Usage of the character 五

Five non-Han people, namely: Huns or Xiongnu 匈奴 ( Xiōngnú), Xianbei 鮮卑／鲜卑 ( Xiānbēi), Jie 羯 ( Jié), Di 氐 ( Dī), Qiang 羌 ( Qiāng), esp. in connection with the Sixteen Kingdoms 304-439 五胡十六國／五胡十六国 ( Wǔhú Shíliùguó)

wǔmáo

五毛

[五毛]

fifty cents (0.5 RMB)
(fig.) paltry sum of money
(abbr. for 五毛黨／五毛党 (wǔmáodǎng)) hired Internet commenter

wǔwǔ

五五

[五五]

50-50
equal (share, partnership etc)

wǔjiǎo

五角

[五角]

pentagon

wǔcǎi

五彩

[五彩]

five (main) colors (white, black, red, yellow, and blue)
multicolored

Wǔcháng

五常

[五常]

Wuchang, county-level city in Harbin 哈爾濱／哈尔滨 ( Hā'ěrbīn), Heilongjiang
the Permanent Five (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council: China, France, Russia, the UK, and the USA)

wǔlǐng

五岭

[五嶺]

the five ranges separating Hunan and Jiangxi from south China, esp. Guangdong and Guangxi, namely: Dayu 大庾嶺／大庾岭 ( Dàyǔlǐng), Dupang 都龐嶺／都庞岭 ( Dūpánglǐng), Qitian 騎田嶺／骑田岭 ( Qítiánlǐng), Mengzhu 萌渚嶺／萌渚岭 ( Méngzhǔlǐng) and Yuecheng 越城嶺／越城岭 ( Yuèchénglǐng)

Wǔgǔ

五股

[五股]

Wugu township in New Taipei City 新北市 ( Xīnběishì), Taiwan

Wǔhuá

五华

[五華]

Wuhua county in Meizhou 梅州, Guangdong
Wuhua district of Kunming city 昆明市 ( Kūnmíngshì), Yunnan

wǔwèi

五味

[五味]

the five flavors, namely: sweet 甜, sour 酸, bitter 苦, spicy hot 辣, salty 鹹／咸
all kinds of flavors

Wǔjīng

五经

[五經]

the Five Classics of Confucianism, namely: the Book of Songs 詩經／诗经 ( Shījīng), the Book of History 書經／书经 ( Shūjīng), the Classic of Rites 禮記／礼记 ( Lǐjì), the Book of Changes 易經／易经 ( Yìjīng), and the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋 ( Chūnqiū)

wǔsì

五四

[五四]

fourth of May, cf 五四運動／五四运动, national renewal movement that started with 4th May 1919 protest against the Treaty of Versailles

wǔhūn

五荤

[五葷]

(Buddhism etc) the five forbidden pungent vegetables: leek, scallion, garlic, rape and coriander

wǔguǐ

五鬼

[五鬼]

five chief demons of folklore personifying pestilence
also written 五瘟神

wǔguān

五官

[五官]

five sense organs of TCM (nose, eyes, lips, tongue, ears 鼻目口舌耳)
facial features

wǔyī

五一

[五一]

5-1 (May 1st)

wǔcháng

五常

[五常]

the five cardinal virtues in traditional Chinese ethics: benevolence 仁 (rén), justice 義／义 (yì), propriety 禮／礼 (lǐ), wisdom 智 (zhì) and honor 信 (xìn)
alternative term for 五倫／五伦 (wulǔn), the five cardinal relationships
alternative term for 五行 (wuxǐng), the five elements

Wǔzhài

五寨

[五寨]

Wuzhai county in Xinzhou 忻州 ( Xīnzhōu), Shanxi

wǔhào

五号

[五號]

the fifth
fifth day of a month

wǔwēn

五瘟

[五瘟]

five chief demons of folklore personifying pestilence

wǔlún

五伦

[五倫]

the five Confucian relationships (ruler-subject, father-son, brother-brother, husband-wife, friend-friend)

wǔshì

五世

[五世]

the fifth (of series of numbered kings)

Wǔdài

五代

[五代]

Five Dynasties, period of history between the fall of the Tang dynasty (907) and the founding of the Song dynasty (960), when five would-be dynasties were established in quick succession in North China

wǔyuàn

五院

[五院]

the five yuan (administrative branches of government) of the Republic of China under Sun Yat-sen's constitution: 行政院 ( Xíngzhèngyuàn) Executive Yuan, 立法院 ( Lìfǎyuàn) Legislative Yuan, 司法院 ( Sīfǎyuàn) Judicial Yuan, 考試院／考试院 ( Kǎoshìyuàn) Examination Yuan, 監察院／监察院 ( Jiāncháyuàn) Control Yuan

Wǔhé

五河

[五河]

Wuhe, a county in Bengbu 蚌埠 ( Bèngbu), Anhui
Punjab, a province of Pakistan

wǔbǐ

五笔

[五筆]

abbr. of 五筆字型／五笔字型, five stroke input method for Chinese characters by numbered strokes, invented by Wang Yongmin 王永民 in 1983

wǔxíng

五刑

[五刑]

imperial five punishments of feudal China, up to Han times: tattooing characters on the forehead 墨 (mò), cutting off the nose 劓 (yì), amputation of one or both feet 刖 (yuè), castration 宮／宫 (gōng), execution 大辟 (dàpì)
Han dynasty onwards: whipping 笞 (chī), beating the legs and buttocks with rough thorns 杖 (zhàng), forced labor 徒 (tú), exile or banishment 流 (liú), capital punishment 死 (sǐ)

Wǔ Liáng

五凉

[五涼]

the five Liang of the Sixteen Kingdoms, namely: Former Liang 前涼／前凉 (314-376), Later Liang 後涼／后凉 (386-403), Northern Liang 北涼／北凉 (398-439), Southern Liang 南涼／南凉 ( Nán Liáng) (397-414), Western Liang 西涼／西凉 (400-421)

wǔzhǐ

五指

[五指]

the five fingers of one's hand

wǔjiā

五加

[五加]

Acanthopanax gracilistylus

wǔxīn

五辛

[五辛]

see 五葷／五荤 (wǔhūn)

chóngwǔ

重五

[重五]

Dragon Boat Festival (5th day of 5th lunar month)

wǔsà

五卅

[五卅]

abbr. for 五卅運動／五卅运动 (wǔsàyùndòng), The May Thirtieth Movement (1925)

Wǔyuè

五岳

[五嶽]

Five Sacred Mountains of the Daoists, namely: Mt Tai 泰山 ( Tài Shān) in Shandong, Mt Hua 華山／华山 ( Huà Shān) in Shaanxi, Mt Heng 衡山 ( Héng Shān) in Hunan, Mt Heng 恆山／恒山 ( Héng Shān) in Shanxi, Mt Song 嵩山 ( Sōng Shān) in Henan

Wǔyuán

五原

[五原]

Wuyuan county in Bayan Nur 巴彥淖爾／巴彦淖尔 ( Bāyànnào'ěr), Inner Mongolia

sānwǔ

三五

[三五]

several
three or five

Wǔyíng

五营

[五營]

Wuying district of Yichun city 伊春市 ( Yīchūnshì), Heilongjiang

wǔdù

五度

[五度]

five degrees
fifth (basic musical interval, doh to soh)

Wǔfēng

五峰

[五峰]

abbr. for 五峰土家族自治縣／五峰土家族自治县 ( Wǔfēng Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn), Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County in Hubei
Wufeng township in Hsinchu County 新竹縣／新竹县 ( Xīnzhú Xiàn), northwest Taiwan

wǔxīng

五星

[五星]

the five visible planets, namely: Mercury 水星, Venus 金星, Mars 火星, Jupiter 木星, Saturn 土星

Zhōuwǔ

周五

[週五]

Friday

wǔzhōu

五洲

[五洲]

five continents
the world

wǔqī

五七

[五七]

memorial activity 35 days after a person's death

wǔfāng

五方

[五方]

the five regions: the east, south, west, north and center
all parts
China and the lands beyond its frontiers

Wǔbà

五霸

[五霸]

the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period 春秋 ( Chūnqiū)

wǔyīn

五音

[五音]

five notes of pentatonic scale, roughly do, re, mi, sol, la
five classes of initial consonants of Chinese phonetics, namely: 喉音 (hóuyīn), 牙音 (yáyīn), 舌音 (shéyīn), 齒音／齿音 (chǐyīn), 唇音 (chúnyīn)

Wǔyuè

五月

[五月]

May
fifth month (of the lunar year)

wǔjīn

五金

[五金]

metal hardware (nuts and bolts)
the five metals: gold, silver, copper, iron and tin 金銀銅鐵錫／金银铜铁锡 (jīnyíntóngtiěxī)

wǔxíng

五形

[五形]

Wuxing - "Five Animals" - Martial Art

wǔshí

五十

[五十]

fifty

wǔsè

五色

[五色]

multicolored
the rainbow
garish

wǔhuán

五环

[五環]

five rings
pentacyclic (chemistry)

wǔgǔ

五谷

[五穀]

five crops, e.g. millet 粟 (sù), soybean 豆 (dòu), sesame 麻 (má), barley 麥／麦 (mài), rice 稻 (dào) or other variants
all crops
all grains
oats, peas, beans and barley

Wáng Wǔ

王五

[王五]

Wang Wu, name for an unspecified person, third of a series of three: 張三／张三 ( Zhāng Sān), 李四 ( Lǐ Sì), 王五 Tom, Dick and Harry

wǔxiāng

五香

[五香]

five spice seasoned
incorporating the five basic flavors of Chinese cooking (sweet, sour, bitter, savory, salty)

wǔzàng

五脏

[五臟]

five viscera of TCM, namely: heart 心 (xīn), liver 肝 (gān), spleen 脾 (pí), lungs 肺 (fèi) and kidneys 腎／肾 (shèn)

shíwǔ

十五

[十五]

fifteen
15

wǔgēng

五更

[五更]

fifth of the five night watch periods 03:00-05:00 (old)

Hēiwǔ

黑五

[黑五]

Black Friday

Wǔlián

五莲

[五蓮]

Wulian county in Rizhao 日照 ( Rìzhào), Shandong

wǔdì

五帝

[五帝]

the Five Legendary Emperors, usually taken to be the Yellow Emperor 黃帝／黄帝 ( Huángdì), Zhuanxu 顓頊／颛顼 ( Zhuānxū), Di Ku 帝嚳／帝喾 ( Dì Kù), Tang Yao 唐堯／唐尧 ( Táng Yáo) and Yu Shun 虞舜 ( Yú Shùn)

Wǔtái

五台

[五臺]

Wutai city and county in Xinzhou 忻州 ( Xīnzhōu), Shanxi

wǔzhuó

五浊

[五濁]

the five impurities (Buddhism)

wǔxiànpǔ

五线谱

[五線譜]

(music) staff
stave

língdiǎnwǔ

零点五

[零點五]

zero point five, 0.5
one half

wǔxīnsù

五辛素

[五辛素]

(adjective) non-Buddhist vegetarian (allowing strong-smelling vegetables like garlic and onions)

Wǔyuánxiàn

五原县

[五原縣]

Wuyuan county in Bayan Nur 巴彥淖爾／巴彦淖尔 ( Bāyànnào'ěr), Inner Mongolia

dàwǔmǎ

大五码

[大五碼]

Big5 Chinese character coding (developed by Taiwanese companies from 1984)

wǔjiǎoxíng

五角形

[五角形]

pentagon

Wǔdàokǒu

五道口

[五道口]

Wudaokou neighborhood of Beijing

Lǐbàiwǔ

礼拜五

[禮拜五]

Friday

wǔbùshé

五步蛇

[五步蛇]

Deinagkistrodon acutus, a species of venomous pit viper, aka five-pace viper (i.e. can grow to five paces)

Wǔgǔxiāng

五股乡

[五股鄉]

Wugu township in New Taipei City 新北市 ( Xīnběishì), Taiwan

Wǔtōngqiáo

五通桥

[五通橋]

Wutongqiao district of Leshan city 樂山市／乐山市 ( Lèshānshì), Sichuan

wǔxīngjí

五星级

[五星級]

five-star (hotel)

wǔlíngsǎn

五苓散

[五苓散]

wuling powder (decoction of poria mushroom used in TCM)
poria five powder
Hoelen five powder
five ling powder

wǔzǔquán

五祖拳

[五祖拳]

Wuzuquan - "Five Ancestors" - Martial Art

wǔmáodǎng

五毛党

[五毛黨]

fifty cents party (person supposed to relay government propaganda on Internet sites)

wǔwēnshén

五瘟神

[五瘟神]

five chief demons of folklore personifying pestilence
cf four horsemen of the apocalypse

Wǔzhàixiàn

五寨县

[五寨縣]

Wuzhai county in Xinzhou 忻州 ( Xīnzhōu), Shanxi

wǔdàzhōu

五大洲

[五大洲]

five continents
the whole world

Wǔhé Xiàn

五河县

[五河縣]

Wuhe, a county in Bengbu 蚌埠 ( Bèngbu), Anhui

bāyīwǔ

八一五

[八一五]

15th August (the date of Japan's surrender in 1945)

wǔzǐqí

五子棋

[五子棋]

five-in-a-row (game similar to tic-tac-toe)
Japanese: gomoku
gobang

Wǔhuáqū

五华区

[五華區]

Wuhua district of Kunming city 昆明市 ( Kūnmíngshì), Yunnan

wǔjīndiàn

五金店

[五金店]

hardware store
ironmonger's store

Wǔjiǎochǎng

五角场

[五角場]

Wujiaochang neighborhood of Shanghai, adjacent to Fudan University

Wǔliánxiàn

五莲县

[五蓮縣]

Wulian county in Rizhao 日照 ( Rìzhào), Shandong

Wǔshílíng

五十铃

[五十鈴]

Isuzu

Wǔyuèjié

五月节

[五月節]

Dragon Boat Festival (the 5th day of the 5th lunar month)

Xīngqīwǔ

星期五

[星期五]

Friday

hēiwǔlèi

黑五类

[黑五類]

the "five black categories" (Cultural Revolution term), i.e. landlords, rich peasants, counterrevolutionaries, bad elements and rightists

wǔléngjìng

五棱镜

[五稜鏡]

pentaprism

Wǔchángshì

五常市

[五常市]

Wuchang, county-level city in Harbin 哈爾濱／哈尔滨 ( Hā'ěrbīn), Heilongjiang

wǔdǒuguì

五斗柜

[五斗櫃]

chest of drawers

wǔshíjiān

五十肩

[五十肩]

adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder)

Wǔyíngqū

五营区

[五營區]

Wuying district of Yichun city 伊春市 ( Yīchūnshì), Heilongjiang

hóngwǔlèi

红五类

[紅五類]

the “five red categories” (Cultural Revolution term), i.e. poor and lower-middle peasants, workers, revolutionary soldiers, revolutionary cadres, and revolutionary martyrs

Wǔjié Xiāng

五结乡

[五結鄉]

Wujie or Wuchieh Township in Yilan County 宜蘭縣／宜兰县 ( Yílán Xiàn), Taiwan

Wǔliángyè

五粮液

[五糧液]

Wuliangye liquor
Five Grain liquor

Wǔjiāqú

五家渠

[五家渠]

Wujyachü shehiri (Wujiaqu city) or Wǔjiāqú subprefecture level city in Ili Kazakh autonomous prefecture in north Xinjiang

wǔjiǎoxīng

五角星

[五角星]

pentagram

wǔxiāngfěn

五香粉

[五香粉]

five-spice powder

èrbǎiwǔ

二百五

[二百五]

idiot
stupid person
a dope

wǔfēnshú

五分熟

[五分熟]

medium (of steak)

wǔwèizǐ

五味子

[五味子]

schizandra (Schisandra chinensis)
Magnolia vine

Wǔdàhú

五大湖

[五大湖]

Great Lakes
the five north American Great Lakes

wǔbiānxíng

五边形

[五邊形]

pentagon

bìxiùwǔ

毕宿五

[畢宿五]

Aldebaran or Alpha Tauri

Wǔhuáxiàn

五华县

[五華縣]

Wuhua county in Meizhou 梅州, Guangdong

Wǔdàishǐ

五代史

[五代史]

History of the Five Dynasties, eighteenth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史 ( Ershísì Shǐ), compiled under Xue Juzheng 薛居正 ( Xuē Jūzhèng) in 974 during Northern Song 北宋 ( Běi Sòng), 150 scrolls

Wǔhǔjiàng

五虎将

[五虎將]

Liu Bei's five great generals in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, namely: Guan Yu 關羽／关羽, Zhang Fei 張飛／张飞, Zhao Yun 趙雲／赵云, Ma Chao 馬超／马超, Huang Zhong 黃忠／黄忠

wǔdǎyī

五打一

[五打一]

to masturbate (slang)

wǔyīndù

五音度

[五音度]

fifth (musical interval)

wǔxúnjié

五旬节

[五旬節]

Pentecost

Wǔfēng Xiàn

五峰县

[五峰縣]

abbr. for 五峰土家族自治縣／五峰土家族自治县 ( Wǔfēng Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn), Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County in Hubei

Wǔfēngxiāng

五峰乡

[五峰鄉]

Wufeng township in Hsinchu County 新竹縣／新竹县 ( Xīnzhú Xiàn), northwest Taiwan

wùwǔchún

戊五醇

[戊五醇]

xylitol
also written 木糖醇 (mùtángchún)

Wǔzhǐ Shān

五指山

[五指山]

Wuzhi Mountain (1,840 m), highest mountain in Hainan
Wuzhishan City, Hainan

cìwǔjiā

刺五加

[刺五加]

manyprickle (Acanthopanax senticosus), root used in TCM

pork belly
streaky pork

wánglǎowǔ

王老五

[王老五]

bachelor (lit. fifth child of the Wangs)

Wǔtái Shān

五台山

[五臺山]

Mt Wutai in Shanxi 山西 ( Shānxī), one of the Four Sacred Mountains and home of the Bodhimanda of Manjushri 文殊 ( Wénshū)

Wǔtáixiàn

五台县

[五臺縣]

Wutai county in Xinzhou 忻州 ( Xīnzhōu), Shanxi

Wǔtáishì

五台市

[五臺市]

Wutai city in Shanxi

wǔtàntáng

五碳糖

[五碳糖]

pentose (CH2O)5, monosaccharide with five carbon atoms, such as ribose 核糖 (hétáng)

dìwǔlèi

第五类

[第五類]

category 5
CAT 5 (cable)

zìgānwǔ

自干五

[自乾五]

(neologism) person who posts online in support of the Chinese government, but unlike a wumao 五毛 (wǔmáo), is not paid for doing so (abbr. for 自帶乾糧的五毛／自带干粮的五毛 (zìdàigānliángdewǔmáo))

dìwǔzòngduì

第五纵队

[第五縱隊]

fifth column (subversive group)

rénwǔrénliù

人五人六

[人五人六]

(idiom) to make a show of being decent and proper; to display phony or hypocritical behavior

Jūnqíng Wǔchù

军情五处

[軍情五處]

MI5 (British military counterintelligence office)

wǔbèizishù

五倍子树

[五倍子樹]

Chinese sumac (Rhus chinensis)

wǔděngjuéwèi

五等爵位

[五等爵位]

five orders of feudal nobility, namely: Duke 公 (gōng), Marquis 侯 (hóu), Count 伯 (bó), Viscount 子 (zǐ), Baron 男 (nán)

wǔbǐzìxíng

五笔字型

[五筆字型]

five stroke input method for Chinese characters by numbered strokes, invented by Wang Yongmin 王永民 in 1983

gésānchàwǔ

隔三岔五

[隔三岔五]

see 隔三差五／隔三差五 (gésānchàwǔ)

sānfānwǔcì

三番五次

[三番五次]

over and over again (idiom)

Wǔjiǎo Dàlóu

五角大楼

[五角大樓]

the Pentagon

Wǔzhǐshānshì

五指山市

[五指山市]

Wuzhishan City, Hainan

wǔxiàngquánnéng

五项全能

[五項全能]

pentathlon

yāowǔhèliù

吆五喝六

[吆五喝六]

lit. to shout out hoping for fives and sixes when gambling with dice; a hubbub of gambling

wǔniánjìhuà

五年计划

[五年計劃]

Five-Year Plan

wǔsàyùndòng

五卅运动

[五卅運動]

anti-imperialist movement of 30th May 1925, involving general strike esp. in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong etc

sānbùwǔshí

三不五时

[三不五時]

(Tw) from time to time
frequently

wǔduǎnshēncái

五短身材

[五短身材]

(of a person) short in stature

wǔbǐbiānmǎ

五笔编码

[五筆編碼]

five-stroke code, Chinese character input method

wǔhángbāzuō

五行八作

[五行八作]

all the trades
people of all trades and professions

Wǔ Qī Gànxiào

五七干校

[五七幹校]

May 7 cadre school (farm where urban cadres had to undertake manual labor and study ideology during the Cultural Revolution) (abbr. for 五七幹部學校／五七干部学校 ( Wǔ Qī Gànbù Xuéxiào))

wǔbǐzìxíng

五笔字形

[五筆字形]

Chinese character input method for entering characters by numbered strokes (variant of 五筆字型／五笔字型 (wǔbǐzìxíng))

wǔkǒutōngshāng

五口通商

[五口通商]

the five treaty ports forced on Qing China by the 1842 treaty of Nanjing 南京條約／南京条约 that concluded the First Opium War, namely: Guangzhou 廣州／广州, Fuzhou 福州, Ningbo 寧波／宁波, Xiamen or Amoy 廈門／厦门 and Shanghai 上海

Wǔdǒumǐ Dào

五斗米道

[五斗米道]

Way of the Five Pecks of Rice (Taoist movement)
Way of the Celestial Master

Wǔdài Shíguó

五代十国

[五代十國]

Five Dynasties (907-960) and Ten Kingdoms (902-979), period of political turmoil in ancient China

wǔzàngliùfǔ

五脏六腑

[五臟六腑]

five viscera and six bowels (TCM)

wǔyīnbùquán

五音不全

[五音不全]

tone deaf
unable to sing in tune

Sānxiáwǔyì

三侠五义

[三俠五義]

Sanxia wuyi (lit. Three knight-errants and five righteous one), novel edited from stories of late Qing dynasty pinghua 評話／评话 master storyteller Shi Yukun 石玉昆

mùmíwǔsè

目迷五色

[目迷五色]

the eye is bewildered by five colors (idiom); a dazzling riot of colors

chánménwǔzōng

禅门五宗

[禪門五宗]

the five schools of Chan Buddhism (idiom)

Móxī Wǔjīng

摩西五经

[摩西五經]

the Pentateuch
the five books of Moses in the Old Testament

Chūnqiū Wǔbà

春秋五霸

[春秋五霸]

the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC), namely: Duke Huan of Qi 齊桓公／齐桓公 ( Qí Huángōng), Duke Wen of Jin 晉文公／晋文公 ( Jìn Wéngōng), King Zhuang of Chu 楚莊王／楚庄王 ( Chǔ Zhuāngwáng), and alternatively Duke Xiang of Song 宋襄公 ( Sòng Xiānggōng) and Duke Mu of Qin 秦穆公 ( Qín Mùgōng) or King Helu of Wu 吳王闔閭／吴王阖闾 ( Wúwáng Hé Lü) and King Gou Jian of Yue 越王勾踐／越王勾践 ( Yuèwáng Gōu Jiàn)

wǔwèizáchén

五味杂陈

[五味雜陳]

with complex feelings (idiom)

sìfēnwǔliè

四分五裂

[四分五裂]

all split up and in pieces (idiom); disunity (in an organization)
complete lack of unity
to disintegrate
falling apart
to be at sixes and sevens

wǔgǔfēngdēng

五谷丰登

[五穀豐登]

abundant harvest of all food crops
bumper grain harvest

Wǔtōngqiáoqū

五通桥区

[五通橋區]

Wutongqiao district of Leshan city 樂山市／乐山市 ( Lèshānshì), Sichuan

wǔcǎibīnfēn

五彩缤纷

[五彩繽紛]

all the colors in profusion (idiom); a garish display

xiàndàiwǔxiàng

现代五项

[現代五項]

modern pentathlon

Wǔjiāqúshì

五家渠市

[五家渠市]

Wujyachü shehiri (Wujiaqu city) or Wǔjiāqú subprefecture level city in Ili Kazakh autonomous prefecture in north Xinjiang

sāngāngwǔcháng

三纲五常

[三綱五常]

three principles and five virtues (idiom)
the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義／义, propriety 禮／礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信)

wǔhúsìhǎi

五湖四海

[五湖四海]

all parts of the country

wǔdàsāncū

五大三粗

[五大三粗]

burly
strapping
big and strong

sānhuángwǔdì

三皇五帝

[三皇五帝]

three sovereigns 三皇 (sānhuáng) and five emperors 五帝 (wǔdì) of myth and legend
the earliest system of Chinese historiography

wǔhuánhuìhuī

五环会徽

[五環會徽]

Olympic rings

wǔcǎibīnfēn

五彩宾纷

[五彩賓紛]

colorful

wǔyánliùsè

五颜六色

[五顏六色]

multicolored
every color under the sun

Wǔdà Míngshān

五大名山

[五大名山]

Five Sacred Mountains of the Daoists, namely: Mt Tai 泰山 ( Tài Shān) in Shandong, Mt Hua 華山／华山 ( Huà Shān) in Shaanxi, Mt Heng 衡山 ( Héng Shān) in Hunan, Mt Heng 恆山／恒山 ( Héng Shān) in Shanxi, Mt Song 嵩山 ( Sōng Shān) in Henan

gésānchàwǔ

隔三差五

[隔三差五]

every few days (idiom)

Hēnglì Wǔshì

亨利五世

[亨利五世]

Henry V (1387-1422), English warrior king, victor of Agincourt
History of Henry V by William Shakespeare 莎士比亞／莎士比亚 ( Shāshìbǐyà)

èrshíwǔshǐ

二十五史

[二十五史]

twenty four dynastic histories (or 25 or 26 in modern editions)

Wǔdàliánchí

五大连池

[五大連池]

Wudalianchi, county-level city in Heihe 黑河 ( Hēihé), Heilongjiang

xuéfùwǔchē

学富五车

[學富五車]

of great erudition and scholarship (idiom)

wǔfēnzhīyī

五分之一

[五分之一]

one fifth

wǔláoqīshāng

五痨七伤

[五癆七傷]

variant of 五勞七傷／五劳七伤 (wǔláoqīshāng)

wǔguāng-shísè

五光十色

[五光十色]

(idiom) bright and multicolored; of rich variety; dazzling; glitzy

wǔláoqīshāng

五劳七伤

[五勞七傷]

(TCM) "five strains and seven impairments", five referring to the five viscera 五臟／五脏 (wǔzàng), and seven to adverse effects on one's body as a result of: overeating (spleen), anger (liver), moisture (kidney), cold (lung), worry (heart), wind and rain (outer appearance) and fear (mind)

yīwǔyīshí

一五一十

[一五一十]

lit. count by fives and tens (idiom); to narrate systematically and in full detail

sìshěwǔrù

四舍五入

[四捨五入]

(math.) to round up or down
to round off

wǔsèbīnfēn

五色缤纷

[五色繽紛]

all the colors in profusion (idiom); a garish display

Jiù Wǔdàishǐ

旧五代史

[舊五代史]

History of the Five Dynasties (between Tang and Song), eighteenth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史 ( Ershísì Shǐ), compiled under Xue Juzheng 薛居正 ( Xuē Jūzhèng) in 974 during Northern Song 北宋 ( Běi Sòng), 150 scrolls

wǔhàodiànchí

五号电池

[五號電池]

AA battery (PRC)
Taiwan equivalent: 三號電池／三号电池 (sānhàodiànchí)

sānlìngwǔshēn

三令五申

[三令五申]

to order again and again (idiom)

wǔtǐtóudì

五体投地

[五體投地]

to prostrate oneself in admiration (idiom); to adulate sb

wǔhuābāmén

五花八门

[五花八門]

myriad
all kinds of
all sorts of

wǔhuādàbǎng

五花大绑

[五花大綁]

to bind a person's upper body, with arms tied behind the back and rope looped around the neck
to truss up

wǔshēngyīnjiē

五声音阶

[五聲音階]

pentatonic scale

Xīn Wǔdàishǐ

新五代史

[新五代史]

Later History of the Five Dynasties (between Tang and Song), nineteenth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史 ( Ershísì Shǐ), compiled under Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修／欧阳修 ( Oūyáng Xiū) in 1053 during Northern Song Dynasty, 74 scrolls

Wǔdēng Huìyuán

五灯会元

[五燈會元]

Song Dynasty History of Zen Buddhism in China (1252), 20 scrolls

rìyuèwǔxīng

日月五星

[日月五星]

sun, moon and the five visible planets

wǔfēn Měijīn

五分美金

[五分美金]

nickel
five US cents

wǔguǐnàopàn

五鬼闹判

[五鬼鬧判]

Five ghosts mock the judge, or Five ghosts resist judgment (title of folk opera, idiom); important personage mobbed by a crowd of ne'er-do-wells

wǔguānduānzhèng

五官端正

[五官端正]

to have regular features

sānwǔchéngqún

三五成群

[三五成群]

in groups of three or four (idiom)

Wǔsì Yùndòng

五四运动

[五四運動]

May Fourth Movement
Chinese national renewal movement that started with 4th May 1919 protest against the Treaty of Versailles

wǔyánjuéjù

五言绝句

[五言絕句]

poetic form consisting of four lines of five syllables, with rhymes on first, second and fourth line

wǔjīndiànpù

五金店铺

[五金店鋪]

hardware store

wǔfúlínmén

五福临门

[五福臨門]

lit. (may the) five blessings descend upon this home (namely: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and a natural death)
(an auspicious saying for the Lunar New Year)

wǔjíshìguān

五级士官

[五級士官]

master sergeant

wǔmáotèxiào

五毛特效

[五毛特效]

laughable low-budget special effects

wǔquánxiànfǎ

五权宪法

[五權憲法]

Sun Yat-sen's Five-power constitution of Republic of China, then of Taiwan
The five courts or 院 (yuàn) are 行政院 (xíngzhèngyuàn) Executive yuan, 立法院 (lìfǎyuàn) Legislative yuan, 司法院 (sīfǎyuàn) Judicial yuan, 考試院／考试院 (kǎoshìyuàn) Examination yuan, 監察院／监察院 (jiāncháyuàn) Control yuan

wǔwèijùquán

五味俱全

[五味俱全]

a complete gamut of all five flavors (idiom); every flavor under the sun

wǔxīnghóngqí

五星红旗

[五星紅旗]

five-starred red flag (PRC national flag)

wǔrénmùbēijì

五人墓碑记

[五人墓碑記]

Five tombstone inscriptions (1628), written by Zhang Pu 張溥／张溥 ( Zhāng Pǔ)

Wǔhú Shíliùguó

五胡十六国

[五胡十六國]

Sixteen Kingdoms of Five non-Han people (ruling most of China 304-439)

èryītiānzuòwǔ

二一添作五

[二一添作五]

lit. one half equals zero point five (division rule in abacus reckoning)
to share fairly between two parties
to go fifty-fifty

Shàngxià Wǔ Qiānnián

上下五千年

[上下五千年]

Tales from 5000 Years of Chinese History in three volumes by Cao Yuzhang 曹餘章／曹余章 ( Cáo Yúzhāng)

wǔbǐshūrùfǎ

五笔输入法

[五筆輸入法]

five stroke input method for Chinese characters by numbered strokes, invented by Wang Yongmin 王永民 in 1983

sānxiàwǔchú'èr

三下五除二

[三下五除二]

three, set five remove two (abacus rule)
efficiently
quickly and easily

zuànshíwánglǎowǔ

钻石王老五

[鑽石王老五]

highly eligible bachelor
desirable male partner

Shānběn Wǔshíliù

山本五十六

[山本五十六]

YAMAMOTO Isoroku (1884-1943), Japanese admiral

yītuìliù'èrwǔ

一退六二五

[一退六二五]

see 一推六二五 (yītuīliù'èrwǔ)

wǔhuāyānzhūròu

五花腌猪肉

[五花醃豬肉]

streaky bacon

wǔyǎnghuà'èrfán

五氧化二钒

[五氧化二釩]

Vanadium pentoxide V2O5
vanadic anhydride

yītuīliù'èrwǔ

一推六二五

[一推六二五]

1 divided by 16 is 0.0625 (abacus rule)
(fig.) to deny responsibility; to pass the buck

Liù Erwǔ Zhànzhēng

六二五战争

[六二五戰爭]

the Korean War (started June 25 1950)

Wǔdàliánchíshì

五大连池市

[五大連池市]

Wudalianchi, county-level city in Heihe 黑河 ( Hēihé), Heilongjiang

dàwǔzhǐtiàoshǔ

大五趾跳鼠

[大五趾跳鼠]

great jerboa (Allactaga major)

liù'èrwǔshìbiàn

六二五事变

[六二五事變]

Korean war (dating from North Korean invasion on 25th Jun 1950)

Hālā'ěr Wǔshì

哈拉尔五世

[哈拉爾五世]

Harald V of Norway

rúduòwǔlǐwùzhōng

如堕五里雾中

[如墮五里霧中]

as if lost in a thick fog (idiom)
in a fog
muddled
completely unfamiliar with sth

Wǔ Qī Gànbù Xuéxiào

五七干部学校

[五七幹部學校]

May 7 Cadre School (farm where urban cadres had to undertake manual labor and study ideology during the Cultural Revolution) (abbr. to 五七幹校／五七干校 ( Wǔ Qī Gànxiào))

gèdǎwǔshídàbǎn

各打五十大板

[各打五十大板]

lit. to give each one a flogging of fifty strokes (idiom)
fig. to punish the guilty and the innocent alike
to put the blame on both parties

wǔsì'àiguóyùndòng

五四爱国运动

[五四愛國運動]

May Fourth Movement
Chinese national renewal movement that started with 4th May 1919 protest against the Treaty of Versailles

wèiwǔdǒumǐzhéyāo

为五斗米折腰

[為五斗米折腰]

(allusion to Tao Qian 陶潛／陶潜 ( Táo Qián), who used this phrase when he resigned from government service rather than show subservience to a visiting inspector) to bow and scrape for five pecks of rice (that being a part of his salary as a local magistrate)
(fig.) to compromise one's principles for the sake of a salary

shēnshǒubùjiànwǔzhǐ

伸手不见五指

[伸手不見五指]

pitch-dark (idiom)

guòwǔguānzhǎnliùjiàng

过五关斩六将

[過五關斬六將]

lit. to cross five passes and slay six generals (idiom)
fig. to surmount all difficulties (on the way to success)

wǔshíbùxiàobǎibù

五十步笑百步

[五十步笑百步]

lit. the one who has retreated 50 steps laughs at the one who has retreated 100 steps (idiom)
fig. the pot calls the kettle black

wǔjiǎngsìměisānrè'ài

五讲四美三热爱

[五講四美三熱愛]

the five emphases, four beauties and three loves (PRC policy introduced in 1981, including emphasis on manners, beauty of language and love of socialism)

wǔbǎiniánqiánshìyījiā

五百年前是一家

[五百年前是一家]

five hundred years ago we were the same family (idiom) (said of persons with the same surname)

Wǔfēng Tǔjiāzú Zìzhìxiàn

五峰土家族自治县

[五峰土家族自治縣]

Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County in Hubei

hépínggòngchǔwǔxiàngyuánzé

和平共处五项原则

[和平共處五項原則]

Zhou Enlai's Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence
1954 Panchsheel series of agreements between PRC and India

máquèsuīxiǎo,wǔzàngjùquán

麻雀虽小，五脏俱全

[麻雀雖小，五臟俱全]

the sparrow may be small but all its vital organs are there (idiom)
small but complete in every detail

sìtǐbùqín,wǔgǔbùfēn

四体不勤，五谷不分

[四體不勤，五穀不分]

never move your four limbs, can't distinguish the five crops (idiom); living as a parasite

duǒguòchūyī,duǒbùguòshíwǔ

躲过初一，躲不过十五

[躲過初一，躲不過十五]

see 躲得過初一，躲不過十五／躲得过初一，躲不过十五 (duǒdeguòchūyī,duǒbùguòshíwǔ)

duǒdeguòchūyī,duǒbùguòshíwǔ

躲得过初一，躲不过十五

[躲得過初一，躲不過十五]

lit. you may go undetected during the new moon, but at full moon you'll be found out (idiom)
fig. you can't put it off forever
sooner or later you'll have to deal with it

Zhāng Sān, Lǐ Sì, Wáng Wǔ, Zhào Liù

张三，李四，王五，赵六

[張三，李四，王五，趙六]

(four proverbial names) Tom, Dick and Harry