Today I’m sharing 13 成语 that each contain all 4 tones (not counting the neutral tone). I just find them really cool for some reason. I either learned these 成语 in class or have encountered them online independently. Example sentences from Pleco.
重男轻女 zhòngnánqīngnǚ - lit. to value males and belittle females (idiom) 中国 我们不应该有重男轻女的观念。
异口同声 yìkǒutóngshēng - different mouths, same voice / to speak in unison (idiom) “没问题。”同学们异口同声地回答。
班门弄斧 bānménnòngfǔ - to display one’s slight skill before an expert (idiom) 在你面前班门弄斧，太不好意思了。
刻骨铭心 kègǔmíngxīn - lit. carved in bones and engraved in the heart (idiom) / fig. etched in one’s memory / unforgettable 父母对子女的爱，是如此的刻骨铭心。
装聋作哑 zhuānglóngzuòyǎ - to play deaf-mute / to feign ignorance 他装聋作哑，说他一点也不知道。
南腔北调 nánqiāngběidiào - to speak with a mixed accent 他讲话南腔北调的。
胡思乱想 húsīluànxiǎng - to indulge in flights of fancy (idiom); to let one’s imagination run wild 你要是以为自己可以获胜的话，一定是在胡思乱想！
海枯石烂 hǎikūshílàn - lit. when the seas run dry and the stones go soft (idiom) / fig. forever / until the end of time 我爱你到海枯石烂。
寒风刺骨 hánfēngcìgǔ - bone chilling wind (idiom) 在寒风刺骨的夜里，街上安安静静的。
生儿育女 shēng'éryùnǚ - to bear and raise children 他们决定开始生儿育女。
言之有物 yánzhīyǒuwù - (of one’s words) to have substance 这篇文章言之有物。
举足轻重 jǔzúqīngzhòng - a foot’s move sways the balance (idiom); to hold the balance of power / to play the decisive role 她在政府中的作用举足轻重。
以防万一 yǐfángwànyī - to guard against the unexpected (idiom); just in case / prepared for any eventualities 也许不会下雨，不过还是带把伞，以防万一。
I wanted to update this post with some additional 成语. Some of them have been featured on my blog before (mostly from one of my 50 成语 posts hereandhere), but I thought it would be nice to have them collected altogether.
多管闲事 duōguǎnxiánshì - meddling in other people’s business 现在我了解情况了，真希望自己当初没去多管闲事。
步履蹒跚 bùlǚpánshān | bùlǚmánshān - to walk haltingly / to hobble along 那位老太太步履蹒跚地走下楼梯。 My Chinese teacher said this chengyu can also be pronounced bùlǚmánshān.
淡然处之 dànránchǔzhī - to treat indifferently or coolly 面对困难，他淡然处之。
无懈可击 wúxièkějī | wúxièkějí - invulnerable 需要更多证人让案子无懈可击。 In Taiwan, 击 is pronounced jí, so this 成语 wouldn’t fit the all 4 tones requirement.
庸人自扰 yōngrénzìrǎo - to get upset over nothing / to make problems for oneself 事情已经解决，你就别庸人自扰了。
举世无双 jǔshìwúshuāng - unrivaled / world number one / unique / unequaled 他表演的冰上舞蹈真是举世无双。
明目张胆 míngmùzhāngdǎn - openly and without fear / brazenly 小偷明目张胆地开偷来的车。
火上加油 huǒshàngjiāyóu - to add oil to the fire / to aggravate a situation / to enrage people and make matters worse 他心情不好，别火上加油。
提心吊胆 tíxīndiàodǎn - to be very scared and on edge 我对考试结果感到提心吊胆的。
天旋地转 tiānxuándìzhuàn | tiānxuándìzhuǎn - the sky spins and the earth goes round / giddy with one’s head spinning / huge changes in the world 我一站起身就觉得天旋地转。 This 成语 can be pronounced with zhuàn (Mainland) or zhuǎn (Taiwan). Obviously it only contains all 4 tones with zhuǎn.
倾盆大雨 qīngpéndàyǔ - a downpour / rain bucketing down / to be overwhelmed 倾盆大雨让地面湿透了。
I thought it was very interesting that 1243 led by quite a bit! I totally did not notice as I was drafting this post. But this is just a small sample, so it isn’t necessarily representative of all 成语.
