Recently, A Dictionary of Chinese-English Idioms, compiled by Xu Huadong, the Executive Deputy Dean of the Belt and Road Research Institute at Dalian Maritime University and Chief Expert of a major research project in Philosophy and Social Sciences sponsored by the Ministry of Education, was officially published by the Commercial Press. The publication of the dictionary will help enhance the international dissemination of Chinese culture, promote mutual learning between Chinese and Western civilizations, and foster cultural exchanges between China and other countries.

An Essential Tool for Telling China's Story

Most Chinese idioms originate from ancient classics, fables, or historical allusions. They are concise in meaning, elegant in style, and follow a fixed structure. These idioms have been passed down for thousands of years. Loved and widely used, these idioms are not only brilliant linguistic gems but also the cultural essence refined by the Chinese nation over millennia.

A Dictionary of Chinese-English Idioms contains over 60,000 Chinese idioms and comprises more than 7 million characters, making it the largest and most comprehensive dictionary of its kind in terms of entries, examples, and volume. The dictionary is prefaced by renowned linguist and President of the China Association for Lexicography, Professor Li Yuming, and distinguished translator, Professor Gu Zhengkun from Peking University. It has been carefully reviewed by American sinologist Professor Danny Hsu. The publication of this dictionary serves as a reliable and practical essential reference book to enhance the international transmission of Chinese culture and to tell China's story effectively.

A Culturally Significant Endeavor

Chinese idioms encompass thousands of years of Chinese civilization and reflect the unique characteristics of the Chinese nation in various aspects, including history, lifestyle, culture, thinking, and language. They are imbued with the cultural heritage, life experiences, and linguistic wisdom of the Chinese nation. Translating them is truly a challenging task.

Professor Xu Huadong and his compilation team spent over a decade on A Dictionary of Chinese-English Idioms, making it a monumental and culturally significant endeavor. Over the years, Professor Xu has been dedicated to promoting China's rich traditional culture abroad and enhancing its international presence. The publication of A Dictionary of Chinese-English Idioms is another major achievement following his work as the chief editor of the first complete English translation of Gems of Classical Chinese Prose, published in bilingual Chinese-English edition.

A Dictionary of Chinese–English Idioms is funded by the National Publication Foundation and the Publication Planning Project for National Key Publications During the 14th Five-Year Plan Period. It is also one of the major outcomes of “Research on the Compilation of the Comprehensive Chinese–English Dictionary of Classical Chinese and the Construction of a Database”, a major research project in Philosophy and Social Sciences in 2021 sponsored by the Ministry of Education. This dictionary represents the highest standard of Chinese publishing and scholarship.

Quaint and elegant, Chinese idioms are treasures of both culture and language. They deserve to be preserved in the form of dictionaries, to be studied and passed down by present and future generations, and to be shared across the world as a common cultural heritage of humanity.

The publication of this dictionary serves as a catalyst for mutual learning between Chinese and Western civilizations and for cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. It also reflects Dalian Maritime University’s efforts in recent years to increase China’s cultural strength, boost confidence in culture, and enhance China’s international communication capacity under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Moreover, it plays a positive role in advancing the university’s new liberal arts construction, think-tank development, and the development of related academic disciplines.