Tag: Chinese Allegories

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

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

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.

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

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

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. 

Sima Zhao (211 – 265) was a general, politician and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He maintained control of Cao Wei, seized by his father Sima Yi and ruled by his older brother Sima Shi, and had himself established the Duke of Jin — the penultimate step before usurpation of the throne, although he would never actually take the throne.