[Four-Character Idioms] Impressive and Cool Sound! A Collection of Famous Quotes Worth Knowing as General Knowledge
“Lion-like valor,” “a match for a thousand,” “battle-hardened”…
There’s an undeniable coolness to four-character idioms, isn’t there? If you can use them well, your everyday conversations and writing will feel much tighter, and your intellectual appeal will rise.
What’s more, the world of these idioms is incredibly deep—from phrases everyone knows to rare ones that make you go ‘Wow!’ In this article, we’ll introduce stylish four-character idioms you can use in daily life.
It’s packed with expressions that shine not only in business settings but also on social media and in messages.
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Yojijukugo: Strikingly Cool Expressions! A Collection of Quotations Worth Knowing as General Knowledge (11–20)
daring and fearless
This is a four-character idiom used to describe a bold, fearless attitude and inner strength.
It’s used to praise someone with a big heart who isn’t intimidated and doesn’t even regard opponents as threats, but it can also be used mockingly to suggest recklessness that ignores risks.
It’s notable that the term originated in Japan, evoking the way of life of the samurai.
It’s a phrase that conveys respect for someone different from oneself—while also carrying a nuance that could verge on satire.
profound and vastNEW!
It’s a highly refined four-character idiom that simultaneously conveys the depth and breadth of thought, scholarship, and the spiritual realm.
Rather than superficial knowledge, it communicates deeply probed reflection and an embracing expansiveness that knows no bounds.
It’s also an apt expression for evaluating a person’s way of thinking or philosophy, as well as a long-cultivated attitude toward inquiry, and it lends intellectual gravity when used in writing.
It suits situations where you want to express grandeur in terms of quality rather than quantity, and I felt it is a word that, though quiet, leaves a strong impression.
majestic and grandNEW!
A grand and splendid scale is expressed by the four-character idiom “yūdai-gōsō.” It’s read as “yūdai gōsō.” Yūdai conveys something majestically large, while gōsō describes something big and magnificent.
This term is used not only for structures like castles but also for people who live unbounded, unconventional lives.
If you don’t want to stay small and instead wish to become greater and more impressive, try projecting this idiom onto your future self.
By striving to approach yūdai-gōsō, you may find yourself moving forward a bit more proactively than usual.
boundless and vastNEW!
Four-character idioms that signify grandeur have the power to greatly expand our imagination through the sheer sense of scale embedded in the words themselves.
This particular term describes something boundlessly vast, with no end in sight, and has been used not only for natural landscapes but also when discussing ideas and character.
It is invaluable for expressing the expanse of the sky or sea, of course, but also for conveying breadth of perspective and largeness of heart.
Simply adding this term communicates depth of thought, inclusiveness, and magnanimity—that’s its appeal.
In contrast to its brevity, its meaning extends without limit.
It is, truly, a single word that leaves an impression as an emblem of grandeur.
to uproot mountains and cover the world (i.e., possessing overwhelming, world-shaking power or momentum)NEW!
This phrase is a four-character idiom whose overwhelming force comes across just by hearing it.
It means “to have the power to uproot mountains and cover the world,” and is used mainly to describe extraordinary martial strength or talent, or the grand scale of a heroic figure.
Originating in Chinese classics, it characteristically exaggerates abilities and presence far beyond those of ordinary people.
The characters themselves feel bold, evoking an image that layers the vastness of nature with human might.
Used in character appraisals or narrative descriptions, it creates a majestic atmosphere and powerfully stimulates the reader’s imagination.
Truly, it is a four-character idiom befitting the discussion of great capacity and an overwhelming presence.
fiery and high-spirited; brimming with passionate enthusiasmNEW!
This is a four-character idiom that expresses a spirit so vigorous it overwhelms others.
It doesn’t simply mean being motivated or energetic; it signifies a force of will and passion powerful enough to sweep up those around you.
It evokes the image of flames surging high, conveying a person’s intense presence and the momentum to transform the atmosphere.
Used in contexts like speeches, competitions, or challenges, it highlights the depth of one’s resolve and overwhelming energy.
Because the word itself carries power, even a short sentence can leave a strong impression.
It can be called a highly forceful idiom that expresses grandeur from the angle of “fighting spirit.”
[Four-Character Idioms] Strikingly Cool-Sounding! A Collection of Quotations You Should Know as General Knowledge (21–30)
to cover the sky and the earthNEW!
From the idea of using the sky as a roof and the earth as a mat, this four-character idiom expresses broad-mindedness and lofty ambition.
It’s used as in, “He is a makuten-sekichi type of person, unbound by worldly conventions.” Its origin traces back to a phrase in Ode to the Virtue of Wine by Liu Ling, a thinker of the Jin dynasty: “幕天席地 縱意所如,” meaning to use the sky as a ceiling and the ground as a seat, living as one’s heart leads.
By the way, in English, it might be akin to “ambitious,” as in the phrase “Boys, be ambitious.”