According to Wikipedia, there are 5,000 official/stringent Chengyus, while some dictionaries include well over 20,000 Chengyus. However, there are 111 Chengyus on the HSK 6 list. These are the ones you really need to learn.
I’ve divided them into idioms – those with stories, metaphors, literal idioms, and numbers.
HSK6 idioms (from HSK 6 Vocab list). English definitions from CC-CEDICT.
Idioms
东张西望 (dōngzhāngxīwàng)
to look in all directions (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla一举两得 (yījǔliǎngdé)
one move, two gains (idiom); two birds with one stone
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla南辕北辙 (nányuánběizhé)
to act in a way that defeats one’s purpose (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; YablaStory of someone driving in the wrong direction, someone tells him, ah you are going in the wrong direction, its ok, I have a great driver, lots of money etc.,
This story tells us, no matter what the situation is, we’d better first be sure we’re going the right way, and only then can we fully employ our other advantages, otherwise those advantages will just cause us pain
http://chinesereadingpractice.com/2011/01/20/the-story-behind-the-idiom%E3%80%80nanyuanbeizhe/
Numbers
丢三落四 (diūsānlàsì)
forgetful
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla千方百计 (qiānfāngbǎijì)
lit. thousand ways, a hundred plans (idiom); by every possible means
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
Double Phrase
吞吞吐吐 (tūntūntǔtǔ)
to hum and haw (idiom); to mumble as if hiding sth
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
Others
家喻户晓 (jiāyùhùxiǎo)
understood by everyone (idiom); well known
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
新陈代谢 (xīnchéndàixiè)
metabolism (biology); the new replaces the old (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
Metaphors
一丝不苟 (yīsībùgǒu)
not one thread loose (idiom); strictly according to the rules
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla川流不息 (chuānliúbùxī)
the stream flows without stopping (idiom); unending flow
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla一帆风顺 (yīfānfēngshùn)
propitious wind throughout the journey (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla悬崖峭壁 (xuányáqiàobì)
sheer cliffs and precipitous rock faces (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla拔苗助长 (bámiáozhùzhǎng)
to spoil things through excessive enthusiasm (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla斩钉截铁 (zhǎndīngjiétiě)
lit. to chop the nail and slice the iron (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla根深蒂固 (gēnshēndìgù)
deep-rooted (problem etc)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla滔滔不绝 (tāotāobùjué)
unceasing torrent (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla狼吞虎咽 (lángtūnhǔyàn)
to wolf down one’s food (idiom); to devour ravenously
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla画蛇添足 (huàshétiānzú)
lit. draw legs on a snake (idiom); fig. to ruin the effect by adding sth superfluous
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
锦上添花 (jǐnshàngtiānhuā)
lit. on brocade, add flowers (idiom); to decorate sth already perfect
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla雪上加霜 (xuěshàngjiāshuāng)
to add hail to snow (idiom); one disaster on top of another
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla鸦雀无声 (yāquèwúshēng)
lit. crow and peacock make no sound; absolute silence (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
Literal
不可思议 (bùkěsīyì)
inconceivable (idiom); unimaginable (can’t imagine)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla一目了然 (yīmùliǎorán)
obvious at a glance (idiom) – English Equivalent – “An open book”
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla不屑一顾 (bùxièyīgù)
to disdain as beneath contempt (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
不择手段 (bùzéshǒuduàn)
by fair means or foul
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
举世瞩目 (jǔshìzhǔmù)
to receive worldwide attention
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
举足轻重 (jǔzúqīngzhòng)
to play a critical role (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
争先恐后 (zhēngxiānkǒnghòu)
striving to be first and fearing to be last (idiom); outdoing one another
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
任重道远 (rènzhòngdàoyuǎn)
a heavy load and a long road
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
众所周知 (zhòngsuǒzhōuzhī)
as everyone knows (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
优胜劣汰 (yōushèngliètài)
survival of the fittest (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
侃侃而谈 (kǎnkǎnértán)
to speak frankly with assurance
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
供不应求 (gōngbùyìngqiú)
supply does not meet demand
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
兢兢业业 (jīngjīngyèyè)
cautious and conscientious
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
兴致勃勃 (xìngzhìbóbó)
to become exhilarated (idiom); in high spirits
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
兴高采烈 (xìnggāocǎiliè)
happy and excited (idiom)
兴高采烈，喜不自胜 English: “Walking on Sunshine”
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
再接再厉 (zàijiēzàilì)
to continue the struggle (idiom); to persist
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
力所能及 (lìsuǒnéngjí)
as far as one’s capabilities extend (idiom); to the best of one’s ability
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
半途而废 (bàntú’érfèi)
to give up halfway (idiom); leave sth unfinished
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla一如既往 (yīrújìwǎng)
just as in the past (idiom); as before
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
博大精深 (bódàjīngshēn)
wide-ranging and profound
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
各抒己见 (gèshūjǐjiàn)
everyone gives their own view
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
名副其实 (míngfùqíshí)
not just in name only, but also in reality (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
后顾之忧 (hòugùzhīyōu)
fears of trouble in the rear (idiom); family worries (obstructing freedom of action)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
喜闻乐见 (xǐwénlèjiàn)
to love to hear and see (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
天伦之乐 (tiānlúnzhīlè) (relation with heaven)
family love and joy
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
实事求是 (shíshìqiúshì)
to seek truth from facts (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
小心翼翼 (xiǎoxīnyìyì)
cautious and solemn (idiom); very carefully
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
岂有此理 (qǐyǒucǐlǐ)
how can this be so? (idiom); preposterous
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
废寝忘食 (fèiqǐnwàngshí)
to neglect sleep and forget about food (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
得不偿失 (débùchángshī)
the gains do not make up for the losses (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
得天独厚 (détiāndúhòu)
blessed by heaven (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
循序渐进 (xúnxùjiànjìn)
in sequence, step by step (idiom); to make steady progress incrementally
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
心甘情愿 (xīngānqíngyuàn)
delighted to (do sth, idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
急于求成 (jíyúqiúchéng)
anxious for quick results (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
急功近利 (jígōngjìnlì)
seeking instant benefit (idiom); shortsighted vision, looking only for fast return
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
想方设法 (xiǎngfāngshèfǎ)
to think up every possible method (idiom); to devise ways and means
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
无微不至 (wúwēibùzhì)
in every possible way (idiom); meticulous (The devil is in the detail)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
无忧无虑 (wúyōuwúlǜ)
carefree and without worries (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
无理取闹 (wúlǐqǔnào)
to make trouble without reason (idiom); to be deliberately provocative
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
无精打采 (wújīngdǎcǎi)
dispirited and downcast (idiom); listless
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
日新月异 (rìxīnyuèyì)
daily renewal, monthly change (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
有条不紊 (yǒutiáobùwěn)
regular and thorough (idiom); methodically arranged
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
朝气蓬勃 (zhāoqìpéngbó)
full of youthful energy (idiom); vigorous
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
欣欣向荣 (xīnxīnxiàngróng)
(idiom) flourishing
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
津津有味 (jīnjīnyǒuwèi)
with keen interest pleasure (idiom); with gusto
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
潜移默化 (qiányímòhuà)
imperceptible influence
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
热泪盈眶 (rèlèiyíngkuàng)
eyes brimming with tears of excitement (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
爱不释手 (àibùshìshǒu)
to love sth too much to part with it (idiom); to fondle admiringly
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
物美价廉 (wùměijiàlián)
good quality and cheap
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla理所当然 (lǐsuǒdāngrán)
as it should be by rights (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla理直气壮 (lǐzhíqìzhuàng)
in the right and self-confident (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
相辅相成 (xiāngfǔxiāngchéng)
to complement one another (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
知足常乐 (zhīzúchánglè)
satisfied with what one has (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
礼尚往来 (lǐshàngwǎnglái)
lit. proper behavior is based on reciprocity (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
称心如意 (chènxīnrúyì)
after one’s heart (idiom); gratifying and satisfactory
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
竭尽全力 (jiéjìnquánlì)
to spare no effort (idiom); to do one’s utmost
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
精打细算 (jīngdǎxìsuàn)
meticulous planning and careful accounting (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
精益求精 (jīngyìqiújīng)
to perfect sth that is already outstanding (idiom); constantly improving
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
统筹兼顾 (tǒngchóujiāngù)
an overall plan taking into account all factors
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
聚精会神 (jùjīnghuìshén)
to concentrate one’s attention (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
肆无忌惮 (sìwújìdàn)
absolutely unrestrained
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
自力更生 (zìlìgēngshēng)
regeneration through one’s own effort (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
苦尽甘来 (kǔjìngānlái)
bitterness finishes, sweetness begins (idiom); the hard times are over, the good times just beginning
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
莫名其妙 (mòmíngqímiào)
(idiom) baffling / unable to speak out the subtleties within. Explanation here.
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
见义勇为 (jiànyìyǒngwéi)
to see what is right and act courageously (idiom, from Analects)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
见多识广 (jiànduōshìguǎng)
experienced and knowledgeable (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
迫不及待 (pòbùjídài)
impatient (idiom); in a hurry
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
锲而不舍 (qiè’érbùshě)
to chip away at a task and not abandon it (idiom); to chisel away at sth
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
风土人情 (fēngtǔrénqíng)
local conditions and customs (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
饱经沧桑 (bǎojīngcāngsāng)
having lived through many changes
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
齐心协力 (qíxīnxiélì)
to work with a common purpose (idiom); to make concerted efforts
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
Similar ones?
层出不穷 (céngchūbùqióng)
more and more emerge (come out one after another)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla无穷无尽 (wúqióngwújìn)
endless
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla络绎不绝 (luòyìbùjué)
continuously; in an endless stream (idiom)
Baike; Jukuu; Yabla
Not counted: 二氧化碳 (carbon dioxide), 公共汽车 (bus), 名胜古迹 (historical sites), 微不足道 (negligible), 烟花爆竹 (firecrackers), 电子邮件 (email), 高速公路 (expressway), 通货膨胀 (inflation), 飞禽走兽 (birds and animals), 讨价还价 (haggle over price).
Others
There are 5000+ chengyus and there are lots more interesting Chengyus with interesting stories.
Check out the links below:
– Fluentu Chengyus
– Carl Gene
– 5 Common Chengyus
– TravelChinaCheaper
三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮 – The wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual or many minds are better than one.
Okay now for a hard one that will really impress Chinese locals! This chengyu originates from a mastermind named Zhuge Liang from the Warring States Period
马马虎虎 / mǎmǎhūhū – Just so-so or a careless person
This is usually the first chengyu anyone taking a course in Chinese will learn because it’s really easy to use.
When someone asks you questions like, “How was your meal?” or, “How was the movie?”, you can simply respond with “mǎmǎhūhū” if it was nothing great.
入乡随俗 / rùxiāngsuísú – When in Rome, do as the Romans do
When visiting China, you’re bound to deal with plenty of culture shock. When I first visited China in 2010, getting used to the food was my biggest cultural adjustment.
To help me adjust, locals often used this idiom on its own as an encouragement encouragement. You’re likely to hear it as well should you encounter any strong culture shock while in China.
说曹操，曹操就到 / Shuō cáocāo, cáocāo jiù dào – Speak of the devil and he shall appear
While a bit of a tongue twister, this chengyu is quite common and easy to use given it has an English equivalent that most of us have heard before.
Simply say this phrase when you are talking about someone and they suddenly appear out of nowhere.
叶公好龙 / yègōnghàolóng – To pretend to like something when actually you hate or fear it
How many times in your life have you pretended to like something when you actually hate it?
幸灾乐祸 / xìngzāilèhuò – To gloat about someone else’s misfortune
Have you ever fallen down and instead of getting a helping hand from your friend, they laugh instead and make you feel even more embarrassed?
In these types of situations, should you encounter them in China, you can say, “不要幸灾乐祸！/ bùyào xìngzāilèhuò!” or, “Don’t gloat on my misfortune!”
骑驴找驴 / qí lǘ zhǎo lǘ – To look for something that’s right under your nose
Looking for a donkey, when riding the donkey
一石二鸟 / yīshí’èrniǎo – To kill two birds with one stone
Almost any idiom in English can also be expressed in Chinese like this one.
To use 一石二鸟 / yīshí’èrniǎo, you can start by introducing your master plan or comment on someone else’s plan by saying, “这样很好。可以一石二鸟。/ Zhèyàng hěn hǎo. Kěyǐ yīshí’èrniǎo” or, “This is really good. You can kill two birds with one stone.”
抛砖引玉 (pāo zhuān yǐn yù)
抛砖引玉 (pāo zhuān yǐn yù) basically means you’re “just tossing an idea out there.” It literally means “to cast a brick to attract jade.” You’re basically saying, “this idea I’m tossing out there is garbage, but perhaps it will lead one of you to make a better contribution.” It’s a humble way to contribute to a conversation. Here’s an example: “我的建议还不够成熟，算是抛砖引玉吧 “ “wǒ de jiàn yì hái bú gòu chéng shú, suàn shì pāo zhuān yǐn yù ba “ “My suggestion is still half-baked — you could see it as just me tossing an idea out there“
司空见惯 sīkōngjiànguàn
Baidu Hits: 14,400,000 Google Hits: 8,570,000
Explanation (解释): Long story short – 司空 comes from the title of “the Minister of Construction” in ancient China who commented on “sing-song girls” during a feast as 见惯 (“a common sight”).
Translation (翻译): To be an everyday occurrence; nothing unusual.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (unless you can think of one).
Example (例子): 在中国，闯红灯是司空见惯的事。Zài Zhōngguó, chuǎnghóngdēng shì sīkōngjiànguàn de shì. — In China, people running red lights is a common sight.
一鸣惊人 yīmíngjīngrén
Baidu Hits: 11,600,000 Google Hits: 7,760,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “one chirp [which] surprises people”, a metaphor for someone suddenly displaying talent.
Translation (翻译): To become famous overnight.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To set the world on fire.
Example (例子): 李玉春一鸣惊人。Lǐ Yǔchūn yīmíngjīngrén. — Li Yuchun became famous overnight.
乱七八糟 luànqībāzāo
Baidu Hits: 59,300,000 Google Hits: 4,200,000
Explanation (解释): 乱 (“chaotic”) + 七 (“seven”) + 八 (“eight”) + 糟 (“rotten; in a wretched state”)
Translation (翻译): To be in a huge mess.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To be at sixes and sevens.
Example (例子): 这个公司的管理乱七八糟。Zhè ge gōngsī de guǎnlǐ luànqībāzāo. — This company’s administration is a complete mess.
一见钟情 yījiànzhōngqíng
Baidu Hits: 37,200,000 Google Hits: 3,850,000
Explanation (解释): 一见 (“upon first seeing”) + 钟情 (“to fall deeply in love”)
Translation (翻译): To fall in love at first sight.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): Same as above.
Example (例子): 我跟我的男朋友一见钟情。Wǒ gēn wǒ de nán péngyǒu yījiànzhōngqíng. — I fell in love with my bofriend at first sight.
自相矛盾 zìxiāngmáodùn
Baidu Hits: 9,270,000 Google Hits: 747,000
Explanation (解释): 自相 (“self-”) + 矛盾 (“contradictory”), from the famous story about the man who bragged he could sell a spear (矛) that could pierce anything in the world and a shield (盾) that was impenetrable to any spear, an obvious paradox.
Translation (翻译): To contradict oneself.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): None (I’m guessing).
Example (例子): 你说的话自相矛盾。Nǐ shuō de huà zìxiāngmáodùn. — You’re contradicting yourself.
守口如瓶 shǒukǒurúpíng
Baidu Hits: 5,220,000 Google Hits: 438,000
Explanation (解释): Literally,”to keep [one’s] mouth shut, like [a] bottle.”
Translation (翻译): To keep one’s mouth shut; to not breathe a word.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To keep one’s lips sealed.
Example (例子): 总理对这个问题守口如瓶。Zǒnglǐ duì zhège wèntí shǒukǒurúpíng. — The president was tight-lipped about this issue.
塞翁失马 sàiwēngshīmǎ
Baidu Hits: 4,800,000 Google Hits: 319,000
Explanation (解释): 塞翁失马: ”When the old man from the frontier lost his horse…”, often followed by the second part 焉知非福: ”How could one have known that it would not be fortuitous?” You can read more about the story in both English and Chinese at Wiktionary.
Translation (翻译): A setback may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): A blessing in disguise; every cloud has a silver lining.
Example (例子): 我 不小心摔倒了，碰伤了自己，但却在地板上发现了一张50元的纸币，真是塞翁失马 啊！Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn shuāi dǎo le, pèng shāng le zìjǐ, dàn què zài dìbǎn shàng fāxiàn le yī zhāng wǔ shí yuán de zhǐbì, zhēnshi sàiwēngshīmǎ a— I fell over and hurt myself, but on the floor I found a fifty dollar note – what a blessing in disguise!
对牛弹琴 duìniútánqín
Baidu Hits: 4,400,000 Google Hits: 276,000
Explanation (解释): “To play a qin (a traditional Chinese musical instrument) to a cow.”
Translation (翻译): To address the wrong listener.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): To cast pearls before swine. (old-fashioned)
Example (例子): 跟一个不讲道理的人讲道理是对牛弹琴。Gēn yīgè bù jiǎng dàolǐ de rén jiǎng dàolǐ shì duìniútánqín. — Trying to talk sense to an irrational person is like casting pearls before swine.
九牛一毛 jiǔniúyīmáo
Baidu Hits: 3,190,000 Google Hits: 225,000
Explanation (解释): Literally, “nine cows, one hair.”
Translation (翻译): An insignificant number in the midst of an enormous quantity.
Similar English Expression (类似英文成语): A drop in the ocean; a drop in a bucket.
Example (例子): 一块钱对一个大款来说是九牛一毛。Yīkuài qián duì yīgè dàkuǎn lái shuō shì jiǔniúyīmáo. — One dollar to a millionaire is a drop in the ocean.
