# Everyday Chengyu: Meaning, Context & Misuse Practice

Meaning, Context & Misuse Practice — 20 idioms you will really hear

Source: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/everyday-chengyu

## At a glance

- Level: Intermediate · HSK 3
- Format: Workbook · PDF · 29 pages · US Letter (prints on A4)
- Price: Free · free with a saymei account · updated Oct 8, 2026

## Download

Free with a SayMei account, on the workbook's page: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/everyday-chengyu. SayMei emails a copy too.

## A line from the workbook

熟能生巧 (shúnéng-shēngqiǎo) — Practice makes perfect.

## By the end you can

- Understand 20 everyday chengyu and the stories behind them
- Use each idiom in the right sentence pattern and situation
- Spot and fix the mistakes learners make most often

## What's inside

- Unit 1: Learn: Careless or Quitting Halfway · Learn: Practice and Double Wins
- Story 1: Lin Hao Learns Calligraphy
- Unit 1: Practice: Unit 1 Practice
- Unit 2: Learn: Snake Feet and Waiting Rabbits · Learn: Cows and Broken Pens
- Story 2: Xiaoyu's Big Presentation
- Unit 2: Practice: Unit 2 Practice
- Review: Review: Units 1 and 2
- Unit 3: Learn: Love at First Sight, Nerves · Learn: Talking to Yourself Abroad
- Story 3: Lin Hao's Trip to Chengdu
- Unit 3: Practice: Unit 3 Practice
- Unit 4: Learn: One Heart or Three Hearts · Learn: Messy Rooms, Every Effort
- Story 4: Xiaoyu Works from Home
- Unit 4: Practice: Unit 4 Practice
- Unit 5: Learn: Time Flies, Exact Twins · Learn: Baffled and Delighted
- Story 5: The Mixed-Up Bag
- Unit 5: Practice: Unit 5 Practice
- Reference: All 20 Chengyu (1–10) · All 20 Chengyu (11–20)
- Review: Final Review: 20 Chengyu

## Who it's for

Learners past the basics who want to say more, and say it more naturally.

## Is this workbook free?

Yes. The whole 29-page PDF is free, and the first two pages are on this page to look at before you download. There's no card and nothing to pay.

## Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can take a free lesson with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

## How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

## Can I print copies for my class?

Yes. Print as many copies as you like for your own class or family. To share it, send this page: everyone can download their own copy.

Version 2026-10, updated Oct 8, 2026.