Chinese idioms (成语 — chéng yǔ) are four-character phrases that carry deep meaning drawn from ancient stories. Many of the most memorable idioms feature animals. This article introduces 10 popular animal idioms with their stories, pinyin, and usage.
10 Animal Idioms for Kids
1. 井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā) — The Frog in the Well
Meaning: Someone with a narrow view of the world.
Story: A frog lived at the bottom of a well, thinking the sky was only as big as the opening above. A sea turtle told him about the vast ocean, and the frog realised how small his world really was.
2. 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù) — Guarding the Stump Waiting for a Rabbit
Meaning: Relying on luck instead of hard work.
Story: A farmer saw a rabbit run into a tree stump and die. He stopped farming and waited for another rabbit, but none came. His field went to waste.
3. 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) — Drawing a Snake and Adding Feet
Meaning: Ruining something by adding unnecessary details.
Story: Men raced to draw a snake for a pot of wine. The winner added feet to his snake. Another said "Snakes don't have feet!" and took the wine.
4. 狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) — The Fox Borrows the Tiger's Fierceness
Meaning: Using someone else's power to intimidate others.
Story: A tiger caught a fox. The fox claimed to be king of animals and walked ahead. Animals fled — not from the fox, but from the tiger behind him.
5. 鹤立鸡群 (hè lì jī qún) — A Crane Among Chickens
Meaning: Standing out from the crowd; being outstanding.
6. 对牛弹琴 (duì niú tán qín) — Playing the Lute to a Cow
Meaning: Wasting effort on the wrong audience.
7. 盲人摸象 (máng rén mō xiàng) — Blind People Touching an Elephant
Meaning: Judging based on partial understanding.
8. 龙飞凤舞 (lóng fēi fèng wǔ) — Dragons Flying and Phoenixes Dancing
Meaning: Lively and magnificent; also describes flowing calligraphy.
9. 马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) — Success When the Horse Arrives
Meaning: Instant success; a wish for quick victory. People say this before exams.
10. 鸡飞狗跳 (jī fēi gǒu tiào) — Chickens Flying and Dogs Jumping
Meaning: Complete chaos and commotion.
Activity: Act It Out
- Draw the idiom: Choose one idiom and draw the literal meaning.
- Guess the idiom: One person acts out the story, others guess which idiom it is.
- Use in a sentence: Write one sentence using each idiom.
For more idioms and stories, see Chinese idiom stories, Chinese zodiac animals, and pet and animal sounds.