Chinese idioms starting with N

Four-character idioms (chengyu) from CC-CEDICT, sorted by pinyin.

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

• 拿手好戏 ná shǒu hǎo xì the role an actor plays best
• 耐人寻味 nài rén xún wèi thought-provoking; to provide food for thought
• 男扮女装 nán bàn nǚ zhuāng (of a man) to dress as a woman
• 难辞其咎 nán cí qí jiù cannot escape censure
• 难分难解 nán fēn nán jiě to become caught up in an irresolvable situation
• 难分难舍 nán fēn nán shě loath to part ; emotionally close and unwilling to separate
• 男欢女爱 nán huān nǚ ài passionate love
• 南箕北斗 Nán jī Běi dǒu lit. the Winnowing Basket in the southern sky, and the Big D
• 难解难分 nán jiě nán fēn hard to untie, hard to separate ; inextricably involved
• 难舍难分 nán shě nán fēn loath to part ; emotionally close and unwilling to separate
• 难舍难离 nán shě nán lí loath to part ; emotionally close and unwilling to separate
• 难兄难弟 nàn xiōng nàn dì companions in hardship; fellow sufferers
• 难言之隐 nán yán zhī yǐn a hidden trouble hard to mention
• 难以启齿 nán yǐ qǐ chǐ to be too embarrassed to mention sth
• 难以为继 nán yǐ wéi jì difficult to carry on; unsustainable
• 难以置信 nán yǐ zhì xìn hard to believe; incredible
• 难以自已 nán yǐ zì yǐ cannot control oneself
• 难于登天 nán yú dēng tiān harder than climbing to heaven
• 南辕北辙 nán yuán běi zhé to act in a way that defeats one's purpose
• 南征北伐 nán zhēng běi fá war on all sides ; fighting from all four quarters
• 南征北讨 nán zhēng běi tǎo war on all sides ; fighting from all four quarters
• 南征北战 nán zhēng běi zhàn war on all sides ; fighting from all four quarters
• 男尊女卑 nán zūn nǚ bēi to regard men as superior to women
• 囊空如洗 náng kōng rú xǐ penniless; broke
• 囊中取物 náng zhōng qǔ wù as easy as reaching for it from a bag
• 脑满肠肥 nǎo mǎn cháng féi overweight as a result of living a life of privilege
• 呶呶不休 náo náo bù xiū to chatter endlessly; to talk nonstop
• 恼羞成怒 nǎo xiū chéng nù to become enraged over a perceived humiliation
• 内忧外患 nèi yōu wài huàn internal trouble and outside aggression ; in a mess both dom
• 内忧外困 nèi yōu wài kùn internal trouble and outside aggression ; in a mess both dom
• 能歌善舞 néng gē shàn wǔ can sing and dance ; fig. a person of many talents
• 能说会道 néng shuō huì dào can talk really well ; the gift of the gab
• 能写会算 néng xiě huì suàn to be literate and numerate
• 能言善辩 néng yán shàn biàn glib of tongue
• 能者多劳 néng zhě duō láo it's the most capable people who do the most work (intended
• 逆耳之言 nì ěr zhī yán speech that grates on the ear ; bitter truths
• 泥古不化 nì gǔ bù huà conservative and unable to adapt
• 逆来顺受 nì lái shùn shòu to resign oneself to adversity ; to grin and bear it
• 呢喃细语 ní nán xì yǔ whispering in a low voice ; murmuring
• 泥牛入海 ní niú rù hǎi lit. a clay ox enters the sea ; fig. to disappear with no ho
• 泥沙俱下 ní shā jù xià mud and sand flow together
• 逆水行舟 nì shuǐ xíng zhōu lit. navigating a boat against the current
• 你死我活 nǐ sǐ wǒ huó lit. you die, I live ; irreconcilable adversaries
• 逆行倒施 nì xíng dào shī to go against the tide ; to do things all wrong
• 你争我夺 nǐ zhēng wǒ duó lit. you fight, I snatch ; to compete fiercely offering no q
• 年富力强 nián fù lì qiáng young and vigorous
• 年复一年 nián fù yī nián over the years; year after year
• 年高德劭 nián gāo dé shào to be advanced in both years and virtue
• 年功加俸 nián gōng jiā fèng increase in salary according to one's service record for the
• 拈花惹草 niān huā rě cǎo lit. to pick the flowers and trample the grass
• 年久失修 nián jiǔ shī xiū old and in a state of disrepair
• 年老力衰 nián lǎo lì shuāi old and weak
• 年老体弱 nián lǎo tǐ ruò old and weak
• 念念不忘 niàn niàn bù wàng to keep in mind constantly
• 粘皮带骨 nián pí dài gǔ (old) muddled; indecisive; plodding
• 年轻力壮 nián qīng lì zhuàng young and vigorous
• 年轻气盛 nián qīng qì shèng full of youthful vigor
• 年少无知 nián shào wú zhī young and inexperienced; unsophisticated
• 蔫头耷脑 niān tóu dā nǎo (coll.) (of a flower etc) droopy; withered; (of a person) li
• 鸟尽弓藏 niǎo jìn gōng cáng lit. the birds are over, the bow is put away ; fig. to get r
• 袅袅婷婷 niǎo niǎo tíng tíng (of a woman) elegant and supple
• 鸟枪换炮 niǎo qiāng huàn pào bird shotgun replaced by cannon ; equipment improved enormou
• 鸟语花香 niǎo yǔ huā xiāng lit. birdsong and fragrant flowers ; fig. the intoxication o
• 蹑手蹑脚 niè shǒu niè jiǎo to walk quietly on tiptoe
• 捏一把汗 niē yī bǎ hàn to break out into a cold sweat
• 宁静致远 níng jìng zhì yuǎn tranquility yields transcendence ; quiet life of profound st
• 宁缺毋滥 nìng quē wú làn better to have nothing (than substandard choice) ; would pre
• 宁死不屈 nìng sǐ bù qū rather die than submit
• 牛骥同槽 niú jì tóng cáo cow and famous steed at the same trough ; fig. the common an
• 牛骥同皂 niú jì tóng zào cow and famous steed at the same trough ; fig. the common an
• 牛角挂书 niú jiǎo guà shū lit. to hang one's books on cow horns
• 扭亏为盈 niǔ kuī wéi yíng to get into the black; to become profitable
• 牛山濯濯 niú shān zhuó zhuó treeless hills
• 牛溲马勃 niú sōu mǎ bó cow's piss, horse's ulcer ; worthless nonsense
• 牛衣对泣 niú yī duì qì couple living in destitute misery
• 扭转乾坤 niǔ zhuǎn qián kūn lit. to upend heaven and earth
• 弄假成真 nòng jiǎ chéng zhēn pretense that turns into reality ; to play at make-believe,
• 浓墨重彩 nóng mò zhòng cǎi thick and heavy in colors
• 弄虚作假 nòng xū zuò jiǎ to practice fraud ; by trickery
• 浓妆艳抹 nóng zhuāng yàn mǒ to apply makeup conspicuously
• 弄嘴弄舌 nòng zuǐ nòng shé to cause a dispute through boastful gossip
• 女扮男装 nǚ bàn nán zhuāng (of a woman) to dress as a man
• 怒不可遏 nù bù kě è unable to restrain one's anger ; in a towering rage
• 怒发冲冠 nù fà chōng guān lit. hair stands up in anger and tips off one's hat
• 驽马恋栈 nú mǎ liàn zhàn lit. a worn-out horse is reluctant to leave the stable
• 怒目而视 nù mù ér shì to glare at
• 怒目相向 nù mù xiāng xiàng to glower at each other
• 怒气冲冲 nù qì chōng chōng spitting anger; in a rage
• 女生外向 nǚ shēng wài xiàng a woman is born to leave her family
• 怒形于色 nù xíng yú sè to betray anger ; fury written across one's face
• 奴颜婢膝 nú yán bì xī servile and bending the knee ; fawning

Data: CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.