2026 Chinese Idiom Contest
2026 中文成語比賽

✨ Purpose

Since ancient times, idioms have been a treasure of Chinese language and culture. Often, a four-character idiom can vividly and eloquently express a complete idea, making them both practical and popular among students. To promote the teaching of idioms and encourage students to develop the habit of using and speaking idioms from a young age, the National Council of Associations of Chinese Language Schools (NCACLS) holds an annual idiom contest for elementary and middle school students. The contest features questions presented in formats such as PowerPoint slides and short videos, with content that is relatable to daily life, lively, and engaging. The questions are in multiple-choice format, and since they are read aloud, students can answer as long as they understand the spoken content.

✨ 比賽宗旨

自古以來，成語是中華語言文化的瑰寶，通常一句四個字的成語就能文情並茂地表達出一個完整的意思，運用起來得心應手，很受學生的喜歡。爲了推動成語教學，鼓勵學生自幼就能養成口説成語和運用成語的習慣，全美總會每年都會爲低、中年級學生舉辦成語比賽，題目是以 PPT、短片等方式呈現，内容貼近生活，活潑有趣。比賽題目採用選擇題，因爲有語音念題，所以學生只要聽得懂就能作答。

📅 Key Dates

Registration Deadline: April 18th, 2026
Contest Date: May 16, 2026 (Saturday)
- Junior Division (Age ≤12):
  - PST 9:30 AM｜Utah 10:30 AM｜CST 11:30 AM｜EST 12:30 PM
- Intermediate Division (Age ≤15):
  - PST 10:30 AM｜Utah 11:30 AM｜CST 12:30 PM｜EST 1:30 PM

📅 重要時程

報名截止：2026 年 4 月 18 日
比賽日期：2026 年 5 月 16 日（星期六）
- 初級組（12 歲以下）：
  - 美西 9:30 AM｜猶他州 10:30 AM｜美中 11:30 AM｜美東 12:30 PM
- 中級組（15 歲以下）：
  - 美西 10:30 AM｜猶他州 11:30 AM｜美中 12:30 PM｜美東 1:30 PM

📍 Venue

Online. Ensure equipment readiness and participate in pre-test (see rules).

📍 比賽地點

線上舉行，需提前準備設備並參與測試（詳見規則）。

✅ Eligibility

Participants must be enrolled in NPMS (based on the 2025-2026 academic year, from September 2025 to June 2026).
Participants must have been continuously enrolled in a U.S. school for three or more years.
Junior Division Age: Students aged 12 or younger (born on or after September 1, 2013).
Intermediate Division Age: Students aged 15 or younger (born on or after September 1, 2010).
Students eligible for the Junior Division may participate in the Intermediate Division, but they cannot register for both divisions simultaneously.
Students who have previously won first place in the Council's idiom contest are not eligible to participate in the same division again. If a Junior Division student has participated in the Intermediate Division and won first place, they are no longer eligible to compete in either the Junior or Intermediate Division.

✅ 參加資格

參加比賽者必須就讀於NPMS（以2025年9 月至2026 年6月學年度為準）。
參加者必須在美國學校連續就讀三年或以上。
初級組年齡：12 歲或12歲以下的學生（2013年9月1 日（含）以後出生）
中級組年齡：15 歲或15歲以下的學生（2010年9月1 日（含）以後出生）
符合參加初級組資格者可參加中級組比賽，但不得同時報名參加兩組比賽。
凡參加總會成語比賽曾獲得第一名之學生，不得再參加該組比賽。若初級組學生曾參加中級組比賽又獲得第一名，則該學生不得參加初級組或中級組比賽。

📏 Contest Rules

The contest will be conducted in a written format, with questions broadcast online via the Internet.
There will be a total of 40 questions, including images, videos, and text.
The questions and answer choices will be displayed in both Traditional and Simplified Chinese characters. A pre-recorded audio of the questions will be played simultaneously online. All questions will be played only once, and participants may not request pauses or replays.
The questions will be either single-choice (select one out of four) or multiple-choice (select two out of four). Participants will select their answers on a Google Form. Each correct answer earns 1 point. For multiple-choice questions, both answers must be correct to earn 1 point. Incorrect or unanswered questions will not be penalized.
Before the official contest begins, three warm-up questions will be played to familiarize participants with the format. These questions do not require answers.
After each question is read, participants will have approximately 10 to 20 seconds to select their answer, depending on the difficulty of the question.
Before the contest, participants must prepare a quiet environment, a desk, a chair, a computer, a webcam, internet connection equipment, speakers, and proper lighting.
During the contest, only the participant is allowed in the room. Participants are not permitted to wear headphones.
During the contest, no unrelated audio devices, screens, monitors, or phones are allowed in the room.
If a participant violates the rules, they will receive a warning from the proctor. If the participant fails to correct their behavior and violates the rules again, their total score will be recorded as zero.
Once the questions begin playing, participants may not ask questions, raise objections, or request to pause the contest.
The organizing committee will conduct an online equipment test one week before the contest. All participants must ensure their equipment is ready and personally attend the test.
The organizer reserves the right of final interpretation of the contest rules.

📏 比賽規則

比賽形式以筆試方式進行，題目屆時會播放在網路(Internet)上。
題目共計40題，內容包含圖案、影片和文字。
題目與選項的文字部分會同時有繁體與簡體兩種字體，並由老師預錄念題在網路上同步播放。所有題目均只播放一次。參賽者不得要求暫停或是再次播放。
題目全是四選一的單選題或四選二的複選題。參賽者在網路的Google Form 上圈選答案。答對一題得 1 分，複選題需兩個答案都對才得 1 分，答錯或是放棄回答不得分也不倒扣分數。
正式比賽題目開始播放前，會播放三題暖身題，讓參賽者熟悉形式，但不用作答。
每題題目念完後，依題目的難易會約有10秒至20 秒可讓參賽者圈選答案。
比賽前，請準備安靜的參賽環境、桌椅、電腦、網路攝像機、網路聯接設備、喇叭、燈光等。
比賽時，只有參賽者本人得進入參賽房間。參賽者不准配戴耳機。
比賽時，在參賽房間內不得使用與與題目參賽無關的播音設備、螢幕、顯示器或手機等。
參賽者如有違規，第一次由監考人員警告。如果該參賽者未改正並再次違規，則該參賽者總分計為零分。
題目開始播放後，參賽者不得提出問題、抗議，或要求暫停比賽。
教研會將於比賽前一週做線上設備測試。請所有參賽者務必準備好所需的參賽設備並親自參加測試。
本比賽規則之主辦單位保留對比賽辦法的最終解釋權。

🏆 Awards

1st Place: One to three participants or those with scores of 97% or higher will receive a $150 gift card and a certificate.
2nd Place:One to three participants or those with scores between 94% (inclusive) and 97% (exclusive) will receive a $100 gift card and a certificate
3rd Place: One to three participants or those with scores between 90% (inclusive) and 94% (exclusive) will receive a $70 gift card and a certificate.
Honorable Mention: Several participants will receive a certificate.

🏆 獎勵辦法