Classification of idioms

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The idioms ,in a broad sense ,include slang, proverbs, common sayings and idioms. They have various forms, for example, phrases 、 clauses and sentences.

Different ways to classify the idioms
1.By origin
Idioms from the bible : lead by nose control someone completely wheels within wheels complicated situation or relationship eat one ’ s own flesh lazy and idle persons

2.according to semantic relationship the meaning of the idioms can be clearly figured out from each word ’ s meaning.
show one ’ s teeth (angry)
What done is done. ( 木已成舟 ) green as grass ( young or inexperienced )

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3.according to the morphological structure
Strike while the iron is hot.
Barking dogs do not bite.
More haste ,less speed.

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4.according to the grammatical functions
Reason: help us to correct the wrong use of the idioms in our daily life ,and make us have a clear mind of the idioms which have their own liberal meanings

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1.idioms nominal in nature
They have a noun as the key word in each and work as a noun in the sentence.

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Examples a white elephant :something useless and unwanted but big and costly ( a +n ) flesh and blood :relatives and family
( n + conj + n ) clean hand: innocence green hand: inexperienced person ( a+ n ) land of promised :paradise ( n + prep + n )

Classification according to the grammatical functions
2.Idioms adjective in nature
Their constituents are probably not adjective , but they function as adjectives.
Examples: as poor as a church mouse: having or earning barely enough money for one’s own needs ( as + a + as + n )

Classification according to the grammatical functions all things to all men :take great pain to today to all person ( n +prep +n ) eg.
Being a man of the world ,he is all things to all men.
bone of the bone and the flesh of the flesh: closely linked( n +conj +n )

Classification according to the grammatical functions
3.Idioms verbal in nature
(1)Phrasal verbs ( v + prep/particle ) go off with sth: leave someplace with that does not belong to one ( v + particle + prep ) eg.
He went off with 10,000,000 dollars of the company ’ s money look into :investigate take after sb: resemble (one ’ s father or mother )in appearance or character

Classification according to the grammatical functions
 (2).other verb phrases burn one’s boats: 破釜沉舟（ v +’s +n ) wash the feet of sb: serve sb
( v + n +prep + n )

Classification according to the grammatical functions
4. idioms adverbial in nature
The idioms here contain numerous prepositional phrases, which can be considered both as adjective and adverb, so the idioms which have the same structure may function differently in a sentence.

Classification according to the grammatical functions
Examples tooth and nail: with great violence and determination ( n+ conj +n ) heart and soul （全心全意） ( n + conj +n )

 5. sentence idioms
 As we mentioned before, idioms are stable. The constituents can not be changed or replaced, so the sentence idioms are sayings and proverbs, which can be subdivided into simple, compound and complex sentences.

 Examples:
 Am I your brother’s keeper? (simple)
 Pig might fly if they had wings (complex).
 One boy’s a boy; two boys are half a boy; three boys are no boy at all. (compound)
 He who has ears, let him hear. (complex)
 Whatsoever a man sowed, that should he also reap. (compound)

 Thank you for your listening !
God bless you!