| 等闲 | děng xián | ordinary / common / unimportant / idly / for no reason |   |
| 有一搭没一搭 | yǒu yī dā méi yī dā | unimportant / perfunctory / indifferent / (of conversation) idly | |
| 哈拉 | hā lā | to chat idly (Tw) | |
| 守株待兔 | shǒu zhū dài tù | lit. to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits (idiom) / to wait idly for opportunities / to trust to chance rather than show initiative | |
| 闲坐 | xián zuò | to sit around / to sit idly | |
| 侃大山 | kǎn dà shān | to chatter idly / to gossip / to boast or brag | |
| 打屁 | dǎ pì | to chat idly | |
| 看不过 | kàn bu guò | cannot stand by idly and watch / unable to put up with it any longer / see 看不過去|看不过去[kan4 bu5 guo4 qu5] | |
| 无心插柳柳成阴 | wú xīn chā liǔ liǔ chéng yīn | lit. idly poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree to shade you / (fig.) unintentional actions may bring unexpected success / also written 無心插柳柳成蔭|无心插柳柳成荫 | |
| 看不过去 | kàn bu guò qu | cannot stand by idly and watch / unable to put up with it any longer | |
| 闲侃 | xián kǎn | to chat idly | |
| 蛋逼 | dàn bī | (dialect) to talk nonsense / to chat idly | |
| 扯犊子 | chě dú zi | (dialect) to talk nonsense / to chat idly | |
| 指点江山 | zhǐ diǎn jiāng shān | to talk idly about important matters (idiom) / to set the world to rights / to pass judgment on everything | |
| 耍废 | shuǎ fèi | (Tw) (slang) to pass time idly / to chill / to hang out | |
| 呆站 | dāi zhàn | to stand idly | |
| 喇赛 | lā sài | (Tw) (slang) to chat idly / to gossip (from Taiwanese 抐屎, Tai-lo pr. [lā-sái]) | |
