Chinese idioms starting with R

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

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• 燃眉之急 rán méi zhī jí lit. the fire burns one's eyebrows ; fig. desperate situatio
• 染指垂涎 rǎn zhǐ chuí xián lit. dirty finger, mouth watering ; fig. greedy to seize sth
• 染指于鼎 rǎn zhǐ yú dǐng lit. dip one's finger in the tripod ; fig. to get one's fing
• 攘外安内 rǎng wài ān nèi to resist foreign aggression and pacify the interior of the
• 绕来绕去 rào lái rào qù meandering and circuitous ; to go around in circles and neve
• 绕梁三日 rào liáng sān rì reverberates around the rafters for three days ; fig. sonoro
• 饶舌调唇 ráo shé tiáo chún blabbing and showing off ; loud-mouthed trouble maker
• 绕膝承欢 rào xī chéng huān to live with one's parents, thus bringing them happiness
• 饶有风趣 ráo yǒu fēng qù bubbling with humor ; witty and interesting
• 热火朝天 rè huǒ cháo tiān in full swing
• 惹火烧身 rě huǒ shāo shēn stir up the fire and you get burnt ; to get one's fingers bu
• 热泪盈眶 rè lèi yíng kuàng eyes brimming with tears of excitement
• 热情洋溢 rè qíng yáng yì brimming with enthusiasm ; full of warmth
• 热血沸腾 rè xuè fèi téng to be fired up; to have one's blood racing; to be burning (w
• 人才济济 rén cái jǐ jǐ a galaxy of talent
• 人财两空 rén cái liǎng kōng to suffer the departure of sb (talented staff or one's spous
• 人定胜天 rén dìng shèng tiān man can conquer nature ; human wisdom can prevail over natur
• 人丁兴旺 rén dīng xīng wàng to be a flourishing family with many descendants
• 人多势众 rén duō shì zhòng many men, a great force ; many hands provide great strength
• 人浮于事 rén fú yú shì more hands than needed ; too many cooks spoil the broth
• 人喊马嘶 rén hǎn mǎ sī lit. people shouting and horses neighing
• 人迹罕至 rén jì hǎn zhì lit. men's footprints are rare
• 人给家足 rén jǐ jiā zú lit. each household provided for, enough for the individual
• 认鸡作凤 rèn jī zuò fèng (lit.) to mistake a chicken for a phoenix
• 人间地狱 rén jiān dì yù hell on earth ; suffering the torments of Buddhist hell whil
• 人杰地灵 rén jié dì líng illustrious hero, spirit of the place ; a place derives refl
• 人尽皆知 rén jìn jiē zhī known to everyone
• 人尽可夫 rén jìn kě fū (of a woman) promiscuous; loose
• 人困马乏 rén kùn mǎ fá riders tired and horses weary
• 人来人往 rén lái rén wǎng people coming and going; bustling with activity
• 任劳任怨 rèn láo rèn yuàn to work hard without complaint
• 人面兽心 rén miàn shòu xīn (lit.) human face, beastly heart
• 人命关天 rén mìng guān tiān human life is beyond value
• 人模狗样 rén mú gǒu yàng to pose
• 忍气吞声 rěn qì tūn shēng to submit to humiliation ; to suffer in silence
• 任其自然 rèn qí zì rán to let things take their course
• 人琴俱亡 rén qín jù wáng person and lute have both vanished
• 人去楼空 rén qù lóu kōng (lit.) the occupants have gone and the place is now empty
• 仁人君子 rén rén jūn zǐ people of good will ; charitable person
• 任人唯亲 rèn rén wéi qīn to practice nepotism or cronyism in making appointments
• 任人唯贤 rèn rén wéi xián to appoint people according to their merits ; appointment on
• 仁人义士 rén rén yì shì those with lofty ideals
• 任人宰割 rèn rén zǎi gē to get trampled on
• 仁人志士 rén rén zhì shì gentleman aspiring to benevolence ; people with lofty ideals
• 忍辱负重 rěn rǔ fù zhòng to endure humiliation as part of an important mission ; to s
• 人如其名 rén rú qí míng to live up to one's name; true to one's name
• 忍辱偷生 rěn rǔ tōu shēng to bear humiliation to save one's skin
• 人山人海 rén shān rén hǎi multitude; vast crowd
• 人谁无过 rén shéi wú guò Everyone makes mistakes
• 人声鼎沸 rén shēng dǐng fèi lit. a boiling cauldron of voices
• 人生如梦 rén shēng rú mèng life is but a dream
• 人生朝露 rén shēng zhāo lù human life as the morning dew ; fig. ephemeral and precariou
• 人寿年丰 rén shòu nián fēng long-lived people, rich harvests ; stable and affluent socie
• 人微言轻 rén wēi yán qīng what lowly people think counts for little
• 忍无可忍 rěn wú kě rěn more than one can bear ; at the end of one's patience
• 人五人六 rén wǔ rén liù to make a show of being decent and proper; to display phony
• 任贤使能 rèn xián shǐ néng to appoint the virtuous and use the able ; appointment on th
• 人心不古 rén xīn bù gǔ moral standards are much lower now than in former times
• 人心惶惶 rén xīn huáng huáng everyone is anxious
• 人心难测 rén xīn nán cè hard to fathom a person's mind
• 人烟稠密 rén yān chóu mì densely populated
• 人言籍籍 rén yán jí jí tongues are wagging
• 人言可畏 rén yán kě wèi gossip is a fearful thing
• 仁言利博 rén yán lì bó Words of benevolence apply universally . Humanitarian expres
• 人烟稀少 rén yān xī shǎo no sign of human habitation ; desolate
• 人言啧啧 rén yán zé zé everyone comments disapprovingly
• 人仰马翻 rén yǎng mǎ fān to suffer a crushing defeat
• 仁义道德 rén yì dào dé compassion, duty, propriety and integrity ; all the traditio
• 人云亦云 rén yún yì yún to say what everyone says
• 认贼作父 rèn zéi zuò fù lit. to acknowledge the bandit as one's father ; fig. a comp
• 人之常情 rén zhī cháng qíng human nature
• 仁至义尽 rén zhì yì jìn extreme benevolence, utmost duty ; meticulous virtue and att
• 人中龙凤 rén zhōng lóng fèng a giant among men
• 人走茶凉 rén zǒu chá liáng lit. when people leave, the tea cools
• 日薄崦嵫 rì bó Yān zī lit. the sun sets in Yanzi
• 日进斗金 rì jìn dǒu jīn to rake in money; to make money hand over fist
• 日久生情 rì jiǔ shēng qíng familiarity breeds fondness
• 日久岁深 rì jiǔ suì shēn for a long period of time; for a number of years
• 日落西山 rì luò xī shān the sun sets over western hills ; the day approaches its end
• 日暮途穷 rì mù tú qióng sunset, the end of the road ; in terminal decline
• 日晒雨淋 rì shài yǔ lín lit. exposed to sun and rain
• 日无暇晷 rì wú xiá guǐ no time to spare
• 日新月异 rì xīn yuè yì daily renewal, monthly change
• 日月如梭 rì yuè rú suō the sun and moon like a shuttle ; How time flies!
• 容光焕发 róng guāng huàn fā face glowing ; looking radiant
• 荣华富贵 róng huá fù guì glory, splendor, wealth and rank ; high position and great w
• 容华绝代 róng huá jué dài to be blessed with rare and radiant beauty
• 融会贯通 róng huì guàn tōng to integrate knowledge from various sources into a deep and
• 戎马生涯 róng mǎ shēng yá army life
• 荣辱与共 róng rǔ yǔ gòng (of friends or partners) to share both the honor and the dis
• 融为一体 róng wéi yī tǐ to fuse together
• 柔肠寸断 róu cháng cùn duàn lit. to feel as if one's intestines have been cut short
• 柔情脉脉 róu qíng mò mò full of tender feelings ; tender-hearted
• 柔情侠骨 róu qíng xiá gǔ gentle feelings and chivalrous disposition
• 肉眼凡胎 ròu yǎn fán tāi ignoramus
• 如臂使指 rú bì shǐ zhǐ as the arm moves the finger
• 如痴如醉 rú chī rú zuì enthralled; mesmerized; enraptured
• 如堕烟雾 rú duò yān wù as if degenerating into smoke ; ignorant and unable to see w
• 如法炮制 rú fǎ páo zhì lit. to follow the recipe
• 如鲠在喉 rú gěng zài hóu lit. as if having a fish bone stuck in one's throat
• 如虎添翼 rú hǔ tiān yì lit. like a tiger that has grown wings
• 如花似玉 rú huā sì yù delicate as a flower, refined as a precious jade
• 如簧之舌 rú huáng zhī shé lit. a tongue like a reed
• 如火如荼 rú huǒ rú tú like wildfire
• 如饥似渴 rú jī sì kě to hunger for sth ; eagerly
• 如金似玉 rú jīn sì yù like gold or jade
• 入境问俗 rù jìng wèn sú When you enter a country, enquire about the local customs ;
• 如雷贯耳 rú léi guàn ěr lit. like thunder piercing the ear
• 如临大敌 rú lín dà dí lit. as if meeting a great enemy
• 如临深渊 rú lín shēn yuān (lit.) as if on the brink of a deep abyss
• 如履薄冰 rú lǚ bó bīng (lit.) as if walking on thin ice
• 濡沫涸辙 rú mò hé zhé to help each other out in hard times
• 如鸟兽散 rú niǎo shòu sàn (lit.) to scatter like birds and beasts
• 如泣如诉 rú qì rú sù (lit.) as if weeping and complaining
• 如其所好 rú qí suǒ hào as one pleases
• 入情入理 rù qíng rù lǐ sensible and reasonable
• 如蛆附骨 rú qū fù gǔ lit. like maggots feeding on a corpse
• 如日中天 rú rì zhōng tiān lit. like the sun at noon
• 如丧考妣 rú sàng kǎo bǐ (lit.) as if in mourning for one's parents
• 如是我闻 rú shì wǒ wén so I have heard
• 如释重负 rú shì zhòng fù as if relieved from a burden
• 如数家珍 rú shǔ jiā zhēn lit. as if enumerating one's family valuables
• 入土为安 rù tǔ wéi ān buried and at rest ; Resquiescat in pacem (RIP)
• 入乡随俗 rù xiāng suí sú when in Rome, do as the Romans do
• 乳臭未干 rǔ xiù wèi gān lit. smell of breast milk not yet dried
• 如蚁附膻 rú yǐ fù shān like ants pursuing a stink ; the mob chases the rich and pow
• 如影随形 rú yǐng suí xíng (lit.) as the shadow follows the body
• 如蝇逐臭 rú yíng zhú chòu like flies pursuing a stink ; the mob chases the rich and po
• 如有所失 rú yǒu suǒ shī to seem as if something is amiss
• 如鱼得水 rú yú dé shuǐ like a fish back in water ; glad to be back in one's proper
• 孺子可教 rú zǐ kě jiào this young person is worth teaching (used to praise sb as pr
• 如坐针毡 rú zuò zhēn zhān lit. as if sitting on pins and needles
• 软磨硬泡 ruǎn mó yìng pào to coax and pester
• 弱不禁风 ruò bù jīn fēng (lit.) too weak to stand up to the wind
• 若即若离 ruò jí ruò lí lit. seeming neither close nor distant
• 弱肉强食 ruò ròu qiáng shí (lit.) the weak are prey to the strong
• 若无其事 ruò wú qí shì as if nothing had happened; calm and composed; nonchalant
• 若隐若现 ruò yǐn ruò xiàn faint; indistinct
• 若有所失 ruò yǒu suǒ shī as if one had lost something
• 若有所思 ruò yǒu suǒ sī looking pensive; thoughtfully

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