Two-part allegorical saying (of which the first part, always stated, is descriptive, while the second part, often unstated, carries the message)
Báyuè shí wŭ de yuèliang—zhèngdàguāngmíng
八月 十 五 的 月亮 — 正大光明
The moon on Mid-Autumn Festival — fair and square
Báyuè shí wŭ kàn guìhuā—huāhăoyuèyuán
八月 十 五 看 桂花 — 花好月圆
Enjoying the osmanthus on Mid-Autumn Festival — perfect conjugal bliss
Ní púsa guòhé — zì shēn nán băo
泥 菩萨 过河 — 自 身 难 保
Just like a clay idol crossing a river — one is hardly able to save oneself, much less help others.
Māo kū hàozi— jiă cíbēi
猫 哭 耗子 —假 慈悲
The cat cries for mouse — pretending to be kind
Wūyā xiào zhū — guāng kàn biérén hēi, bú jiàn zìjĭ hēi
乌鸦 笑 猪 — 光 看 别人 黑，不 见 自己 黑
The cow laughs at the pig — just seeing other’s black, not his black
Yăba chī huánglián — yŏu kŭ shuō bù chū
哑巴 吃 黄 连 — 有 苦 说 不 出
The mused eats coptis root — cannot speak out the bitter
Xiăo 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
Gŏu ná hào zi — duō guăn xián shì
狗 拿 耗 子 — 多 管 闲 事
Dog trying to catch mice — meddling in other people’s business
Bīng táng zhŭ huáng lián — tóng gān gòng kŭ
冰 糖 煮 黄 莲 — 同 甘 共 苦
Crystallized sugar is boiled with coptis root — through thick and thin.
Zhū bá jiè zhào jìng zi — lĭ wài bú shì rén
猪 八 戒 照 镜 子 —里 外 不 是 人
Pig Zhu Bajie looks in the mirror — not the people inside and outside.
Chinese Allegories 歇后语（Xiē hòu yǔ）
歇后语（Xiē hòu yǔ）Chinese Allegories