chengyu

C3H4E1N1G2Y4U1
/t͡ʃʌŋˈjuː//t͡ʃɛŋˈjuː/

noun

A certain kind of Chinese set phrase originating in Classical Chinese, typically four characters in length, and usually proverbial.

Scrabble 16
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Meanings

chengyu1

nounchengyu (plural chengyu)
  1. human sciencesA certain kind of Chinese set phrase originating in Classical Chinese, typically four characters in length, and usually proverbial.

Chengyu2

proper noun
  1. A surname. Of Chinese ancestry. Also used in English-language transliterations.

Origin

chengyu · noun

From Mandarin 成語／成语 (chéngyǔ).

Full word history & related roots →

Chengyu · proper noun

From Chinese.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Cantonese 成語 /成语
  • 成語 /成语certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Chinese Mandarin 成語 /成语
  • 成語 /成语 (chéngyǔ)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Finnish chengyu
  • chengyucertain kind of Chinese set phrase
French chengyu
  • chengyucertain kind of Chinese set phrase
German Chengyu
  • Chengyucertain kind of Chinese set phrase
Japanese 四字熟語, 四文字熟語
  • 四字熟語 (yojijukugo)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
  • 四文字熟語 (yomojijukugo)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
  • 成語 (seigo)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
  • 熟語 (jukugo)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
  • 故事成語 (kojiseigo)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
  • 四字成句 (yojiseiku)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Korean 사자성어(四字成語) 관용구, 성어
  • 사자성어(四字成語) 관용구 (sajaseong'eo)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
  • 성어 (seong'eo)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
  • 고사성어 (gosaseong'eo)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Malay chengyu
  • chengyucertain kind of Chinese set phrase
Russian чэнъю́й
  • чэнъю́й (čɛnʺjúj)certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Spanish chengyu
  • chengyucertain kind of Chinese set phrase
Vietnamese thành ngữ
  • thành ngữcertain kind of Chinese set phrase

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Yucheng
Cite this entry
APA

chengyu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chengyu

MLA

“chengyu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chengyu. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “chengyu,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/chengyu.

Source: chengyu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.