Chinese Idioms

Draw a pancake to allay hunger – to feed on illusions

Lu Yu was a learned man of integrity who served as a senior official in the period of Three Kingdoms (220-280).

Once, the emperor of Wei was trying to fill a government post, and was studying a list of famous names put forward by his officials. The emperor said, "I want Lu Yu to select the right person, rather than choosing one of the well-known but useless individuals on this list. Fame is just like a pancake drawn on the wall. You cannot eat it."

Lu Yu suggested the emperor conduct examinations to find the best candidate. From that time on, officials were appointed according to their real ability and Lu Yu's method of selection was widely praised.

At first the idiom meant unjustified fame, but it later came to mean satisfying oneself by imagining things, or consoling oneself with false hopes.

Huà bǐng chōng jī
画饼充饥

三国时期（220－280），有一个正直的文人叫卢毓，在魏国做大官。

一次宫中选拔人才，官员们推荐了许多有名的人，魏国的皇帝说：“让卢毓来选人，我不要这些只有名声而没有真才实学的人。名声就像画在墙上的饼，不可以拿来吃。”

卢毓建议皇帝选拔和考试相结合。从此，皇帝根据个人的实际能力来任命官员。卢毓的方法得到了大家的称赞。

成语“画饼充饥”就来自于皇帝所说的话。最初，它指有名声而没本领。后来，人们用它来比喻以不切实际的空想来满足自己。

Chūn sè mǎn yuán
春色满园
Signs of spring are visible everywhere in the garden. Spring has arrived.

Mǎn miàn chūn fēng
满面春风
To be radiant; to beam with happiness

Xià lú dōng shàn
夏炉冬扇
Stoves in summer and fans in winter—things that do not meet the needs of the time; to take inappropriate measures

Qiū gāo qì shuǎng
秋高气爽
Clear sky and crisp air in autumn; bracing weather; fine autumn weather

Qiū fēng guò ěr
秋风过耳
A gust of autumn wind blows past the ear – going in one ear and out the other; advice that goes unheeded

Qiū fēnɡ sǎo luò yè
秋风扫落叶
The autumn wind blows away dead leaves – a powerful force makes a clean sweep of things.

Xǐ qì yáng yáng
喜气洋洋
Full of joy; radiant with happiness; jubilant

Huān tiān xǐ dì
欢天喜地
Wild with joy; overjoyed
Huān jù yī táng
欢聚一堂
Gather together happily under the same roof; be together on a happy occasion

Yī fān fēng shùn
一帆风顺
Plain or smooth sailing; successful career

Guó tài mín ān
国泰民安
The country enjoys prosperity and the people live in peace

Fán róng chāng shèng
繁荣昌盛
Thriving and prosperous

Luò huāng ér táo
落荒而逃
Take to the wilds; be defeated and flee the battle

Luò jǐng xià shí
落井下石
Drop stones on someone who has fallen into a well; hit a person when he is down

Qí gǔ xiāng dāng
旗鼓相当
Be equal in strength; be well matched

Qí kāi dé shèng
旗开得胜
Win a battle soon after the standard is raised; triumph in the first battle

Xīn hěn shǒu là
心狠手辣
Cruel and evil; vicious and merciless

Xīn huāng yì luàn
心慌意乱
Be fidgety and flustered; be alarmed and confused