Chinese proverbs are four-character expressions that sum up a story. The moral of the story can give us guidance in our everyday life.
Spilled Water is Hard to Retrieve
覆水難收
Fù Shuǐ Nán Shōu
Zhu Mai Chen was a very diligent scholar. He spent all his time studying, and never earned money, so his family was very poor. They were so poor that they could not buy lamp oil, so Zhu Mai Chen used pine oil when he studied at night.
His wife could not stand this hard life, and asked for a divorce. Zhu Mai Chen tried to comfort her by saying, “One day I will achieve a high status, and we will be rich, and we will have everything we desire. Our lives are long, so be patient and things will get better.”
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Fù Shuǐ Nán Shōu
Zhu Mai Chen was a very diligent scholar. He spent all his time studying, and never earned money, so his family was very poor. They were so poor that they could not buy lamp oil, so Zhu Mai Chen used pine oil when he studied at night.
His wife could not stand this hard life, and asked for a divorce. Zhu Mai Chen tried to comfort her by saying, “One day I will achieve a high status, and we will be rich, and we will have everything we desire. Our lives are long, so be patient and things will get better.”
Read more about Fù Shuǐ Nán Shōu...
The Peddler Contradicts Himself
自相矛盾
Zì Xiāng Máo Dùn
There was once a peddler who sold weapons. (The ancient word for “weapons” was máo dùn 矛盾 – which now means “contradict”.) When he arrived in a new town, he would give a performance to attract a crowd, and then proceed to pitch his wares.
“This spear is the best in the world,” he would say. “It can go through anything.”
Then he presented a shield and said, “This shield is made of the finest leather. Nothing can pierce it.”
Someone called out from the crowd, “If you take the spear and shoot it at the shield, what will happen?”
Since that time, a person who contradicts himself is described as zì xiāng máo dùn.
Zì Xiāng Máo Dùn
There was once a peddler who sold weapons. (The ancient word for “weapons” was máo dùn 矛盾 – which now means “contradict”.) When he arrived in a new town, he would give a performance to attract a crowd, and then proceed to pitch his wares.
“This spear is the best in the world,” he would say. “It can go through anything.”
Then he presented a shield and said, “This shield is made of the finest leather. Nothing can pierce it.”
Someone called out from the crowd, “If you take the spear and shoot it at the shield, what will happen?”
Since that time, a person who contradicts himself is described as zì xiāng máo dùn.
Harm Comes to Chi Yu
殃及池魚
Yāng Jí Chí Yú
There was man named Chí Yú. He lived just outside the town gates. One day there was a fire in the town and because of the strong wind, Chí Yú’s house caught fire while he was inside. He couldn’t escape and he died.
This proverb is said when bad things happen for no apparent reason.
Yāng Jí Chí Yú
There was man named Chí Yú. He lived just outside the town gates. One day there was a fire in the town and because of the strong wind, Chí Yú’s house caught fire while he was inside. He couldn’t escape and he died.
This proverb is said when bad things happen for no apparent reason.
Three in the Morning, Four in the Afternoon
朝三暮四
Chāo Sān Mù Sì
There was a man who liked monkeys. He had a lot of them in his house. He understood his monkeys and the monkeys understood him. It cost a lot of money to care for all these monkeys, but he was afraid to stop buying them food in case they get upset. So he tried to reason with his monkeys.
“I’ll give you three chestnuts in the morning and four in the afternoon,” he told them. But they didn’t like that.
“Then I’ll give you four in the morning and three in the afternoon.”
The monkeys were happy.
The original meaning of this proverb referred to people who try to deceive, but it now also refers to people who cannot make up their mind.
Chāo Sān Mù Sì
There was a man who liked monkeys. He had a lot of them in his house. He understood his monkeys and the monkeys understood him. It cost a lot of money to care for all these monkeys, but he was afraid to stop buying them food in case they get upset. So he tried to reason with his monkeys.
“I’ll give you three chestnuts in the morning and four in the afternoon,” he told them. But they didn’t like that.
“Then I’ll give you four in the morning and three in the afternoon.”
The monkeys were happy.
The original meaning of this proverb referred to people who try to deceive, but it now also refers to people who cannot make up their mind.
Sai Weng Lost his Horse
塞翁失馬
Sāi Wēng Shī Mǎ
Sāi Wēng lived on the border and he raised horses for a living. One day he lost a horse and his neighbor felt sorry for him, but Sāi Wēng didn’t care about the horse, because he thought it wasn’t a bad thing to lose a horse. After a while the horse returned with another beautiful horse, and the neighbor congratulated him on his good luck. But Sāi Wēng thought that maybe it wasn’t a good thing to have this new horse.
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Sāi Wēng Shī Mǎ
Sāi Wēng lived on the border and he raised horses for a living. One day he lost a horse and his neighbor felt sorry for him, but Sāi Wēng didn’t care about the horse, because he thought it wasn’t a bad thing to lose a horse. After a while the horse returned with another beautiful horse, and the neighbor congratulated him on his good luck. But Sāi Wēng thought that maybe it wasn’t a good thing to have this new horse.
Read more about Sāi Wēng Shī Mǎ...
