sì dà
the four elements: earth, water, fire, and wind (Buddhism)
the four freedoms: speaking out freely, airing views fully, holding great debates, and writing big-character posters, 大鳴大放|大鸣大放[da4 ming2 da4 fang4], 大辯論|大辩论[da4 bian4 lun4], 大字報|大字报[da4 zi4 bao4] (PRC)
sì dà míng zhù
the Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature, namely: A Dream of Red Mansions 紅樓夢|红楼梦[Hong2 lou2 Meng4], Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义[San1 guo2 Yan3 yi4], Water Margin 水滸傳|水浒传[Shui3 hu3 Zhuan4], Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4]
sì dà tiān wáng
the four heavenly kings (Sanskrit vajra)
the four guardians or warrior attendants of Buddha
sì dà měi nǚ
Four legendary beauties of ancient China, namely: Xi Shi 西施, Wang Zhaojun 王昭君, Diaochan 貂蟬|貂蝉 and Yang Yuhuan 楊玉環|杨玉环 or Yang Guifei 楊貴妃|杨贵妃
sì dà fā míng
the four great Chinese inventions: paper, printing, magnetic compass and gunpowder
Sì dà Fó jiào Míng shān
Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism, namely: Mt Wutai 五臺山|五台山 in Shanxi, Mt Emei 峨眉山 in Sichuan, Mt Jiuhua 九華山|九华山 in Anhui, Mt Potala 普陀山 in Zhejiang
Zhōng guó gǔ dài sì dà měi nǚ
Four legendary beauties of ancient China, namely: Xi Shi 西施, Wang Zhaojun 王昭君, Diaochan 貂蟬|貂蝉 and Yang Yuhuan 楊玉環|杨玉环 or Yang Guifei 楊貴妃|杨贵妃
Jiāng nán sì dà cái zǐ
Four great southern talents of the Ming, namely: Tang Bohu 唐伯虎, Zhu Zhishan 祝枝山, Wen Zhengming 文徵明|文征明 and Xu Zhenqing 徐禎卿|徐祯卿
sì dà shí kū
Four great caves, namely: Longmen grottoes 龍門石窟|龙门石窟[Long2 men2 shi2 ku1] at Luoyang, Henan, Yungang caves 雲岡石窟|云冈石窟[Yun2 gang1 shi2 ku1] at Datong, Shanxi, Mogao caves 莫高窟[Mo4 gao1 ku1] at Dunhuang, Gansu, and Mt Maiji caves 麥積山石窟|麦积山石窟[Mai4 ji1 shan1 shi2 ku1] at Tianshui, Gansu
Yuán qǔ sì dà jiā
Four great Yuan dramatists, namely: Guan Hanqing 關漢卿|关汉卿[Guan1 Han4 qing1], Zheng Guangzu 鄭光祖|郑光祖[Zheng4 Guang1 zu3], Ma Zhiyuan 馬致遠|马致远[Ma3 Zhi4 yuan3] and Bai Pu 白樸|白朴[Bai2 Pu3]
sì dà xū shēng
Four great beards of Beijing opera, namely: Ma Lianliang 馬連良|马连良, Tan Fuying 譚富英|谭富英, Yang Baosen 楊寶森|杨宝森, Xi Xiaobo 奚嘯伯|奚啸伯
sì dà pén dì
four great basin depressions of China, namely: Tarim 塔里木盆地 in south Xinjiang, Jungar 準葛爾盆地|准葛尔盆地 and Tsaidam or Qaidam 柴達木盆地|柴达木盆地 in north Xinjiang Sichuan 四川盆地
Sòng sì dà shū
Four great compilations of Northern Song dynasty, namely: Extensive records of the Taiping era (978) 太平廣記|太平广记, Imperial readings of the Taiping era 太平御覽|太平御览, Prime tortoise of the record bureau 冊府元龜|册府元龟, Finest blossoms in the garden of literature 文苑英華|文苑英华
Táng chū Sì Dà jiā
Four Great Poets of early Tang
refers to Yu Shi'nan 虞世南[Yu2 Shi4 nan2], Ouyang Xun 陽歐詢|欧阳询[Ou1 yang2 Xun2], Chu Suiliang 楮遂良[Chu3 Sui4 liang2] and Xue Ji 薛稷[Xue1 Ji4]
liù cháo sì dà jiā
Four Great Painters of the Six dynasties, namely: Cao Buxing 曹不興|曹不兴, Gu Kaizhi 顧愷之|顾恺之, Lu Tanwei 陸探微|陆探微 and Zhang Sengyou 張僧繇|张僧繇
zá jù sì dà jiā
Four great Yuan dramatists, namely: Guan Hanqing 關漢卿|关汉卿[Guan1 Han4 qing1], Zheng Guangzu 鄭光祖|郑光祖[Zheng4 Guang1 zu3], Ma Zhiyuan 馬致遠|马致远[Ma3 Zhi4 yuan3] and Bai Pu 白樸|白朴[Bai2 Pu3]
Běi Sòng sì dà bù shū
Four great compilations of Northern Song dynasty, namely: Extensive records of the Taiping era (978) 太平廣記|太平广记, Imperial readings of the Taiping era 太平御覽|太平御览, Prime tortoise of the record bureau 冊府元龜|册府元龟, Finest blossoms in the garden of literature 文苑英華|文苑英华
sì dà jiē kōng
lit. the four elements are vanity (idiom)
this world is an illusion
sì dà měi nǚ
Four legendary beauties of ancient China, namely: Xishi 西施[Xi1 shi1], Wang Zhaojun 王昭君[Wang2 Zhao1 jun1], Diaochan 貂蟬|貂蝉[Diao1 Chan2] and Yang Yuhuan 楊玉環|杨玉环[Yang2 Yu4 huan2]