Chinese proverbs and idioms are commonly used in daily conversations among the Chinese.There are dozens of these sayings that pertain to Chinese cities and provinces and knowing them can help you understand Chinese life and culture better.Not only that, but they also make great captions for your social media posts.

Here are some famous Chinese proverbs and idioms that you can use to describe your travels around China.

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Beijing

1.不到长城非好汉。Bù dào Chángchéng fēi hǎo hàn.

If you don’t reach the Great Wall, you are not a true hero.

2.水能载舟，亦能覆舟。Shuǐ néng zài zhōu, yì néng fù zhōu.

Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.

This proverb is also about the role of the emperor. From his home in Beijing’s Forbidden City, the Chinese emperor would rule his land and people. If the emperor ruled well, the people would support him, but if things went wrong, the people could rise up in a revolt against him.

3.车水马龙 Chēshuǐmǎlóng.

An endless stream of horses and carriages, busy traffic.

Beijing is notorious for its traffic jams, and you can use this idiom to describe your taxi ride during rush hour.

 

Chengdu

4. 蜀道之难，难于上青天。Shǔ dào zhī nán, nányú shàng qīngtiān.

The road to Sichuan is harder than ascending to the heavens.

Sichuan was an ancient kingdom that existed from 221-263 BCE in modern-day Sichuan Province, Chongqing, and parts of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Shaanxi Provinces. To this day, Sichuan is known as Chengdu’s nickname. The Qionglai and Longmen mountains border Chengdu on the north and west, making it very difficult for ancient Chinese travelers to get to Sichuan.

5.天府之国 Tiānfǔzhīguó.

The land of abundance, describing Sichuan Province.

 

Guilin and Yangshuo

6. 桂林山水甲天下，阳朔山水甲桂林。Guìlín shānshuǐ jiǎ tiānxià, yángshuò shānshuǐ jiǎ guìlín.

Guilin’s scenery is the best in the world, while Yangshuo’s scenery is the best in Guilin.

7.青山绿水 Qīngshān lǜ shuǐ.

Green mountains and clear waters- beautiful scenery.

 

Shanghai

8. 灯红酒绿 Dēnghóngjiǔlǜ.

Bright lights, bustling streets, and a corrupted environment.

Shanghai is known for its party scene, and this idiom reflects that.

9.洋场恶少 Yángchǎng èshào.

Foreign adventurers and their misdeeds, rich and arrogant young people.

In the early twentieth century, Shanghai was filled with foreigners arriving in China from around the world to seek adventure and their fortunes. Unfortunately, some of these foreigners became rather notorious for gambling and other crimes around the city. This idiom refers