1. Stylistic features

Different idioms show different stylistic meanings. Some are casual, others formal, still others neural in style. The same idiom may show stylistic differences when denoting different meanings.

1) Colloquialism带口语色彩的习语E.g.: hang in (there)　坚持

2) Slang俚语  E.g.: cancer stick 香烟

3) Literary expressions 带书面语色彩的习语 E.g.: come to pass 发生

2. Rhetorical features

1) Phonetic manipulation语音的调节

a. alliteration such as “chop and change” 押头韵

b. rhyme such as "toil and moil”      押尾韵

2) Lexical manipulation词语的使用

a. reiteration, which means the duplication of synonyms such as “chop and change”. 同义词迭用

b. repetition, which means the repetition of the same word, such as “by and by”. 词语重复

c. juxtapostion, which means the combination of two antonyms such as “day and night”. 反义词对举

3) Semantic manipulation语义配搭

a. simile: 　 as proud as a peacock; as mute as a fish

b. metaphor: white elephant; black sheep

c. metonymy: velvet glove; in the cradle

d. synecdoche: earn one's bread; fall into good hands

e. personification: Failure is the mother of success; Actions speak louder than words.

f. euphemism:

3. Variations of idioms

1) Addition:增加  "in good condition" from "in condition“

2) Deletion: 减少  "the last straw" from "It is the last straw that breaks the camel's back.“

3) Position-shifting: 位置替换  day and night = night and day

4) Deplacement: 替换  "wash one's clean linen in public" from "wash one's dirty linen in public“

5) Shortening: 压缩   the last straw= It is the last straw that breaks the camel’s back.

6) Dismembering: 分解