| Idioms, expressions | Hokkien pronunciation | Literal translation | Meaning |
| 嘴尖舌利 | tsui tsiam tsi lai | pointed mouth, sharp tongue | a very talkative person |
| 嘴笑目笑 | tsui tsio bak tsio | laughing mouth and eyes | expression of happiness as shown in one’s smiling face |
| 三尖六角 | san tsiam lak kak | three sharp edges and six angles | describes something with irregular shape as in a piece of land |
| 三人五目 | san lang go bak | three persons five eyes | too many people watching |
| 雕花刻柳 | tiao hue kiak liu | carve flowers | doing something with too much detail that it takes too long to finish |
First published in Tulay Fortnightly, Chinese-Filipino Digest 28, no. 5 (August 4-17, 2015): 13.
