How many idioms do you know?

BBC Learning English – Q & A of the Week 
 
Tracy:  Welcome to this week’s Question and Answer of the Week. I’m Tracy and today I’ll be joined by Yang Li.
 
Li:  大家好我是杨莉。
 
Tracy:  In this programme we do our best to answer any questions you might have about the English language. Who is this week’s question from Li?
 
Li:  Well this week’s question is from Du Min who is in Qingdao. She wanted to know what ‘a hundred and one things’ means. 
 
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I have a question I want you to answer for me. When I read ‘the hundred and one things people do in everyday life’, I’m a little puzzled by ‘the hundred and one things’. I am not very clear about it; I hope you can answer me for that. Thank you.
 
Tracy:   An idiom question.
 
Li:  真的吗？  ‘a hundred and one’ 这个短语原来还是个成语呢？ So what does it mean? And how would you use it?
 
Tracy:  Well, before I tell you, let’s see if you can figure it out. Let’s listen to another BBC China Team member, Will, as he repeats Du Min’s example: Insert
 
The hundred and one things people do in everyday life. 
 
Li:  让我想想看…‘a hundred and one’ 究竟是什么意思呢…?
 
Tracy:  No ideas Li?
 
Li:  It could mean lots.
 
Tracy:  That is exactly what the idiom ‘a hundred and one’ means. It can be used as a synonym for the words lots or many. 
 
Li:  这么说, 我觉得there are a hundred and one idioms in the English language, 你说对不对？
 
Tracy:  Yes, there are but some of them are…well they can sound a bit strange in conversation…they are not very popular…a bit old fashioned. People wouldn’t really use them.
 
Li:  Is the idiom ‘a hundred and one’ used often? 这是不是一个热门的成语?
 
 
Tracy:  Very much so. People use the phrase ‘a hundred and one things’ all the time. 
 
Li:  Ok, 那你能不能举一个不常用的成语例句呢？ 
 
Tracy:    You’re unlikely to hear people say something like ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’. 
 
Li:    不过这可是个非常有名的成语啊，isn’t it?
 
Tracy:  Yes, it is a famous idiom. It means it’s raining heavily outside. But hardly anyone would say it. These days, you’d be much more likely to hear someone say “It’s pouring down”. 
 
Li:  I see… 这点很重要，学英语的同学们要特别注意一个成语词组是不是仍然入时上口，还是已经过时，否则就会听上去傻傻的，对吗?
 
Tracy:  You could really end up sounding a bit silly. 
 
Li:    Ok, 今天我们的话题是英语的成语idioms，其中最重要的就是不仅要知道一个成语的意思，而且一定要搞清一个成语是不是仍然入时上口。 
 
Tracy:  Yes, and we’ve also been talking about idioms that contain numbers. Now, we’re going to look at a few other idioms that contain the number one. 
 
Li:   这些包含数字一的成语可是大家在日常口语中经常用到的。
 
Tracy:  Yes they are all quite common phrases in everyday conversation. Let’s listen to the idioms.
 
Li:  Ok, 看看你们能不能抢在Tracy 之前把下面几个成语的意思猜出来:
 
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There’s about a hundred to one chance of it being sunny tomorrow. 
 
Tracy:  Any ideas what the idiom ‘a hundred to one’ means Li?
 
Li:  嗯… ‘a hundred to one’ 这个成语是什么意思呢?
 
Tracy:  Any idea?
 
Li:  No…
 
Tracy:  Ok, it means that something is quite unlikely. If we said that there was a hundred to one chance of rain today that would mean that…
 
Li:  It is quite unlikely that it will rain. Unlikely 就是不大可能的。
 
Tracy:  Yes, the idiom ‘a hundred to one’ is used to talk about how unlikely something is to happen. 
 
Li:  I think this idiom is used a lot in sport, isn’t it?
 
 
Tracy:  Yes, this idiom is often used when people place bets on sport. They might say the odds of a team winning are a hundred to one. 
 
Li:  啊，我明白了  ‘a hundred to one’ 一百比一的意思，经常用在体育赌博方面，指获胜的几率是一百比一，很小。 
 
Tracy:  It sure is. Are you ready for the next idiom containing the number one?
 
Li:  Sure am; let’s hear the next idiom. 
 
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My friend is helping me move house tomorrow. She really is one in a million. 
 
Tracy:  Any ideas what the idiom ‘one in a million’ means Li?
 
Li:  嗯… ‘one in a million’ 这是什么意思呢?
 
Tracy:  I think you know this one Li.
 
Li:  Yes, 是的，我知道这个成语。  If you describe a person as one in a million it is a compliment 是一种赞扬，类似中文里的百里挑一，  right? 
 
Tracy:  Right, it is a compliment. 
 
Li:  So, if you say someone is one in a million, it means they are very special.
 
Tracy:  Yes, it means they are very special. Just like you Li. You are one in a million. 
 
Li:  Thank you, but why are you saying that?
 
Tracy:  Well, you’re always helping me with my Chinese. 
 
Li:  那算不了什么，别客气。 
 
Tracy:  Ok, so are you ready for one more idiom using the number one?
 
Li:  Ready.  
 
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Learning idioms is not easy. You simply have to learn them one by one. 
 
Li:  没错，我完全同意。 
 
Tracy:  Oh so you understood that idiom Li. Well what does ‘one by one’ mean?
 
Li:  The idiom ‘one by one’ means to do something a little bit at a time. 一步一步来。
 
Tracy:  Exactly. So in the example, they said that learning idioms can be quite a difficult process and that the best way to learn them is one by one. 
 
Li:  Well, we have learned four new idioms today: a hundred and one;  
 
 
Tracy:  A hundred to one;
 
Li:  One in a million;
 
Tracy:  And one by one.  And we’ve also discussed the importance of learning idioms that are still commonly used in everyday conversation. 
 
Li:  Yes, it is very important. I hope we have answered your question Du Min.
 
Tracy:  If you have any other questions about idioms or the English language in general, email us at questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk. 
 
Li:   大家可以登陆我们的双语教学网页 www.bbcchina.com.cn 阅读或下载更多的你问我答节目以及其其它教学材料。 
 
Tracy:  Until next time, bye!
 
Li:  谢谢收听，我们下次节目再会! 
 

This week’s question is from Du Min and it is about the meaning and usage of the English idiom ‘a hundred and one things’.

The idiomatic part of this phrase ‘a hundred and one’ can be used instead of the words ‘too many’ or ‘lots of’.

In the UK, idioms form part of our everyday conversations. Sometimes people don’t even realise they’re using them. There are many idioms that contain numbers, often large numbers such as a hundred or a million that are used for emphasis.

When you learn an idiom, you need to find out if it is still popular and frequently used in everyday conversation. Using an outdated or unpopular idiom in conversation could sound very silly.

Tracy and Li talk about the idiom ‘a hundred and one’ and introduce four other popular idioms containing the number one. Listen to the programme and read the script by clicking on the links at the top and bottom of this page.

We hope we have answered your question Du Min and look forward to receiving more questions about the English language.

If you have a question, email it to questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk.

Glossary 词汇

idiom 成语/谚语

meaning 意思

usage 用法

emphasis 强调

popular 流行的

outdated 过时的