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Allegories |
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guān qǐlái dă luó –míng shēng zài wài
关起门来打锣 – 名声在外
Close the door to beat gongs – be well-known
hán dōng là yuè de mă fēng wō – kōng kōng dòng dòng
寒冬腊月的马蜂窝 – 空空洞洞
A hornet's nest in severe winter – empty; hollow; devoid of substance |
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guān yǔ xiáng cáo cāo – shēn zài cáo yíng xīn zài hàn
关羽降曹操 – 身在曹营心在汉
Guan Yu (160-219), a general in the period of the Three Kingdoms, surrendered to Cao Cao (155-220), a military strategist and statesman during the Three Kingdoms. – live in the Cao camp but with one's heart in the Han camp; though one is physically here, one's mind is elsewhere; be half-hearted
cáo cāo shā huà tuó – yǐ yuàn bào dé
曹操杀华佗 – 以怨报德
Cao Cao (155-220), a military strategist and statesman during the Three Kingdoms, killed Hua Tuo (141-203), a noted surgeon and physician at the end of the Han Dynasty. – return evil for good; repay good with evil |
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lĕng shuǐ pào chá – wú wèi
冷水泡茶 – 无味
Make tea with unboiled water – Literally, unpleasant tasting; tasteless. Figuratively, uninteresting
gǔn shuǐ pào chá – yòu nóng yòu xiāng
滚水泡茶 – 又浓又香
Make tea with boiling water – of rich flavor; of strong fragrance or aroma |
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sī mǎ zhāo zhī xīn – lù rén jiē zhī
司马昭之心 – 路人皆知
Everyone on the street is aware of Sima Zhao's intent. – The villain's design is obvious to all.
wŏ jiĕ lǎn nǐ tuī chuán – shùn shuǐ rén qíng
我解缆，你推船 – 顺水人情
I untie the mooring rope and you push the boat. – a favor done at little or no cost to oneself |
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lín dài yù de xìng zi – duō chóu shàn găn
林黛玉的性子 – 多愁善感
Like Lin Daiyu, one is excessively sentimental. [Lin Daiyu is a principal character (one of the heroines) in the Chinese classic novel "Dream of the Red Chamber."]
liáng shān bó kàn dào zhù yīng tái – yī jiàn zhōng qíng
梁山伯看到祝英台 – 一见钟情
Like Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, two people fall in love or become captivated at first sight. [The Chinese legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, a well-known tragic love story set in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420), is often regarded as the Chinese equivalent of Romeo and Juliet.] |
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gǔ dǒng dāng pò làn mài – bù shí huò
古董当破烂卖 – 不识货
Take antiques for junk and sell them – be unable to tell good from bad; don't know what's what
jiǔ guǐ hē qì shuǐ – bù guò yǐn
酒鬼喝汽水 – 不过瘾
A drunkard drinks soda water. – One can't enjoy oneself to the full; one can't do something to his heart's content. |
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dà xiàng de bí zi – néng qū néng shēn
大象的鼻子 – 能屈能伸
Like an elephant's nose, be able to stoop or stand erect – submit or assert oneself as the occasion requires; be adaptable to circumstances
lǎo hǔ lā chē – shéi găn (găn)
老虎拉车 – 谁敢（赶）
When a tiger pulls a cart, nobody dares to drive it. – This allegory means nobody has that great courage to do something. |
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dà nián chū yī dǎi tù zi – yǒu tā guò nián, wú tā yě guò nián
大年初一逮兔子 – 有它过年，无它也过年
Trying to catch a rabbit on the first day of the lunar year – One celebrates or spends the New Year, no matter whether s/he has got a rabbit or not. This allegory refers to something is so negligible that it has little impact on the overall situation.
chuān tù zi xié de – pǎo de kuài
穿兔子鞋的 – 跑得快
Like wearing a rabbit's shoes – run fast |
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tōu jī bù chéng shí bǎ mǐ – bù hé suàn; dé bù cháng shī
偷鸡不成蚀把米 – 不合算；得不偿失
Attempt to steal a chicken only to end up losing the rice; go for wool and come back shorn – the loss outweighs the gain
huáng shǔ láng dān yǎo bìng yā zi – dăo méi yuè jiā dăo méi
黄鼠狼单咬病鸭子 – 倒霉越加倒霉
A sick duck is bitten by a weasel. – more bad luck. This allegory describes someone who has already suffered a misfortune and then meets another disaster. |
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biǎn dan méi zā – liǎng tóu dǎ tā
扁担没扎 – 两头打塌
When the carrying/shoulder pole is not secured at both ends, its loads slip off. – try to grab both but end up getting neither; fall between two stools
gŏu niǎn yā zi – guā guā jiào
狗撵鸭子 – 呱呱叫
A duck chased by a dog – quacking at the top of its voice. "呱呱叫" in colloquial Chinese is often used to describe something excellent or someone who is very skillful and can accomplish something perfectly. |
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hé shang chī hūn – zhī fă fàn fă
和尚吃荤 – 知法犯法
A Buddhist monk takes meat. – know the law but break it; deliberately flout the law; knowingly violate the law
zhū bā jiè chī rén shēn guŏ – quán bù zhī zī wèi
猪八戒吃人参果 – 全不知滋味
Zhu Bajie (Pig in Journey to the West, one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature) eats ginseng fruit. – He doesn't know the taste at all. This allegory means either not appreciating the taste of food or not knowing the value of something. |
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tài suì tóu shang dòng tǔ – hăo dà de dăn
太岁头上动土 – 好大的胆
Dig clay near Taisui, a god in Chinese mythology – be reckless. This allegory is always used in the case when one risks offending a person of power and influence.
zhū bā jiè dài ĕr huán – zì yǐ wéi mĕi
猪八戒戴耳环 – 自以为美
Zhu Bajie (Pig in Journey to the West, one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature, who carries a rake as a weapon) wears earrings. – He considers himself to be beautiful. This allegory is used to satirize one who, although ugly-looking, is pleased with oneself. |
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lú gōu qiáo de shí shī zi – shǔ bù qīng
卢沟桥的石狮子 – 数不清
There are numerous stone lions on Lugou Bridge. (Lugou Bridge, also known as Macro Polo Bridge, was first built in 1187 to the southwest of today's Beijing.) – a large amount
èr wàn wǔ qiān lǐ cháng zhēng – rèn zhòng dào yuăn
二万五千里长征 – 任重道远
Long March of 25,000 li, or 12,500 kilometers (made by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, 1934-1935) – the task is arduous and the road ahead is long; shoulder heavy responsibilities in years to come |
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kŏng fū zǐ chuān xī zhuāng – bù tŭ bù yáng
孔夫子穿西装 – 不土不洋
Confucius in Western-style clothes – neither fish nor flesh
jí xìng zi pèng dào màn xìng zi – nǐ jí tā bù jí
急性子碰到慢性子 – 你急他不急
An impetuous person comes across a slowcoach. – One is impatient to do something but the other not. |
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kŏng fū zǐ jiāo sān zì jīng – mái mò rén cái
孔夫子教《三字经》 – 埋没人才
Confucius teaches Three Character Classic or Three Character Primer. (The Three Character Classic refers to a three character textbook for beginners, which is said to be compiled by Wang Yinglin (王应麟) of the southern Song Dynasty.) – stifle real talents
lài há ma xiăng chī tiān é ròu – chī xīn wàng xiăng
癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉 – 痴心妄想
A toad lusting after a swan's flesh – crave for something one is not worthy of; have sheer illusion or wishful thinking |
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bān mén nòng fŭ – zì bù liàng lì
班门弄斧 – 自不量力
Wield the axe before Lu Ban (the ancient master carpenter); display one's learning or parade one's skill in the presence of an expert – overestimate oneself or one's strength; overrate oneself
lăo băo mŭ dài hái zi – rén jiā de
老保姆带孩子 – 人家的
A babysitter looks after kids. – The kids are not his/her own. Figuratively, it means something one has is not his/her own, or something one does with effort is for the sake of others. |
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jià chu qu de nǚ ér pō chu qu de shuĭ – shōu bù huí lái
嫁出去的女儿，泼出去的水 – 收不回来
A married daughter is like spilt water. – A married daughter is no longer a member of the family. Figuratively, it means something cannot be taken back.
hóu zi lāo yuè liang – kōng máng yī chăng
猴子捞月亮 – 空忙一场
Monkeys fish for the moon in the water. – make vain efforts; be busy for nothing |
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dà gū niang zuò huā jiào – tóu yī huí
大姑娘坐花轿 – 头一回
A girl sitting in a bridal sedan chair – the very first time (Traditionally, a bride was carried in a special sedan chair to the groom's home, which was a first-time experience for every girl.)
diē sĭ niáng jià rén – gè rén gù gè rén
爹死娘嫁人 – 各人顾各人
After Dad's death, Mom gets married again. – Everyone is for him/herself. |
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ǎi zi pá lóu tī – bù bù dēng gāo
矮子爬楼梯 – 步步登高
A dwarf climbing a ladder – becoming higher with each step
chá fěn jìn guān cai – sĭ yào miàn zi
搽粉进棺材 – 死要面子
Putting make-up on before entering the coffin – saving face even when dying |
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tuó zi diē gēn tou – liăng tóu bù zhuó (luò) shí
驼子跌跟头 – 两头不着（落）实
Like a hunchback falling down with neither the head nor the feet touching the ground – fall between two stools
dĕng gōng jī xià dàn – méi zhĭ wang
等公鸡下蛋 – 没指望
Never expect a rooster to lay an egg. – There is no hope for something. |
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