Anyone know of a good Chengyu dictionary with these parameters:

[-葛亚辉-]

I'd really like something thats in simplified with pinyin provided for pronunciation, also with descriptions of the Chengyu's backstory in Chinese and English. I have a dictionary like this that's kind of cool that I got from a teacher, but it uses traditional characters and some taiwanese pronunciation system I don't know.

I know thats kind of specific but I'm sure something like that must exist...hopefully purchasable in the US somehow cuz I won't be in China till this summer.

I just think the stories are fun and help me remember the expressions well, so it might be a fun way to learn some more on the side of classes. I really need the stories in english though, becuase my Chinese isn't good enough to be able to completely understand most stories in chinese without frequent use of a dictionary. But it's good to have the chinese descriptions there too for reference/future learning.

Thanks all!

[Hongbao]

I think "The Stories Behind 100 Chinese Idioms" has what you're looking for:

http://www.sinolingua.com.cn/en/product.asp?id=1026.

It was a while since I read it though, so I'm not all positive that it's got pinyin. You should have no problem finding it in the US.

[Shadowdh]

Thats part of a series (of which there are at least 4 books) and is very good and pretty much what you are after I would think... it has the chengyu and then the pinyin and then the english with chinese and english explanation... they are good and I do enjoy them... worth a shot but if I might suggest... wait till you get to china for any book purchases as they will be much, much cheaper...

[-葛亚辉-]

^yeah I know, but I wanna learn some of this stuff before I get there...the more I know going into my studying there, the more I'll get out of it, I would think...

[xiaojiang216]

I bought that book in 王府井 along with a hardcore 成语词典. They're marvelous! They both have 拼音 and English translations.

[elina]

Here’re some sample pages in the book of The stories Behind 100 Chinese Idioms for your reference:

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612111607.jpg

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612193554.jpg

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612163018.jpg

There are other 3 books in the same series:

100 Pearls of Chinese Wisdom

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612160627.jpg

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612135891.jpg

100 Common Chinese Idioms and Set Phrases

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612162872.jpg

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612171260.jpg

100 Chinese Two-Part Allegorical Sayings

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612176024.jpg

http://9822629.s31.sqnet.cn/wms/Upfiles/200612149443.jpg

If you come to Beijing next year, you could visit 西单 or 王府井 bookstore to buy them with cheaper price than purchasing from outside China.

[-葛亚辉-]

ah fantastic, thanks elina! I was looking for sample pages but couldn't find any (OK, I didn't look super hard or anything, but still)...that looks perfect!

[Shadowdh]

^yeah I know, but I wanna learn some of this stuff before I get there...the more I know going into my studying there, the more I'll get out of it, I would think...

As long as you have some resource books now it wont give you that much more unless you are intermediate or above perhaps...

I bought that book in 王府井 along with a hardcore 成语词典. They're marvelous! They both have 拼音 and English translations.

I got the set in the BLCU bookstore by the south gate... god I bought so many books there and at the two main bookshops in Wangfujing I had to get another suitcase to send them home in... and I still had a 30kg carry on...!!!