Meaning: 抬举 (táijǔ) to praise or promote someone to show favor Usage: “抬举”的本义是抬高、举高。引申义为看重一个人，称赞或者培养提拔他。当批评一个人不懂得欣赏他人对自己的称赞时，口语中常说：“某人不识抬举”，说这句话时，通常带有不满的情绪。 “抬举” originally means to lift. It extendedly means to praise or promote someone to show favor. When criticizing someone who is unappreciative of others’ praise, orally we Continue Reading

Meaning: 瓜葛(guāgé) creeping vines; complicated relationship Usage: “瓜”和“葛”都是蔓生植物，本义是纠缠、纠纷，后来指人与人之间的亲属关系或社会关系，也指两件事件之间相牵连。 Both “瓜” and “葛” come from vines, so this phrase originally meant to twist and dispute. It now refers to family or social relationships. It can also mean a complicated relationship between Continue Reading

Meaning: 炮轰 (pàohōng) to bombard Usage: “炮轰”源自战争词语，指对某件事或某个人的言论进行言语攻击，表示极其不同意或不满。 “炮轰” is a term that comes from wartime. It refers to attacking something or someone’s speech to express disagreement or dissatisfaction. Examples: 1. 网友在论坛上炮轰国内食品安全问题。     Wǎngyǒu zài lùntán shàng pàohōng guónèi shípǐn ānquán Continue Reading

Meaning: 风靡 (fēngmǐ) fashionable Usage: “风靡”指某种商品、某项爱好、某个人在一段时间内非常流行。 “风靡” means some that a particular product, hobby, or person is very popular during a certain period of time. Examples: 1. 苹果手机正风靡全球。     Píngguǒ shǒujī zhèng fēngmǐ quánqiú     Apple’s iPhone is fashionable around Continue Reading

Meaning: 动真格 (dòngzhēngé) to do something seriously Usage: “动真格”指态度上认真地对待，行动上坚定地执行。 “动真格” means to form an opinion seriously and to take actions firmly. Examples: 1. 公司宣称要动真格地治理迟到现象。     Gōng sī xuānchēng yào dòngzhēngé de zhìlǐ chí dào xiàn xiàng     The company has Continue Reading

Meaning: 孝顺 (xiàoshùn) filial; filial piety Usage: “孝顺”是尽心地奉养父母，顺从父母的意志。是以情感和尊重为基础的，发自内心对长辈的热爱。 “孝顺” is to respect and support wholeheartedly one’s elders, as well as to defer to their authority. It means a love of older generation based on feelings and respect. Examples: 1. 孝顺父母是中华民族的传统美德。 Continue Reading

Meaning: 眉目 (méimù) signs of a positive outcome Usage: “眉目”本来指五官中的眉毛和眼睛，现在一般是指事情的头绪。 “眉目” originally meant the eyebrows and eyes, and now generally refers to signs of a positive outcome. Examples: 1. 项目的规划工作依然没有任何眉目。     Xiàngmù de guīhuà gōngzuò yīrán méiyǒu rènhé méimù Continue Reading

Meaning: 门槛 (ménkǎn) threshold, doorsill Usage: “门槛”本是指门框下端的横木条，古代建筑的“门槛”有重要的意义，古人认为门槛可以阻挡不利因素进入家里。后来“门槛”比喻进入某范围的标准或条件。 “门槛” is the wood at the bottom of a door. An ancient building’s “门槛” had great significance, as people then believed that they prevented bad things from entering the home. Later, “门槛” came Continue Reading

Meaning: 别扭 (bièniu) awkward, uncomfortable; to bicker Usage: “别扭”指气氛不融洽，让人感到尴尬、拘谨、不自在或指意见不统一。 “别扭” means when the atmosphere is not friendly, which makes people feel embarrassed, stiff, and uncomfortable. It also refers to disagreement. Examples: 1. 你们不要闹别扭啦，大度一点！     Nǐmen búyào nào bièniu lā, dàdù Continue Reading

Meaning: 独木桥 (dúmùqiáo) single-log bridge; difficult path Usage: “独木桥”指由一根木头搭成的桥，意为艰难、危险、有竞争力的途径。 “独木桥” means a bridge made of one log, which represents a difficult, dangerous, and competitive path. Examples: 1. 那年七月，我从通往大学的独木桥上栽落下来。     Nànián qīyuè, wǒ cóng tōngwǎng dàxué de dúmùqiáo shàng zāiluò xiàlái. Continue Reading