name · noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/t͡ʃʌŋˈjuː/
/t͡ʃɛŋˈjuː/
1
name
Meaning 1
A surname. Of Chinese ancestry. Also used in English-language transliterations.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A certain kind of Chinese set phrase originating in Classical Chinese, typically four characters in length, and usually proverbial.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Chinese.
From Mandarin 成語/成语 (chéngyǔ).
Across languages
Translations
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Cantonese:
成語 /成语
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Hakka Chinese:
成語 /成语
(sàng-ngî)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Chinese:
成語 /成语
(sêng-gí, sêng-gú)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Chinese Mandarin:
成語 /成语
(chéngyǔ)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Wu Chinese:
成語 /成语
(6zen-gniu)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Finnish:
chengyu
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
French:
chengyu
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
German:
Chengyu
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Japanese:
四字熟語
(yojijukugo)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Japanese:
四文字熟語
(yomojijukugo)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Japanese:
成語
(seigo)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Japanese:
熟語
(jukugo)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Japanese:
故事成語
(kojiseigo)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Japanese:
四字成句
(yojiseiku)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Korean:
사자성어(四字成語) 관용구
(sajaseong'eo)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Korean:
성어
(seong'eo)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Korean:
고사성어
(gosaseong'eo)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Lü:
ᦅᦙᦠᦹᧃᦷᦟᧅ
(kmḣuenlok)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Malay:
chengyu
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Russian:
чэнъю́й
(čɛnʺjúj)
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Spanish:
chengyu
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
Vietnamese:
thành ngữ
— certain kind of Chinese set phrase
