Chinese Idiom Dictionaries
Chinese idioms (成语, chéngyǔ) can express a whole story or idea in just a few characters, which often makes their meaning difficult to guess from the words alone. Use these dictionaries to look up unfamiliar chengyu, understand their meanings and origins, see how they’re used, and find examples in context. They’re useful whether you encounter an idiom while reading or want to build a stronger, more natural Chinese vocabulary.
What Is a Chengyu? A chengyu (成语) is a fixed Chinese expression, most often made up of four characters. Many come from historical events, traditional stories, or classical literature, and knowing their origins can make the meaning easier to understand and remember.
Chinese Idiom Dictionaries: Websites & Apps
★ Find Chinese idioms using partial characters or their position within a four-character phrase. Chinese Converter's Chengyu Lookup is a free tool for finding Chinese idioms when you know only part of the expression. Search by one or more characters or specify their position, such as finding all chengyu beginning with 福. Results are available in simplified or traditional Chinese, with additional information, Chinese explanations, and stroke order. English explanations are not provided, making this tool best suited to learners who can read some Chinese or use it alongside a translator.
Free Web-Based
★ Learn over 1,000 Chinese idioms with English meanings, pinyin, historical origins, and usage examples. ChineseIdioms.com is a free online chengyu dictionary that lets learners search for idioms, browse by theme, and read explanations of their literal and figurative meanings. It also features curated collections on topics such as love, wisdom, and perseverance. Visit their website. A companion iOS app, ChengYu, offers daily idioms, pronunciation audio, and home screen widgets. The app is free with optional in-app purchases. Available on iOS.
Free / Paid Web-Based & App
★ Search over 22,000 Chinese idioms offline using characters, wildcards, or pinyin initials. Chinese Idiom Dictionary (成语词典简体版) is a simplified Chinese chengyu dictionary featuring definitions, pinyin, origins, synonyms, antonyms, and related expressions. Search for idioms even when you know only part of one, save favorites, and review your search history. The free version includes ads, while a paid upgrade unlocks more detailed explanations, historical references, usage notes, and example sentences. Available on Android and iOS.
Free / Paid App
★ Look up more than 30,000 Chinese idioms with English translations and detailed reference information. Chinese-Tools Chengyu Dictionary is a free online reference for Chinese idioms (成语). Entries include Chinese characters, pinyin, English meanings, Chinese explanations, synonyms, antonyms, and example sentences showing how expressions are used. Its extensive collection makes it particularly useful for intermediate and advanced learners, although beginners may find the Chinese-language explanations challenging.
Free Web-Based
★ Search more than 34,000 Chinese idioms using flexible character and pinyin searches. 成语词典 (Idiom Dictionary) is a free Chinese idiom reference app featuring detailed idiom explanations, searches by character position or pinyin initials, and categories organized by topic, grammatical pattern, and other characteristics. Additional features include favorites, personal notes, idiom guessing games, and typo challenges. Best suited to learners comfortable reading Chinese.
Free Android App
★ An in-depth reference covering approximately 8,000 Chinese idioms, including their meanings, origins, and usage. Pleco’s Duogongneng Chengyu Cidian (多功能成语词典) is a paid Chinese–Chinese dictionary add-on offering detailed definitions, synonyms, antonyms, historical quotations, usage notes, and comparisons with similar idioms. Recommended by Chinese learners for its depth, it is particularly useful for serious chéngyǔ study. Because explanations are in Chinese rather than English, it is best suited to intermediate and advanced learners. The add-on can be purchased through the Pleco app or on their website under Advanced Dictionaries. It requires the Pleco app and is not a standalone resource.
Paid Pleco Add-on
★ Explore thousands of Chinese idioms with detailed explanations, historical origins, and usage examples. The Ministry of Education's Dictionary of Chinese Idioms (教育部《成語典》) is a free, authoritative online reference from Taiwan featuring definitions, pronunciation in Pinyin and Zhuyin, historical sources, example sentences, and related idioms. It offers a basic version for learners and an advanced version with more detailed linguistic and literary information. Content is primarily in Traditional Chinese.
Free Web-BasedPrinted Chinese Idiom Dictionaries
★ Learn 500 frequently used Chinese idioms, ranked by frequency and explained with practical examples. 500 Common Chinese Idioms: An Annotated Frequency Dictionary by Liwei Jiao, Cornelius C. Kubler, and Weiguo Zhang is a reference book designed for intermediate to advanced Chinese learners. Each entry includes simplified and traditional characters, pinyin, literal and natural English translations, two example sentences, explanations, and usage notes. Many entries also provide synonyms, antonyms, and cultural background. The dictionary includes helpful indexes and free companion audio recordings of all 500 idioms.
Reference Book
★ Discover the fascinating historical stories behind 100 Chinese idioms through bilingual readings and illustrations. The Stories Behind 100 Chinese Idioms by Lingzhong A. Zhou explores the origins and cultural significance of 100 traditional Chinese idioms (chéngyǔ). Each idiom is presented with Chinese characters, pinyin, an English translation, and an illustration, followed by a short story explaining its origin in both Chinese and English. Additional annotations clarify historical references and unfamiliar expressions. Ideal for learners interested in Chinese history, culture, and improving their reading comprehension.
Story Collection
