Chinese allegories Lesson 2

Chinese allegories
歇后语
Two-part allegorical saying (of which the first part, always stated, is descriptive, while the second part, often unstated, carries the message)

qí lǘ kàn chàng běn – zǒu zhe qiáo
骑驴看唱本 – 走着瞧
Reading a play while riding a donkey – wait and see

qiān lǐ sòng é máo – lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng
千里送鹅毛 -- 礼轻情意重
Goose feather sent from 500 kilometers away – a small gift sent from afar conveys deep feeling

xiù cai yù dào bīng – yǒu lǐ jiǎng bù qīng
秀才遇到兵 -- 有理讲不清
A man with a pen encounters a man with a gun – you can't reach an agreement between the two kinds of people

ròu bāo zi dǎ gǒu – yǒu qù wú huí
肉包子打狗 – 有去无回
Throw a meat-stuffed bun at a dog – something gone, never to return

lǎo shǔ zuān jìn fēng xiāng lǐ – liǎng tóu shòu qì
老鼠钻进风箱里 -- 两头受气
A rat sneaks into a bellows – get blame from both sides; be caught between the hammer and the anvil

gǒu yǎo lǚ dòng bīn – bù shí hǎo rén xīn
狗咬吕洞宾 – 不识好人心
Snarl and snap at Lu Dongbin (one of the eight immortals in Chinese mythology) – mistake a good man for a bad one

dà shuǐ chōng le lóng wáng miào – zì jiā rén bú rèn zì jiā rén
大水冲了龙王庙 – 自家人不认自家人
The flood inundates the temple of the Dragon King – People on the same side fight each other by mistake

tiě dǎ de gōng jī – yì máo bù bá
铁打的公鸡 -- 一毛不拔
Iron cock – stingy person

Chinese allegories Lesson 1

 xiǎo cōng bàn dòu fu – yī qīng èr bái
小葱拌豆腐 – 一清二白
White bean curd and green scallions – as clear as daylight

gǒu ná hào zi – duō guǎn xián shì
狗拿耗子 – 多管闲事
Dog trying to catch mice – meddling in other people's business

yǎ ba chī huáng lián – yǒu kǔ shuō bù chū
哑巴吃黄连 – 有苦说不出
A dump person tasting bitter herbs – unable to express one's discomfort

qiū hòu de mà zha – bèng da bù liǎo jǐ tiān
秋后的蚂蚱 – 蹦跶不了几天
A grasshopper in late autumn – nearing one's end

ní pú sa guò hé – zì shēn nán bǎo
泥菩萨过河 – 自身难保
The clay idol crosses a river – one is hardly able to save oneself, let alone assist others

zhú lán dǎ shuǐ – yī chǎng kōng
竹篮打水 – 一场空
Draw water with a bamboo basket – achieving nothing; fruitless labor

gǎn miàn zhàng chuī huǒ – yí qiào bù tōng
擀面杖吹火 – 一窍不通
Try to blow the fire with a rolling pin – be completely ignorant or irrelevant

jiāng tài gōng diào yú – yuàn zhě shang gōu
姜太公钓鱼 – 愿者上钩
Fish like Jiang Taigong (prime minister of Zhou Dynasty in Chinese history) , who cast a hook-less and bait-less line for the fish that wants to be caught – ask for willing victim or collaborator

Chinese Idioms -- jìn shuǐ lóu tái

近水楼台

Waterfront pavilion --- the benefit of a favourable position

Fan Zhongyan (989 --- 1052) was a great statesman and celebrated literary man of the Song Dynasty. He was honest and frank and knew his subordinates well enough to assign them qppropriates jobs. He served as the prefect of Qiantang, present-day Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang province. All of his staff members and had an ideal assignment, except Su Lin. Su was an official, stationed in a remote area. He didn't have many chances to meet Fan, and was quite unhappy about his isolation. One day he wrote a poem and sent it to Fan Zhongyan. The poem included these lines:

A waterfront pavilion receives the moonlight first;

Sun-facing flowers find it easier to proclaim spring. Fan immediately understood Su Lin's intention and recommended him for a suitable promotion.

From Su Lin's poem people drew the idiom 近水楼台 (Jìn shuǐ lóu tái) --- sometimes, people quote the whole line of the poem --- 近水楼台先得月 (Jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè, a waterfront pavilion gets the moonlight first) --- and use it as an idiom to suggest that person in a favourable position wins favour first, that is, when you have close relations with someone influential, you have good opportunities. It's somewhat like the English proverb "it's easy to fetch water when a river is near".

近水楼台 jìn shuǐ lóu tái 　　

解释

靠近水边的楼台。比喻由于地处近便而获得优先的机会。

故事　　

北宋时著名的政治家和文学家范仲淹，在杭州任知州时，在他身边任职的很多官员，大多得到过他的推荐或提拔。只有一个叫苏鳞的人，因为他在杭州所属的外县做巡查，所以没被范仲淹推荐。一次，苏鳞因事到杭州见范仲淹，趁机写了一首诗，其中两句："近水楼台先得月，向阳花木易为春。"暗示范仲淹只提拔身边的人。范仲淹看了诗以后，立即写了推荐苏鳞的信，使他的愿望得以实现。这个成语出自《清夜录》，比喻由于环境或职务上的便利而获得优先的机会。

Lesson 26 Taking a Bus

1.   这车到东方小区吗？

Zhè chē dào Dōngfāng xiǎoqū ma?

Does this bus go to Dongfang community?

2.   买一张票。

Mǎi yì zhāng piào.

Ticket, please.

3.   到了请你告诉我。

Dàole qǐng nǐ gàosu wǒ.

Please let me know when we get there.

4.   在哪儿换车？

Zài nǎr huàn chē?

Where do I change the bus

Chinese Idioms -- bù hán ér lì

不寒而栗 (bù hán ér lì)

Shiver all over though not cold --- tremble with fear

Yi Zhou was known as a rigid official in Chinese history who lived in the Han Dynasty and died in the year 117BC. He had been county and prefecture magistrates. He was strict with laws and stern to law-breakers. And he was not swayed by personal considerations. Nor did he shrink from bigwigs. Outlaws were very much afraid of him and social order improved significantly in the counties under his jurisdiction.

After he was promoted to the position of Magistrate of Nanyang between present-day Central China's Henan and Hubei provinces, Yi Zong learned that one of his immediate subordinates named Ning Cheng was extremely ruthless. Ning Cheng was in charge of tariffs. He usurped power and cruelly victimized the people. Without hesitation, the new magistrate Yi Zhong investigated and verified the brutal official's crimes and brought him to justice.

Later, Yi Zhong was transferred to Ding Xiang in what is now the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. He was now Magistrate of Ding Xiang, an area where offenders ran wild. Upon his arrival, Yi Zhong took drastic measures. He sentenced to death more than two hundred criminals from the prison who he felt had been underpunished and had taken off their fetters and handcuffs without permission. Also killed at the same time were more than two hundred people who had secretly visited those major criminals and helped them take off their shackles.

This incident shocked the Ding Xiang area. People high and low were talking about how Yi Zhong killed more than four hundred people in one day. Although it was not cold that day, many people shivered at the news. Those who had violated het law or had done evil began to restrain and behave themselves.

Such massive execution really struck people with horror. And from the phrase about people's reaction comes our idiom 不寒而栗 (bù hán ér lì). We use it to describe the feeling of being terrified

Learn Chinese -- Dialogue -- Lesson 16 Drinking Tea

TEXT

 

lì li: nĭ xĭ huān hē chá ma?
丽丽： 你喜欢喝茶吗？ 
Lili:  Do you like drinking tea? 
   
mài kè: wŏ fēi cháng xĭ huān.
麦克： 我非常喜欢。 
Mike:  I like it very much. 
   
lì li: zhōng guó de chá tōng cháng fēn wéi wŭ zhŏng.
丽丽： 中国的茶通常分为五种。 
Lili:  Chinese tea may be classified into five categories.
   
mài kè: nă wŭ zhŏng?
麦克： 哪五种？ 
Mike:  which five?
   
lì li: lǜ chá, hóng chá, wū lóng chá, huā chá,jĭn yā chá.
丽丽： 绿茶、红茶、乌龙茶、花茶、紧压茶。 
Lili:  green tea, black tea, Wulong tea, scented tea, and compressed tea.
   
mài kè: wŏ xĭ huān dào chá guăn lĭ hē chá.
麦克： 我喜欢到茶馆里喝茶。 
Mike:  I like drinking tea at teahouses.
   
lì li: wŏ yĕ shì. zài zhè lĭ kĕ yĭ biān liáo tiān biān xīn shăng chá wén huà. 
丽丽： 我也是。在这里可以边聊天边欣赏茶文化。 
Lili:  So do I. We can chat while enjoying Chinese tea culture here.
   
mài kè: chá qĭ yuán yú zhōng guó. rén men rì cháng shēng huó zhōng lí bù kāi chá. 
麦克： 茶起源于中国。人们日常生活中离不开茶。 
Mike:  Tea originated from China. It is the center of attention in Chinese daily life.

 

Background

 

China is the homeland of tea. Chinese tea may be classified into five categories according to the different methods by which it is processed. It includes green tea, black tea, Wulong tea, compressed tea and scented tea. Teahouses scattered in cities are most worthwhile to visit. One may come in the early morning and order a pot of tea, chat and enjoy the warm sunshine at the same time, until it closes in twilight.

 

New Words

茶 chá: tea

喝 hē: drink

种类 zhŏng lèi: category

绿茶 lǜ chá: green tea

红茶 hóng chá: black tea

乌龙茶 wū lóng chá: Wulong tea

花茶 huā chá: scented tea

紧压茶 jĭn yā chá: compressed tea

茶馆 chá guăn: teahouse

聊天 liáo tiān: chat

欣赏 xīn shăng: enjoy

文化 wén huà: culture

起源 qĭ yuán: originate

日常生活 rì cháng shēng huó: daily life

Learn Chinese -- Dialogue -- Lesson 15 Talking About Study and Work

TEXT

lì li: nĭ shì xué shén me zhuān yè de?
丽丽： 你是学什么专业的？ 
Lili:  What’s your major? 
   
mài kè: wŏ shì zhuān mén lái zhōng guó xué xí hàn yŭ de.
麦克： 我是专门来中国学习汉语的。 
Mike:  I come to China just to study Chinese. 
   
lì li: nĭ zài năr xué xí?
丽丽： 你在哪儿学习？ 
Lili:  Where are you studying now?
   
mài kè: wŏ zài bĕi jīng yŭ yán wén huà dà xué xué xí.
麦克： 我在北京语言文化大学学习。 
Mike:  At the Beijing Language and Culture University.
   
lì li: nĭ xué xí jĭ nián le?
丽丽： 你学习几年了？ 
Lili:  How many years have you studied?
   
mài kè: yĭ jīng sān nián le, hái chà yī nián jiù bì yè le.
麦克： 已经三年了，还差一年就毕业了。 
Mike:  I’ve already studied for three years. I’ll graduate in a year.
   
lì li: bì yè yĭ hòu huí guó ma? 
丽丽： 毕业以后回国吗？ 
Lili:  Are you going back to your country after graduation?
   
mài kè: shì de, wŏ yào huí qù gōng zuò. 
麦克： 是的，我要回去工作。 
Mike:  Yes, I’ll return to my country and find a job.
   
lì li: huí guó zhăo gōng zuò kùn nán ma?
丽丽： 回国找工作困难吗？ 
Lili:  Is it difficult to find a job?
   
mài kè: bú tài kùn nán, yīn wéi wŏ de guó jiā dŏng hàn yŭ de rén bú tài duō.
麦克： 不太困难，因为我的国家懂汉语的人不太多。 
Mike:  Not very difficult, because there are not so many people in my country who know Chinese.
   
lì li: zhù nĭ hăo yùn.
丽丽： 祝你好运。 
Lili: Whish you good luck.
   
mài kè: xiè xiè.
麦克： 谢谢。 
Mike:  Thanks.


Background

朋友之间，特别是志向、兴趣、爱好相同的朋友之间，时常进行一种定期和定向的交谈，很有点研讨的意味。交谈的时间和内容，一般为事先约好，并有初步准备。交谈时，就学习或工作的某一方面进行深入的探讨，以交流思想，达成共识。

Sometimes among friends, especially among those who have the same aspirations and interests, a periodical talk is held and it’s somewhat an academic discussion. A periodical talk is usually prearranged and requires some preparations. People would talk about a certain aspect of work and study so as to exchange thoughts and share common ideas.


New Words

学习 xué xí: to study

专业 zhuān yè: major

汉语 hàn yŭ: Chinese

年 nián: year

差 chà: to be short of

毕业 bì yè: to graduate

困难 kùn nán: difficult

好运 hăo yùn: good luck

Chinese Idioms -- xiāzi mō xiàng

瞎子摸象 (xiāzi mō xiàng )

The blind men feel an elephant ─ To take a part for the whole

Long ago, a king of India raised a lot of elephants. One day, when he was riding an elephant to go sight-seeing, he saw some blind men resting on the roadside. He told them to come to him, and said: “Do you know what an elephant looks like?” The blind men shook their heads and replied: “No, we don’t, Your Majesty.” The king laughed, “You can feel it with your hands, and then tell me what shape you think it is.”

So the blind men gathered round the elephant, and began to feel it. After a while, they came back to report to the king.

One of them felt the elephant’s tusk and said, “The elephant is like a thick, long turnip.”

“No,” the one who touched the elephant’s ear said, “The elephant is like a dustpan.”

“You’re both wrong,” said the third man, who felt one of the elephant’s legs, “The elephant is just like a pillar!”

“You’re mistaken, too!” The fourth blind man felt the elephant’s foot. He said, “The elephant is like a stone mortar.”

“You’re not correct, either.” The fifth man confidently said that the elephant is like a bed, because he felt the elephant’s back.

“None of you got it right,” said the last one. Pulling on the elephant’s tail, he said, “Clearly, the elephant is just like a piece of rope!”

Hearing their reports, the king roared with laugher. They had all made a silly mistake because they took the part they felt as the whole elephant.

From that story comes the idiom 瞎子摸象(xiāzi mō xiàng). People use it to describe those who take a one-sided, simplistic approach to problems.