yī rén chī bǎo, quán jiā bù jī 一 人 吃 饱， 全 家 不 饥 If one member of
Category: Chinese phrases
拔苗助长-ba2miao2zhu4zhang3
Literal meaning of each character = uproot,pull/draw out – young plant/seedling – help – grow
Chinese Proverbs 灯不拨不亮，理不辩不明
dēng bù bō bú liàng, lǐ bú biàn bù míng 灯 不 拨 不 亮， 理 不 辩 不 明
身在曹营心在汉 – shen1 zai4 cao2 ying2 xin1 zai4 han4
Literal translation = body – at – Cao (name) – camp – heart – at – Han (name)
Chinese Proverbs 一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴
yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn, cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn 一 寸 光 阴 一 寸
塞翁失马焉知非福 – sai4 weng1 shi1 ma3 yan1 zhi1 fei1 fu2
Literal translation – saiweng (persons name) – lose – horse – how – know – not – blessing
Chinese Proverbs 明人不用细说，响鼓不用重锤
míng rén bú yòng xì huō, xiǎng gǔ bù yòng zhòng chuí 明 人 不 用 细 说， 响 鼓
Chinese allegories Lesson 21
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.
Chinese Proverbs 刀不磨要生锈，水不流要发臭
dāo bù mó yào shēng xiù, shuǐ bù liǔ yào fā chòu 刀 不 磨 要 生 锈， 水 不
Chinese allegories Lesson 22
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
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