20 Funny Chinese Sayings (2026 Updated with Audios)

Learning Chinese is not just about words and tones. Chinese idioms and sayings are also essentials and helpful for you to rise to the next level. There are some Chinese funny sayings that not only crack you up but also open the door to rich cultural wisdom. Ready for a chuckle-filled language adventure? Let’s explore some hilarious gems with WuKong Education!

Funny Chinese Sayings

1. 瞎子点灯 —— 白费蜡 (xiā zi diǎn dēng —— bái fèi là)

• Pinyin: xiā zi diǎn dēng —— bái fèi là
• Meaning: Literally “a blind person lighting a candle, just wasting wax.” It means doing something completely useless, putting in effort that yields no result.
• When to use: When someone spends time on a task with zero chance of success, e.g., “Trying to convince him to change his mind is like xiā zi diǎn dēng —— bái fèi là.”

2. 骑驴找驴 (qí lǘ zhǎo lǘ)

• Pinyin: qí lǘ zhǎo lǘ
• Meaning: Literally “riding a donkey while looking for the same donkey.” It describes searching for something that’s already right by your side (or even on you).
• When to use: When someone searches everywhere for an item that’s with them all along, e.g., “She spent an hour looking for her glasses, only to find them on her head—total qí lǘ zhǎo lǘ!”

3. 皇帝不急太监急 (huáng dì bù jí tài jiān jí)

• Pinyin: huáng dì bù jí tài jiān jí
• Meaning: Literally “the emperor isn’t in a hurry, but his eunuch is panicking.” It means the person directly involved isn’t worried, but bystanders are over-anxious on their behalf.
• When to use: When someone meddles and stresses about a situation that doesn’t even bother the main person involved, e.g., “He’s taking his time with the exam, but his mom is pacing the hall—huáng dì bù jí tài jiān jí!”

4. 搬起石头砸自己的脚 (bān qǐ shí tou zá zì jǐ de jiǎo)

• Pinyin: bān qǐ shí tou zá zì jǐ de jiǎo
• Meaning: Literally “lifting a stone only to drop it on your own foot.” It means doing something harmful that backfires and hurts you instead of the intended target.
• When to use: When someone’s own plan or action ends up causing them trouble, e.g., “He spread rumors to get her fired, but it backfired and he got in trouble—totally bān qǐ shí tou zá zì jǐ de jiǎo.”

5. 肉包子打狗 —— 有去无回 (ròu bāo zi dǎ gǒu —— yǒu qù wú huí)

• Pinyin: ròu bāo zi dǎ gǒu —— yǒu qù wú huí
• Meaning: Literally “throwing a meat bun at a dog—once it’s gone, it won’t come back.” It describes giving something (usually money or a gift) to someone with no hope of getting it back.
• When to use: When lending money to someone who never pays back, or giving a gift that will never be reciprocated, e.g., “Lending him money is like ròu bāo zi dǎ gǒu —— yǒu qù wú huí, he never returns it.”

6. 黄鼠狼给鸡拜年 —— 没安好心 (huáng shǔ láng gěi jī bài nián —— méi ān hǎo xīn)

• Pinyin: huáng shǔ láng gěi jī bài nián —— méi ān hǎo xīn
• Meaning: Literally “a weasel giving New Year greetings to a chicken—no good intentions.” It describes someone being overly friendly or kind, but with hidden malicious motives.
• When to use: When you suspect someone’s kindness is a cover for bad plans, e.g., “He’s being too nice to you—don’t trust him, it’s huáng shǔ láng gěi jī bài nián —— méi ān hǎo xīn.”

7. 令人喷饭 (lìng rén pēn fàn)

• Pinyin: lìng rén pēn fàn
• Meaning: Making people spit out their rice; it describes something so funny that it makes people laugh uncontrollably.
• When to use: Use it to talk about something extremely funny, e.g., “His silly dance was lìng rén pēn fàn—I laughed till my stomach hurt.”

Funny Chinese Idioms About Animals (Chengyu)

8. 鸡同鸭讲 (jī tóng yā jiǎng)

• Pinyin: jī tóng yā jiǎng
• Meaning: A chicken talking to a duck; it refers to ineffective communication where two people can’t understand each other.
• When to use: Use it when two people fail to communicate due to differences, e.g., Trying to explain English jokes to my grandma is like jī tóng yā jiǎng—she doesn’t get it.

9. 狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi)

• Pinyin: hú jiǎ hǔ wēi
• Meaning: A fox borrowing the tiger’s power; it refers to someone who bullies others by relying on the influence of a powerful person.
• When to use: Use it when someone acts arrogantly because of their connection to a powerful person, e.g., “He’s just hú jiǎ hǔ wēi—without his boss’s support, he’s nothing.”

10. 猪八戒照镜子 (Zhū Bājiè zhào jìngzi)

• Pinyin: Zhū Bājiè zhào jìngzi
• Meaning: Zhu Bajie (a character from Journey to the West) looking in the mirror; it means being ugly whether you look at yourself or from others’ perspective.
• When to use: Use it when someone is in an awkward situation where they can’t look good no matter what, e.g., “He tried to defend himself but ended up like Zhū Bājiè zhào jìngzi—looking bad from all sides.”

11. 猫哭耗子 (māo kū hàozi)

• Pinyin: māo kū hàozi
• Meaning: A cat crying over a mouse; it describes fake sympathy for someone you actually want to harm.
• When to use: Use it to expose someone’s insincere pity, e.g., “She cried for his misfortune, but it’s just māo kū hàozi—she’s glad he failed.”

12. 鸡飞狗跳 (jī fēi gǒu tiào)

• Pinyin: jī fēi gǒu tiào
• Meaning: Chickens fly and dogs jump; it describes a scene of chaos and mess.
• When to use: Use it to describe a place or situation that is very noisy and chaotic, e.g., “The kids turned the house into a jī fēi gǒu tiào mess when playing.”

13. 井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā)

• Pinyin: jǐng dǐ zhī wā
• Meaning: A frog at the bottom of a well; it refers to a person who is short-sighted and has a narrow vision.
• When to use: Use it to mock someone who lacks experience and only sees a small part of the world.

Humorous Internet Slang & Phrases

14. 电子榨菜 (diàn zǐ zhà cài)

Literally “electronic pickled vegetables.” Refers to videos, shows, or podcasts people watch while eating meals—just like pickles are a classic side dish for meals in China.

15. 显眼包 (xiǎn yǎn bāo)

Literally “eye-catching / conspicuous bag.” A lighthearted term for someone who is intentionally or unintentionally silly, awkward, or attention-grabbing in public.

16. 冤种 (yuān zhǒng)

Literally “wronged fool / sucker.” A playful (often self-deprecating) term for someone who gets ripped off, tricked, or stuck with the bad end of a deal.

17. 嘴替 (zuǐ tì)

Literally “mouth substitute.” Refers to someone (a creator, meme, or friend) who says exactly what you’re thinking but too afraid to say out loud.

18. 社交牛杂症 (shè jiāo zá niú zhèng)

Literally “social mixed cow syndrome” (a playful twist on “social anxiety” and “social butterfly”). Describes people who swing between extreme shyness with strangers and outgoing energy with people they know.

19. 破防了 (pò fáng le)

My defense is broken. It refers to being deeply moved, hurt, or shocked, usually in a funny or exaggerated way.

When to use: Use it when you’re emotionally touched or caught off guard, e.g., “Seeing my cat bring me a toy—pò fáng le, she’s too sweet!”

Quick Tips for Learning Funny Chinese Sayings

Many of these sayings involve animals, which makes them fun and easy to remember. Try saying them out loud—the rhythmic four-character structure gives them a catchy beat. Better yet, drop them into casual jokes with friends; not only will you get a laugh, but you’ll also boost your confidence and retention. In short, learning Mandarin with humor is truly fun and effective.

Conclusion

These funny Chinese sayings aren’t just jokes. They’re shortcuts to fluency and windows into Chinese culture. By laughing while you learn, you’re more likely to remember the tones, characters, and stories behind each phrase. Want to keep the fun going? At WuKong Chinese, we turn language learning into an adventure, blending tradition with modern methods. Start your free trial today and discover how hilarious and rewarding Mandarin can be.

FAQs about Funny Chinese Sayings

Xuehua | WuKong Chinese Teacher

Xuehua graduated from Beijing Language and Culture University with a Master’s degree in Linguistics and has 6 years of experience in Chinese language education. With a strong academic background in linguistics and extensive teaching experience, she understands the needs of different Chinese learners and is skilled at guiding students in a clear, professional, and approachable way. Xuehua is dedicated to helping more learners understand the Chinese language and Chinese culture in an effective and engaging learning process.