Popular even among elementary school students! Stylish and easy-to-remember four-character idioms
There are plenty of chic, beautifully sounding four-character idioms.
If children get familiar with these stylish kanji phrases from elementary school, they’ll naturally start using them in daily study and life.
So here, we’ll introduce fashionable four-character idioms that are easy to use.
We’ll also answer questions like “In what situations can I use them?” and include ideas to make learning fun! It’s also a great idea to add heartfelt words in stylish characters to a handmade card.
Find words that speak to your heart and try using them in your everyday life.
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Popular with elementary schoolers! Stylish and easy-to-remember four-character idioms (1–10)
work in the fields on sunny days, read books on rainy days
It’s a four-character idiom that describes a lovely way of life: working in the fields on sunny days and reading books at home on rainy days.
It carries the meaning of living in harmony with nature while taking good care of both body and mind.
For example, you might use it like this: “Since the weather is nice today, let’s play in the garden, and if it rains, let’s read books at home.” A seikō-udoku lifestyle—‘plowing in fair weather, reading in rainy weather’—offers a hint for enjoying each day at a relaxed pace.
It’s a phrase that helps both children and adults cherish comfortable moments.
Even when you’re busy, try being active outdoors on sunny days and taking it slow with some reading on rainy days to refresh yourself.
Learning new things by revisiting the old
This is a four-character idiom that expresses studying matters of the past to gain new knowledge and insights.
It originates from a passage in the Analects, a classic of ancient China: “If you review the old and learn the new, you are fit to be a teacher,” conveying how essential the wisdom of our predecessors is.
It reminds us that instead of focusing only on the new, there are times when knowing history is what truly matters for a better future.
It is also a phrase that conveys an attitude toward things—valuing the history and the legacies left by those who came before us.
A hundred flowers in full bloom
A four-character idiom that describes the scene of many flowers blooming beautifully all at once.
It also means that various things are shining beautifully at the same time.
For example, when everyone showcases different strengths at a school cultural festival, you can say, “It’s like hyakka ryōran.” The image of this phrase is that many unique personalities and talents sparkle all at once.
It’s easier to remember if you picture a spring landscape full of blossoms.
When everyone’s good qualities come together, the world becomes more fun—like a flower field in full hyakka ryōran.
Popular with elementary schoolers! Stylish and easy-to-remember four-character idioms (11–20)
flowery rhetoric
They’re “beautiful words” and “lovely turns of phrase.” For example, things like “You look super cool!” or “That picture is like a dream!”—words that feel nice to hear.
Using flowery expressions makes your speech and writing more enjoyable and really resonates with the listener.
“Your smile shines like the sun!” is another example.
When you use words with care, you can make others happy and lift their spirits.
Try using lots of kind, beautiful words at school and at home that will make others smile!
The beauties of nature — flowers, birds, wind, and the moon (a poetic expression appreciating nature’s elegance)
A four-character idiom that expresses an appreciation for the beauty of nature—flowers, birds, wind, and the moon.
It refers to things like feeling excited when seeing spring blossoms, feeling good when hearing birdsong, relaxing in a gentle breeze, and finding peace when gazing at the moon in the night sky.
For example, during summer vacation, going to the mountains to listen to birds or chatting while looking at the moon are times when you’re enjoying “kacho-fugetsu.” By sensing the beauty of nature, your heart becomes kinder and you notice new things.
Both children and adults should cherish the spirit of “kacho-fugetsu,” spending unhurried time in nature to make each day more enjoyable!
Snow, Moon, Wind, and Flowers
This four-character idiom depicts the beautiful natural scenery of each season.
By listing the symbols of each season—winter’s snow, autumn’s moon, summer’s wind, and spring’s flowers—it expresses the changing of the seasons.
Each symbolizes the beauty of its season, conveying a sense of affection for nature.
Displaying this idiom as something you value also highlights your appreciation of elegance and refinement.
It’s an idiom that evokes history as well, suggesting a beauty that remains unchanged across the ages.
blue sky and white sun
Originally, it was a term that described a perfectly clear, cloudless day, and from there it came to be used to mean “having a clear conscience and being pure” or “having false charges lifted.” It is a four-character idiom said to originate from the words of the Chinese poet Han Yu, and it spread as a symbol of a pure heart.
It’s even said that the flag of the Republic of China was once designed based on this expression, which shows how highly it has been valued.
Let’s use this word to clearly convey that we are people of integrity.