Chengyu!: China’s Most Popular Sayings, With Stories in Easy Chinese, Pinyin and English

Chengyu are traditional Chinese idioms, typically composed of four characters, that convey profound wisdom, historical events, or moral lessons in a concise and poetic form.

Some are well-known in the west, such as ＂Kill the goose that lays the golden egg＂ and ＂The frog in the well.＂ Others are almost unknown. But all of them provide fascinating insights into Chinese culture, attitudes, and day-to-day life.

Rooted in ancient literature, philosophy, and folklore, chengyu offer insight into Chinese culture, values, and way of thinking. Whether drawn from classic texts or legendary tales, each chengyu carries a deeper meaning beyond its literal words.

This wonderful collection of eighteen chengyu stories, written in easy Chinese, explores the origins, meanings, and modern relevance of these timeless phrases, making them accessible for language learners and anyone fascinated by the richness of Chinese language and storytelling. The tales are traditional but have been written with a modern twist.

The book is written using only 923 different Chinese words, most of which are in the HSK3 and HSK4 vocabulary. It is presented in Simplified Chinese characters and pinyin and includes an English translation and glossary of all words used.

A free audiobook is available on YouTube, on the Imagin8 Press channel.