So-So” Ma Ma Hu Hu 马马虎虎.

“A blessing in disguise." Or“Every dark cloud has a silver lining." Has a Chinese equivalent:"Sai Weng Shi Ma寒翁失马". The literal meaningis: "The old man at the border loses his horse”. This idiom is a fable of an old man that livedin a border state. One day his horse ran off to the neighboring state and hisservant told him the bad news. But the owner was not sad and said “Maybe it is not a bad thing”. Sure enough in a few days, his horse came back and brought with him several new horses.

Then the owner's son fell during riding one of these horses and crippled his arm. The owner's servant expressed his sympathy, but the owner repeated, maybe this is not a bad thing. Then thetwo neighbor states went to war and all young men were conscripted and most died in battle. However, since the owner's son was crippled, he was spared.

A Chinese idiom to describe acheap or stingy person (a Cheapskate) is "Yi Mao Bu Ba一毛不拔”, literal meaning: one hair willnot be removed.

This idiom is used for describinga selfish person or situation and comes from an ancient story In the WarringStates period (403BC), there were all sorts of philosophies prevalent at thetime. The thinker Mozi, advocated for the love of mankind towards each otherand for helping. Another thinker called Yang Zhu, said all actions came from self-interest.

One day, Mozi's student Qin HuaLi came up to Yang Zhu and asked: “if you could help the whole world by only pulling out one of your hairs, would you be willing to do it?' Yang Zhu answered: "There is no such problem that could be solved by pulling out a hair "But if it could?", insisted Qin.

However, Yang Zhu still didn't show himself ready to do so.

These next idioms are modern withno reference to ancient fables. Jin Shang Tian Hua锦上添花 means embroidery adding flowers.The English equivalent is "The Icing on the Cake".

The meaning is to make perfection more perfect or being superfluous. An example would be if you saw a beautifulgirl planning to wear a gorgeous dress, which would be considered the icing onthe cake, since she was already so beautiful.

Another current idiom is Xin Xiang Shi Cheng心想事成 meaning: The heart desires, the thing will happen. " Whatever the heart desires will happen" is the English equivalent; this idiom can be used when you want to encourage someone to follow through and have dedication to a purpose or a goal.

One has to be careful when using idioms because in order to keep within the four character statute, some words are left out andconsidered understood and for us foreigners, where Chinese is our second language, it is difficult to catch the meaning or remember the correct phrase.

The same holds true for English idioms. I recallan interpreter translating a Chinese official who was complimenting a highlevel Canadian premier with his ability to consume Mao-tai, the strong Chinese white liquor. The Chinese phrase was "You have the capacity of the ocean." but the translation was “You drink like a fish." Which is negative and derogatory meaning a person is an alcoholic.

So good luck with your idioms, just remember that some are very complex and will requireunderstanding of the history, while others are simple and fun; to impress your friends.