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Chinese Allegories 歇后语(Xiē hòu yǔ)

Apr. 2, 2015
歇后语(Xiē hòu yǔ)Chinese Allegories

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.

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