Proverbs |
Annotation
And Connotations |
Insist on venturing into the mountain knowing well that it's the haunt of tigers.
(Chinese
original: 明知山有虎，偏向虎山行 Chinese Pinyin:  Míngzhī shān yǒu hǔ, piān xiàng hǔshān xíng.) |
Insist on doing something despite the danger it presents. Knowing that swine flu hit Queens, NYC hard, I went to the Big Apple to attend a conference. |
Clear conscience never fears midnight knocking.
(Chinese
original: 没做亏心事，不怕鬼叫门 Chinese Pinyin: Méi zuò kuīxīn shì, bù pà guǐ jiào mén.)
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If you've done nothing wrong, you don't have to worry about any retributions. |
A
hat-wearing macaque
(Chinese original: 沐猴而冠； Chinese Pinyin: Mù-hóu-ér-guàn.)
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Someone with looks but not quality |
The
son may be calous to his mother's hardship, but the mother always
cares every bit of his pains.
(Chinese original: 母苦儿未见，儿劳母不安
Chinese Pinyin: Mǔ kǔ ér wèi jiàn, ér láo mǔ bù ān.)
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- It
is too late for a galloping horse to stop at a clip; it
is useless for a sinking boat to be mended in the middle
of a river.
(Chinese original: 马到悬崖收缰晚，船到江心补漏迟； Chinese Pinyin: Mǎ dào xuányá shōu jiāng wǎn, chuán dào jiāngxīn bǔ lòu
chí.)
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- Usually
it is to advise people to quit bad habbits and behaviors before it is
too late.
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- Fighting
a wolf with a flex stalk - either side is afraid of the
other.
(Chinese original: 麻杆打狼—两头怕； Chinese Pinyin: Mágǎn dǎ láng—liǎngtóu pà.)
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- Each
party is fearful of the other: the wolf thought the stalk could be a
fatal weapon while the person fears the consequence of his trick seen
through by the wolf. Are you ever caught in a situation like this?
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- Return
the purchased jewelry but keep its casket.
(Chinese original: 买椟还珠；Chinese Pinyin: Mǎi-dú-huán-zhū.)
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- Whoever
does this must lack judgment, appreciating things of lesser value.
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- A
horse cannot gain weight if not fed with extra fodder during
the night; a man cannot become wealthy without earnings
apart from his regular salaries.
(Chinese original: 马无夜草不肥，人无外快不富；Chinese Pinyin: Mǎ wú yè cǎo bù féi, rén wú wàikuài bù fù.)
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One
needs to find income beyond his regular salary. This proverb is often used
by those who try to justify their efforts to get more wealth through unlawful
means. |
- Like
ants gnawing at a bone.
(Chinese original: 蚂蚁啃骨头； Chinese Pinyin: Mǎyǐ
kěn gǔtou.)
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- A metaphor
describing a situation where people trying an overwhelmingly big task
by doing bit by bit with perseverance.
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- There's
no insurmountable Mount of Flames.
(Chinese original: 没有过不去的火焰山；
Chinese Pinyin: Méiyǒu guò bù qù de huǒyànshān.)
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There
are no insurmountable difficulties. |
- If
people no longer fears death, how can you threaten
to kill them?
(Chinese original: 民不畏死，奈何以死惧之；
Chinese Pinyin: Mín bù wèi sǐ, nàihé yǐ sǐ jù zhī?)
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- It
is easy to dodge a spear that comes in front of you but
hard to avoid an arrow shot from behind.
(Chinese original: 明枪易躲，暗箭难防； Chinese Pinyin: Míng
qiāng yì duǒ, àn jiàn nán fáng.)
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- It is
easier to guard against the obvious.
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- Honing
your hatchet will not delay your effort of wood cutting.
(Chinese original: 磨刀不误砍柴工； Chinese Pinyin: Mó
dāo bú wù kǎn chái gōng.)
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- It seems
to take some time to do a good preparation for doing, but it pays off
in the long run.
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- Trees
have already been made into a boat.
(Chinese original: 木已成舟;
Chinese Pinyin: Mù-yǐ-chéng-zhōu.)
(Similar proverb: Rice is already cooked. 生米煮成饭: Shēng mǐ zhǔ chéng fàn.)
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- What
is done cannot be undone.
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