4 characters Idiom and proverb 5 319

Chinese language progresses from characters to idioms. This free guide explains the advanced idiom 「以冠補履」 for better learning.

This introduction highlights the idiom 「以冠補履」, with its meaning and examples explained below.

Guan: hat; Lu: shoes. Use a hat to mend shoes. A metaphor for pairing valuable items with cheap things.

The Mandarin pronunciation of this idiom is :

yǐ guàn bǔ lǚ

while its Cantonese pinyin is :

yi5 gun3 bou2 lei5

Chinese idioms are vast in number, each carrying unique meanings and usages. With such variety, there’s a lot to learn and appreciate. Hopefully, these resources will aid you on your journey to mastering Chinese.