Chinese Idioms -- Fall Behind Sun Shan

Fall Behind Sun Shan

In the Song Dynasty (960-1279) there was a joker called Sun Shan. One year he went to take the imperial examination and came last on the list of successful candidates.

Back in his hometown, one of his neighbors asked him whether the neighbor's son had also passed. Sun Shan said with a smile: "Sun Shan was the last on the list. Your son came after Sun Shan."

Later, people used this idiom to indicate failing in an examination or competition.

 

míng luò sūn shā
名     落    孙   山

       宋朝(sòngcháo)时(shí)（公元(gōngyuán)960年(nián)-1279年(nián)）有(yǒu)一(yī)个(gè)擅长(shàncháng)幽默(yōumò)的(de)人(rén)，名(míng)叫(jiào)孙山(sūnshān)。有(yǒu)一年(yìnián)，他(tā)去(qù)参加(cānjiā)科举(kējǔ)考试(kǎoshì)。发榜(fābǎng)之(zhī)后(hòu)，孙(sūn)山(shān)榜(bǎng)上(shàng)有(yǒu)名(míng)，但(dàn)是(shì)排(pái)在(zài)最(zuì)后(hòu)一(yī)位(wèi)。

       孙山(sūnshān)回到(huídào)家乡(jiāxiāng)后(hòu)，一(yī)位(wèi)同乡(tóngxiāng)向(xiàng)他(tā)打听(dǎting)自己(zìjǐ)的(de)儿子(érzi)考上(kǎoshàng)没有(méiyǒu)。孙山(sūnshān)笑了笑(xiàolexiào)说(shuō)："孙山(sūnshān)考上(kǎoshàng)最后(zuìhòu)一(yī)名(míng)，您(nín)儿子(érzi)的(de)名字(míngzì)还(hái)在(zài)孙(sūn)山(shān)后面(hòumian)呢(ne)。"

       后来(hòulái)人们(rénmen)用(yòng)"名落孙山"(míngluòsūnshān)来(lái)比喻(bǐyù)考试(kǎoshì)没有(méiyǒu)考上(kǎoshàng)或者(huòzhě)选拔(xuǎnbá)没有(méiyǒu)被(bèi)录取(lùqǔ)。