Thanksgiving Day (感恩节 Gǎn’ēn jié) is approaching fast and you know what that means? Everyone is taking the time to think about what they are truly grateful for in their lives. It’s becoming more and more popular to practice the art of expressing and reflecting on what you are grateful for as a daily habit. It helps people realize they have more than they realized and makes them feel happier overall.

感恩节 (Gǎn’ēn jié) Thanksgiving Day

Gǎn’ēn jié shì gǎn’ēn de jiérì.
感恩节是感恩的节日。
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday for gratitude.

Many cultures have different ways to express this sentiment but today let’s take a look at Chinese ideas of being thankful since it is one of the oldest cultures in the world. We will explore the meanings behind 3 different idioms that all revolve around the idea of being grateful and put them in sentences that you should be able to use in daily conversation.

感恩 (Gǎn’ēn) Be grateful

Rén yào dǒngdé gǎn’ēn.
人要懂得感恩。
People should be grateful.

Wǒmen yào gǎn’ēn lǎoshī de jiàodǎo.
我们要感恩老师的教导。
We should appreciate our teacher’s teaching.

节 (Jié) Holiday or festival

Chinese Mini-test: 节日 (Beginner)

Niánqīng rén xǐhuān cānjiā yīnyuè jié.
年轻人喜欢参加音乐节。
Young people like joining in the music festival.

Although there is no specific holiday celebrating the day in China, there are some Chinese idioms related to gratitude.

1. 投桃报李 (Tóutáobàolǐ)

To give a plum in return for peach is the literal meaning. This idiom is derived from The Book of Songs, which literally means “he gives me a peach and I send a plum in return”, shows good relationships with friends, especially exchanging gifts between friends.

2. 知遇之恩 (Zhīyùzhīēn)

It means the kindness of recognizing somebody’s worth. This idiom is original from the story of Boya and Zhong Ziqi, Boya and Ziqi are companions because they have a shared interest in music. After Ziqi’s death from illness, Boya breaks his Guqin instrument in memory of his companion.

3. 滴水之恩，涌泉相报 (Dīshuǐ zhī’ēn, yǒngquánxiāngbào)

It means the grace of dripping water, the report of the gushing spring. This idiom is from folk sayings, which talks about when someone helps you, even though it is a little favor, you should return his kindness with interest.

Out of the three we have shared with you today, which one makes you impressive? Take the quiz and then share your thoughts about your ideas of showing gratitude in the comments below.

1. Read the dialogue below and choose the best option to fill the blank.

Xiǎomíng: Zhè shì nǐ de Gǎn’ēn jié lǐwù, zhù nǐ jiérì kuàilè.
小明：这是你的感恩节礼物，祝你节日快乐。

Xiǎohóng: Xièxie nǐ, nà wǒ yě děi _______, zhège shì nǐ de lǐwù.
小红：谢谢你，那我也得 _______，这个是你的礼物。

A. 投桃报李 (Tóutáobàolǐ)

B. 知遇之恩 (Zhīyùzhīēn)

C. 滴水之恩，涌泉相报 (Dīshuǐ zhī’ēn, yǒngquánxiāngbào)

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Chinese Idiom

Chinese Culture

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Some things in life can be achieved through hard work and dedication. However, there are always a few that are impossible, like trying to fly, or making a duck stand on a perch! We’ve all been there, in situations where we simply feel like giving up on something we’ve been forced to do. While persistence is the key to getting things done, ‘throwing in the towel and calling it a day’ by settling with what your ability permits is also a wise thing to do after you’ve worn yourself out.

In Chinese culture, there’s a common proverb that’s used to express forcing someone to do something beyond his or her ability. With a streak of ambition and a knack for hard work, Chinese culture has always promoted and emphasized perseverance. However, some things simply should be left for another day — like a boss forcing an employee to walk on thin air, or fly. There’s a useful Chinese proverb that correlates with all these things that are beyond one’s ability. “赶鸭子上架 (Gǎn yāzi shàng jià)” is a Chinese proverb that literally translates to mean that only chickens can climb onto a perch, while ducks cannot, and signifies forcing someone to do something beyond their ability.

赶鸭子上架 (Gǎn yāzi shàng jià)

There are many proverbs in Chinese that relate to animals, which also are composed of useful lessons, and even may teach you about Chinese culture, while at the same time helping you improve your Mandarin proficiency.

In the proverb “赶鸭子上架 (gǎn yāzi shàng jià)”, “鸭 (yāzi)” means duck. It’s worth mentioning that even though the proverb does relate to a chicken’s inability to climb a perch; “鸡 (jī)”, which means chicken, is not found in the actual phrase. Even so, the proverb is still widely understood among fluent Chinese language speakers, and will make you sound more like a native speaker when used correctly!

丑小鸭 (Chŏu Xiăo Yā) The Ugly Duckling

You might be wondering about the exact origin of “赶鸭子上架 (gǎn yāzi shàng jià)”. If you’re familiar with farming, it might be obvious for you as to how the proverb came to be. Ducks cannot climb a perch like a chicken, solely because of the anatomy of their feet. Due to the shape of a duck’s feet, it is difficult to get it onto a perch while raising it, despite how hard the person raising it tries. The irony is that this also shows that the person raising the ducks doesn’t understand much about ducks.

All this implies that a leader may force his subordinates to do something without knowing exactly who they are, or understanding the fine details that are involved in doing their tasks. However, on the other hand, with good encouragement, just about anyone can do his or her best to unleash the potential to make the seemingly impossible possible.

Here are examples of “赶鸭子上架 (gǎn yāzi shàng jià)” in sentences as used in daily Chinese conversation:

Wǒmen gǎn yāzi shàng jià shìde ràng wǒmen de háizi qù shàng gèzhǒng xìngqù bān, cónglái bú qù liáojiě háizi de zhēnshí xiǎngfǎ.
我们赶鸭子上架似的让我们的孩子去上各种兴趣班，从来不去了解孩子的真实想法。
We force our children to take all kinds of after-school classes without knowing what’s on their minds which like driving a duck onto a perch.

Wǒde shǒujiǎo bù xiétiáo, nǐ ràng wǒ shàngtái tiàowǔ, zhè búshì gǎn yāzi shàng jià ma!
我的手脚不协调，你让我上台跳舞，这不是赶鸭子上架嘛！
My hands and feet don’t coordinate but you made me dance on stage. That’s driving a duck onto a perch!

Here are examples of other proverbs that use animals, which are similar to “赶鸭子上架 (gǎn yāzi shàng jià)”:

Búrù hǔxué, yān dé hǔzǐ?
不入虎穴，焉得虎子？

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
If you don’t go into the tiger’s den, how can you catch the baby tiger? The implication is that you can’t achieve success without going through hardships.

Gǒu yǎo hàozi, duōguǎn xiánshì.
狗咬耗子，多管闲事。

A dog catching mice meddles in cats’ Business.
It is a cat’s job to catch mice, but a dog does what it is not supposed to do. The implication describes people who overstep their boundaries and do what they shouldn’t do.

“说曹操，曹操到(shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào) Speak of the Devil and He Appears”

1. Read the dialogue below and answer the question.

Jack: Nǐ zěnme néng ràng Alan shàngchǎng? Tā jīhū méi dǎguò lánqiú.
Jack：你怎么能让Alan上场？他几乎没打过篮球。

Bob: Méi bànfa, yǐjīng méiyǒu qítā de duìyuán le.
Bob：没办法，已经没有其他的队员了。

Jack: Nǐ zhè zhēnshì gǎn yāzi shàng jià a!
Jack：你这真是赶鸭子上架啊！

What does Jack mean according to the dialogue?

A. Bob doesn’t want Alan to enter the court because he will choose Jack.
B. Bob wants Alan to enter the court because there are no more candidates.
C. Jack thinks Alan is good at basketball.
D. Jack thinks Bob is good at basketball.

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We’ve all been in circumstances where minuscule things were blown way out of proportion. According to many people in cities all around the world, wasting time on trivial things is a laughing matter, and basically has little to no place in the fast-paced and modern world. In response to nuances and phenomenons that are unimportant, there’s a Chinese idiom that is conveniently used in this context — “鸡毛蒜皮 (Jīmáosuànpí)”. This is an idiom that literally translates to “chicken feathers and garlic skin”. While the English translation’s literal meaning is a far cry from the actual denotation, it is used extensively to express things that are unimportant. Actually, “鸡毛蒜皮 (jīmáosuànpí)” is derived from an interesting legend and means that something is worthless or unimportant.

Chinese Mini-Test: 大蒜 (Intermediate)

Here’s the original legend of “鸡毛蒜皮（jīmáosuànpí)”.

A long time ago, there were two neighbors: One who lived in the East sold chickens for a living and one who lived in the West sold garlic for a living. Both families had a rather hard life. The family that sold chickens got up early to pluck “鸡毛（jīmáo) chicken feathers”, and as a result, the entire floor was covered in chicken hair. The family who sold garlic also woke up early, but to peel garlic, and their entire floor was covered with “蒜皮（suànpí) garlic skin”. The two families had originally lived in harmony. However, they did have a source of conflict, the wind.

When the wind blew westward, from the East, the “鸡毛（jīmáo) chicken feathers” would be blown into the western neighbor’s yard, while when the wind blew eastward, from the West, “蒜皮（suànpí) garlic skin” would be blown into the eastern neighbor’s yard. The two neighbors often quarreled over such nuance. At one point, the conflict between the two neighbors escalated to the point where they both fought, and eventually went to court to settle the provocative matter. The Judge learned that they were arguing over such a small issue, and said: “Such a small provocation is not worth being settled in court. You have wasted my time, therefore you should be punished.” Some people said the judge was unfair, while others said the ruling was fitting, and that both claims seemed to make sense. Later, the story spread, and eventually “鸡毛蒜皮 (jīmáosuànpí)” became known as a phrase that denotes trivial, unremarkable things, or very small things.

There are various practical ways that the idiom “鸡毛蒜皮 (jīmáosuànpí)” is applied to conversations in Chinese, such as the following examples:

Xiǎo Wáng: Tā shìbúshì duì wǒ yǒu shénme yì jiàn, jiàn le miàn yě bù hé wǒ dǎzhāohu.
小王：他是不是对我有什么意见，见了面也不和我打招呼。
Xiao Wang: Does he have any opinions of me? He didn’t say hello to me when I met him.

Xiǎo Lǐ: Nǐ xiǎng tài duō le, bié qù jìjiao zhèxiē jīmáosuànpí de xiǎoshì.
小李：你想太多了，别去计较这些鸡毛蒜皮的小事。
Xiao Li: You think too much, don’t worry about these trivial things.

Tāmen liǎng fūqī jīngcháng wèi jīmáosuànpí de shìqing chǎojià.
他们两夫妻经常为鸡毛蒜皮的事情吵架。
The couple often quarreled over trivial things.

抬杠 (Táigàng) Argue & 放鸽子 (Fàng gēzi) Fail to Keep an Appointment

Therefore, Chinese idiom “鸡毛蒜皮 (jīmáosuànpí)” may have a literal meaning of “chicken feathers and garlic skin”, which might not be fully understood to the non-Chinese speaker’s ear when taken out of context. However, it is an interesting idiom that was taken from a legend where a judge ruled that a dispute between two neighbors was too minuscule and trivial to be a court case. “鸡毛蒜皮 (Jīmáosuànpí)” or “chicken feathers and garlic skin” is used to express that something is not important, or is simply worthless. You can use the idiom in practical ways when you speak Chinese, that can help you express yourself more fluently in conversations!

1. Read the dialogue below and choose the best answer to fill in the blank.

Xiǎo Lǐ: Wèishénme Xiǎo Hóng kànqǐlái bù gāoxìng ？
小李：为什么小红看起来不高兴？

Xiǎo Míng: Tā hé Xiǎo Zhāng yīnwèi jiè dōngxi de shìqing chǎojià le, tāmen zǒngshì wèile ▁▁▁ de xiǎoshì zhēngchǎo.
小明：她和小张因为借东西的事情吵架了，他们总是为了▁▁▁的小事争吵。

A. 鸡毛蒜皮 (Jīmáosuànpí)

B. 举足轻重 (Jǔzúqīngzhòng)

C. 独一无二 (Dúyīwúèr)

D. 五花八门 (Wǔhuābāmén)

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画龙点睛 (Huàlóngdiǎnjīng)

“画龙点睛 (Huàlóngdiǎnjīng)” is a Chinese idiom that translates literally as “dotting the eyeball when painting a dragon.” It’s used to describe adding that finishing touch that brings a work of art to life, or adding a word or two to clinch the point.

Let‘s Break down This Chinese Idiom

画 (Huà) draw

龙 (Lóng) dragon

点 (Diǎn) point, dot, spot

睛 (Jīng) eyeball (It’s often paired with “眼 (yǎn) eyes,” hence “眼睛 (yǎnjīng) eyes.”)

To Learn Further the Chinese Character: 龙 (Lóng) Dragon

The Origin Story:

Chuánshuō gǔ shíhòu yǒu gè huàjiā jiào Zhāng Sēngyóu,
传说古时候有个画家叫张僧繇，
There is a legend that says in ancient times there was an artist named Zhang Sengyou,

Tā huà lóng huà de tèbié hǎo.
他画龙画得特别好。
He was good at painting dragons.

Yǒu yí cì, tā zài Ān Lè Sì de qiángbì shàng huà le sì tiáo jù lóng,
有一次，他在安乐寺的墙壁上画了四条巨龙，
On one occasion, he painted four giant dragons on the walls of the An Le Temple.

Nà lóng huà de xiàng zhēn de yíyàng,
那龙画得像真的一样，
The dragons he painted looked real.

Zhǐshì tāmen dōu méiyǒu yǎnjīng.
只是它们都没有眼睛。
The only thing was, they didn’t have eyes.

Rénmen wèn tā: “Wèishénme bù bǎ yǎnjīng huà chūlái.”
人们问他：“为什么不把眼睛画出来。”
People asked Zhang Sengyou, “Why don’t you draw the eyes?”

Tā shuō: “Yǎnjing kě bùnéng huà ya! Yí huà le, lóng jiù huì fēi zǒu de!”
他说：“眼睛可不能画呀！一画了，龙就会飞走的！”
He said, “The eyes can’t be painted! Once painted, the dragon will fly away! ”

Dàjiā tīng le, shuí yě bú xìn, dōu rènwéi tā zài shuōhuǎng.
大家听了，谁也不信，都认为他在说谎。
When everyone heard it, no one believed him, and they thought he was lying.

Hòulái, rénmen yí zài qǐngqiú,
后来，人们一再请求，
Later, people kept on asking it of him,

Zhāng Sēngyóu zhǐhǎo dāyìng bǎ lóng de yǎnjīng huà chūlái.
张僧繇只好答应把龙的眼睛画出来。
So Zhang Sengyou had to agree to draw the dragons’ eyes.

Qíguài de shìqing guǒrán fāshēng le,
奇怪的事情果然发生了，
Then, something really strange happened,

Tā gānggang huà chū dì èr tiáo lóng de yǎnjīng,
他刚刚画出第二条龙的眼睛，
When he had just drawn the eyes of the second dragon,

Tūrán guā qǐ le dà fēng, tiānkōng kāishǐ dǎléi shǎndiàn.
突然刮起了大风, 天空开始打雷闪电。
Suddenly there was a strong wind and it began to thunder and lightning.

Liǎng tiáo jù lóng zhuǎndòng zhe yǎnjing hòu chōngtiān ér qǐ, téngkōng ér qù.
两条巨龙转动着眼睛后冲天而起，腾空而去。
The two giant dragons‘ eyes turned and they rose into the sky, flying away.

Wéiguān de rén, gège jīngyà jí le, duì Zhāng Sēngyóu gèng pèifú le.
围观的人，个个惊讶极了，对张僧繇更佩服了。
All onlookers were astonished and admired Zhang Sengyou.

Cultural Background:

The idiom “画龙点睛 (huàlóngdiǎnjīng) draw the eyes on the dragon” comes from this legend. It is now commonly used to describe using a word or a sentence at a critical point to point out the deeper meaning when you are writing or talking, which makes the content more vivid and powerful. This technique is also known as the “点睛之笔 (diǎnjīngzhībǐ) the finishing touch.”

New Words:

画家 (Huàjiā) painter; artist; penman

墙壁 (Qiángbì) wall

眼睛 (Yǎnjīng) eye; ocular

说谎 (Shuōhuǎng) tell a lie; to lie

奇怪 (Qíguài) strange

辣眼睛 (Là yǎnjīng) Spicy Eyes—Hilarious Internet Slang

Key Learning Points:

1. 发生 (Fāshēng) n./v. occurrence. / to occur; appear; take place; happen

Examples:

Jìn jǐ nián lái wǒ de jiāxiāng fāshēng le jùdà de biànhuà.
近几年来我的家乡发生了巨大的变化。
Great changes have taken place in my hometown in recent years.

Nǐ bù kěnéng zǔzhǐ zhè jiàn shì de fāshēng.
你不可能阻止这件事的发生。
You can’t stop this from happening.

2. 答应 (Dāyìng) v. promise; answer; reply; respond

Examples:

Nǐ dāyìng le wǒ, jiù yào shuōhuà suàn huà.
你答应了我，就要说话算话。
If you promise me, you will keep your word.

Bàba zuìzhōng háishì dāyìng dài wǒ qù lǚyóu.
爸爸最终还是答应带我去旅游。
Dad finally promised to take me on a trip.

Let’s have you try to think of a few different ways to use this idiom! Remember to use this when you’re explaining a piece of art to your friends.

1. Please choose the best answer according to this Chinese sentence.

Wénzhāng zuìhòu yí duàn shífēn jīngcǎi, zài wén zhōng qǐ dào le huàlóngdiǎnjīng de zuòyòng.
文章最后一段十分精彩，在文中起到了画龙点睛的作用。

What does the Chinese idiom “画龙点睛 (Huàlóngdiǎnjīng)” mean according to this sentence?

A. Explaining and illustrating
B. Bringing the painted dragon to life
C. Bringing the article to life

See Answer Analysis

Most Popular Chinese Idiom Stories You Don’t Want To Miss:
Chinese Idiom: 哪壶不开提哪壶 (Nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú) To Touch A Soft Spot
Chinese Idiom: 纸上谈兵 (Zhǐshàngtánbīng) Armchair Strategy

General Chinese (Beginner Level) 

General Chinese (Intermediate Level) 

Learn Mandarin Chinese Idiom: 守株待兔 (Shǒuzhūdàitù) To Stand by a Tree Stump Waiting for a Hare (Intermediate)

Key Learning Point (Preview):

待 (dài): v. to wait/to wait for

Cóngqián, yǒu yí gè nóngfū.
从前，有一个农夫。
Once upon a time, there was a farmer.

Yì tiān, zài tā gēngtián de shíhou, hūrán pǎo guò lái  yì zhī yětù,
一 天，在他耕田的时候，忽然跑过一只 野兔，
qiàhǎo pèng zài yí gè shùzhuāng shàng, bózi zhé duàn sǐ le.
恰好碰在一 个树桩上，脖子折断死了。
One day, while he was working in the fields, he saw a hare run into a tree stump accidentally and die of a broken neck.

Nóngfū bǎ tùzi shí huí jiā qù, měiměide chī le yí dùn tùròu.
农夫把兔子拾回家去，美美地吃 了一 顿兔肉。
The farmer took the hare home and cooked a delicious meal for himself.

Dāng wǎn, tā jiù xiǎng: "wǒ hébì xīnxīnkǔkǔ de zhòngdì ne?
当晚，他就想：我何必辛辛苦苦的种地呢？
Měi tiān zài shùzhuāng páng děngzhe jiǎn zhuàng sǐ de yětù jiù hǎo le."
每天在树桩旁等着捡撞死的野兔就好了。
That night he thought: "I needn't work so hard. All I have to do is wait every day by the stump to pick up the hare that runs into it."

Yúshì tā cóngcǐ bú zài gēngzhòng, měi tiān zài  shùzhuāng páng děngdài yětù de dàolái.
于是， 他从此不再耕种，每天在树桩旁等待野兔的到来。
So from then on he gave up farming, and stood by the tree stump waiting for the hare to come and run into it.

Dànshì, cóng nà yǐhòu, tā zài méiyǒu fāxiàn yì zhī yětù zhuàng zài shùzhuāng shàng.
但是，从那以后，他再没有发现 一 只野兔撞在树桩上。
But from then on, he never saw another hare run into the tree stump.

The moral: We shouldn't just wait for a stroke of luck. If we want to do something, we should work hard at it, just like the saying goes, " No pain, no gain."

Key Learning Point:
 

待(dài): v. to wait/to wait for

We often use "等待(děngdài)" instead of "待(dài)" to express the meaning of "to wait/to wait for." In spoken Chinese, we often say "等(děng)," which is short for "等待(děngdài)." "等待(děngdài)" is more formal than "等(děng)."

Example:
 

Nǐ hǎohao xuéxí hànyǔ, wǒ děngdài nǐ tōngguò hànyǔ shuǐpíng kǎoshì de hǎo xiāoxi. 
你好好学习汉语，我等待你,通过汉语水平考试的好消息。 Learn Mandarin Chinese with all your heart. I am waiting for the good news of you passing HSK test.

Duìbùqǐ, ràng nǐ děng le wǒ zhème cháng shíjiān.
对不起， 让你等了我这么长时间。
I am sorry to have kept you waiting so long.

Méi guānxi.
没关系。
Never mind.

Most Popular Chinese Idiom Stories You Don’t Want To Miss:

Learn Chinese Idiom: 对牛弹琴 To Play the Harp to A Cow

Chinese Idiom: 纸上谈兵 (zhǐshàngtánbīng) Armchair Strategy

Chinese Idiom: 调虎离山（Diàohŭlíshān） To lure the tiger out of the mountains

General Chinese (Beginner Level)

General Chinese (Intermediate Level)

Bù chǐ xià wèn
不   耻  下    问

Be humble enough to consult one’s inferiors

Listen to the whole story:

Chūnqiū shí, wèiguó yǒu gè jiào Kǒng Yǔ de dàfu.
春秋       时，卫 国    有   个 叫    孔    圉  的 大夫。
In the Spring and Autumn period, there was a senior official named Kong Yu in the State of Wei.

Tā cōngming hàoxué, érqiě wéirén shífēn qiānxū chéngkěn.
他   聪明         好学， 而且   为人   十分   谦虚     诚恳。
He was smart and intelligent, and was very modest in behavior.

Kǒng Yǔ sǐ hòu, wèiguó guójūn cì le tā yígè shìhào, jiào "wén."
孔      圉 死 后， 卫国    国君   赐了他 一个 谥号， 叫  “文”。
After his death, the king of the State of Wei granted him a posthumous title “wen.”

Hòurén men dōu zūnchēng tā wéi Kǒngwénzǐ.
后人       们    都     尊称      他  为   孔文子。
Later, people addressed him using the title “Kong Wenzi,” a show of great respect.

Dāngshí Kǒngzǐ yǒu yígè míng jiào Zǐgòng de xuésheng,
当时        孔子    有  一个  名    叫   子贡    的   学生，
Confucius had a student named Zigong at that time,

Tā bù zhīdào Kǒng Yǔ zhège shìhào de yóulái,
他  不  知道    孔    圉   这个   谥号   的  由来，
He did not know the origin of this posthumous title,

biàn qù wèn lǎoshī Kǒngzǐ , "Kǒng Yǔ de shìhào wèishénme jiào 'wén' ne? "
便     去  问   老师   孔子：   “孔    圉  的  谥号     为什么       叫   ‘文’  呢？”
and he asked his teacher: “Why is the posthumous title of Kong Yu ‘wen’?”

Kǒngzǐ xiào le xiào huídá shuō, "Kǒng Yǔ búdàn shì gè cōngming hàoxué de rén,
孔子     笑   了 笑   回答   说：   “孔     圉  不但    是 个    聪明        好学   的  人，
Confucius smiled and answered: “Kong Yu is not only very intelligent,

érqiě tā bú rènwéi xiàng dìwèi bǐ zìjǐ dī,   xuéwen bùrú zìjǐ de rén
而且  他 不  认为    向    地位 比自己低、学问   不如自己的 人
qǐngjiào shì yìzhǒng xiūchǐ de shìqing, suǒyǐ cìgěi tā de shìhào jiào 'wén'."
请教       是   一种     羞耻 的  事情，  所以  赐给 他 的  谥号   叫    ‘文’。”
but he is also very modest and does not feel ashamed to learn from his inferiors, so his posthumous title is “wen.”

Kong Yu himself was very erudite, but he still learned from those people who were below himself in rank and educational attainment.

Nowadays, people cite this idiom to describe someone who is modest and does not feel ashamed to learn from those of a lower status. All of us commoners should learn from Kong Yu’s example during the course of our education.

Exercises:

1. Which word means “to answer?”

A. 回答 (huídá)
B. 提问 (tíwèn)
C. 答案 (dá’àn)

2. Which word means “smile?”

A. 笑 (xiào)
B. 美 (měi)
C. 好 (hǎo)

See answer

Chinese Idiom

General Chinese (Beginner Level)

General Chinese (Intermediate Level)

The Chinese idiom "纸上谈兵(zhǐshàngtánbīng) armchair strategy" refers to people who engage in idle talk, but are unable to act on their high minded theories. It is usually used to urge people to combine theories with practical knowledge and not be bookworms. Let's read about the origin of the idiom below.

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Key Learning Point (Preview):

纸上谈兵 (zhǐshàngtánbīng): armchair strategy

Listen to the whole story

Zhàoguó jiāngjūn Zhào Kuò cóng xiǎo jiù xuéxí bīngfǎ, tánlùn bīngshì.
赵国         将军      赵     括    从     小  就  学习  兵法， 谈论    兵事。
The general Zhao Kuo of Zhao Dynasty studied military strategy and tactics from childhood.

Dàn tā zhǐhuì zhǐshàng lùn bīngshù, cóng méi shàng guò zhànchǎng,
但    他 只会    纸 上     论   兵术，    从    没     上      过      战场，      
bìng bú shànyú yòng bīng.
并    不    善于     用     兵。
But he could only talk about military strategies on paper; he never went to the battlefield. So he was not good at the art of war.

Dāng Zhào Kuò zuòle jiāngjūn yǐhòu, quánbù biàngēngle jūnfǎ, qīngshuài de rènyòng jūnguān.
当        赵    括   做了   将军      以后，全部     变更了       军法， 轻率      地   任用      军官。
When Zhao Kuo became a general, he changed all the military laws and appointed officers thoughtlessly.

Jiéguǒ zài zhùmíng de "Chángpíngzhīzhàn" zhōng, Zhào Kuò de jūnduì dàbài.
结果     在   著名     的   "长平之战"               中，    赵     括   的  军队   大败。
As a result, Zhao Kuo's army suffered a severe defeat in the famous Campaign of Changping.

Zhào Kuò zìjǐ yě sǐ zài zhànzhēng zhōng, shǐ Zhàoguó yījuébúzhèn le.
赵      括 自己也死 在   战争           中，  使    赵国      一厥不振    了。
Zhao Kuo himself died in the war and the Zhao Dynasty was unable to recover from the defeat.

Key Learning Point:

纸上谈兵 (zhǐshàngtánbīng): armchair strategy

Xuéxí bù néng zhǐshàngtánbīng, yào huó xué huó yòng cái xíng.
学习   不  能       纸上谈兵，       要   活    学   活    用    才   行。
Learning is not about empty talk. You need to use what you learn.

Yào chénggōng jiù yào fùzhū xíngdòng, zhǐ kào zhǐshàngtánbīng shì bù xíng de.
要     成功          就  要  付诸    行动，    只 靠      纸上谈兵          是  不  行   的。
You must act if you want to succeed. It is no use to be an armchair strategist.

General Chinese (Beginner Level)

General Chinese (Intermediate Level)

Keep learning more Chinese idioms:

悬梁刺股 (Xuánliáng cìgŭ) To work hard

刻舟求剑 (kèzhōuqiújiàn) Mark the Boat for a Dropped Sword

狐假虎威 (Hújiăhŭwēi) To bully others by flaunting one’s powerful connections

The idiom "哪壶不开提哪壶 (nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú)" literally means "to pick the kettle that is not boiling." It's used to indicate that someone is saying or doing something that shouldn't be mentioned in front of others, or that someone is bringing up a sensitive subject.

Idiom Story:

Hěn jiǔ yǐqián, yǒu fùzǐ liǎ kāile jiān xiǎo cháguǎn.
很    久  以前，有  父子 俩 开了 间   小    茶馆。
A long time ago there was a father and son who owned a tea-house.

Dāngshí de zhīxiàn Bái lǎoye tāncái hàolì, jīngcháng lái bái hē chá.
当时       的  知县    白  老爷   贪财   好利，经常        来  白  喝 茶。
The local official, Mr. Bai, was of the greedy miser sort and always came for tea and promptly left without paying even a smile.

Yì tiān, Bái lǎoye hēle yì kǒu chá, jiù zhòuzhe méi shuō: "zhè shuǐ méi kāi, chá yě méi wèir."
一 天， 白  老爷  喝了一  口  茶，就 皱着       眉    说：  “这   水   没   开，茶   也 没   味儿。”
One day, Mr.Bai took a sip from his cup and grumbled, "This water's not boiled, and the tea itself tastes terrible."

Xiǎo zhǎngguì shuō: "lǎoye, zhè chá hái shì shàngděng de Lóngjǐng; shuǐ yě shì shāo kāi de,
小     掌柜          说： “老爷，这   茶  还   是   上等          的   龙井，    水   也 是   烧    开  的，
zěnme néng méi wèir ne?"
怎么      能     没  味儿 呢？”
The son replied, "My lord, the tea is our prized Longjing (Dragonwell Tea), and the water is piping hot, how could it taste terrible?"

Guòle jǐ tiān, Bái lǎoye jiànjiàn bù lái le.
过了  几 天，白  老爷    渐渐    不 来 了。
A few days later, Mr. Bai stopped coming to their tea-house.

Lǎo zhǎngguì biàn wèn érzi:  "Bái lǎoye wèi shénme bù lái le?"
老     掌柜       便     问  儿子：“白 老爷  为    什么     不  来了？”
The Father asked his son, "Why hasn't Mr. Bai been coming?"

Érzi jīling de yí xiào, shuō: "wǒ gěi tā qīchá, shì nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú!"
儿子机灵 地 一 笑， 说:     “我   给 他 沏茶，是 哪 壶  不 开 提 哪 壶！”
The son smiled knowingly and said, "Whenever I make his tea, I always use the water that hasn’t been boiled!" 

From that time on, the Chinese idiom "哪壶不开提哪壶 (nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú)" came into use. Now it's used to mean that someone is saying or doing something that shouldn't be mentioned in front of others.

Examples:

Nǐ zhēn shì nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú,  tā jiù pà biérén tí qǐ tā de qián nányǒu.
你  真    是  哪  壶 不 开 提 哪 壶，她 就 怕 别人  提起 她 的  前    男友。
You were obviously touching a soft spot. She's pretty sensitive when talking about her ex-boyfriend.

Lín Dá:  Nǐ kǎo yán kěndìng méi wènti ba?
琳  达：你 考   研    肯定       没   问题  吧？
Linda: What about the post-grad entrance exam? I think you'll do great.

Hēng Lì:  Bié nǎ hú bù kāi tí nǎ hú le, wǒ méi kǎo shàng.
亨     利：别  哪 壶 不 开  提 哪 壶了，我 没   考    上。
Henry: Don't bring that up right now. I did not pass the exam.

General Chinese (Beginner Level)

General Chinese (Intermediate Level)

"对牛弹琴 (Duìniútánqín)" is used by Chinese people to describe someone who is explaining something complicated to a fool, or sometimes this idiom is used to describe a person who is trying to tell something to the wrong audience. In English, people sometimes joke around by sarcastically saying "whistle jigs to a milestone" or "cast pearls before swine" to mean "对牛弹琴(duìniútánqín)."

Key Learning Point (Preview):

对牛弹琴 (Duìniútánqín): to play the harp to a cow

Zhànguó shídài, yǒu yígè jiào Gōngmíng Yí de yīnyuèjiā, tā hěn huì tánqín.
战国时代，有一个叫公明仪的音乐家，他很会弹琴。
During the Warring States Period, there was a musician named Gongming Yi, who played musical instruments very well.

(Enjoy Music? Learn Chinese Through Songs!)

Hěn duō rén dōu xǐhuan tīng tā tánqín, rénmen hěn jìngzhòng tā.
很多人都喜欢听他弹琴， 人们很敬重他。
There were a great number of people fond of listening to him play, and who respected him greatly.

Yìtiān, Gōngmíng Yí zài jiāowài yóuwán shí,  kàndàole yìtóu niú. 
一天， 公明仪在郊外游玩时，看到了一头牛。
One day, Gongming Yi saw a cow when he was relaxing in the countryside.

Tā xiǎng: dàjiā dōu zànyáng wǒ de qínjì,    bùrú wǒ gěi niú yě tán yìqǔ ba.
他想：大家都赞扬我的琴技，不如我给牛也弹一曲吧!
He thought, "Everybody compliments my music. Why don't I play some music for this cow?"

Tā gěi niú tánzòule yìqǔ gǔyǎ de qǔzi,  niú máitóu chī cǎo bù lǐ tā. 
他给牛弹奏了一曲古雅的曲子，牛埋头吃草不理他。
He played a piece of elegant quaint music for the cow, but the cow just kept grazing the grass with its head down.

Tā yòu tánzòule yìqǔ huānkuài de qǔzi,   niú yīrán máitóu chī cǎo bù lǐ tā.
他又弹奏了一曲欢快的曲子，牛依然埋头吃草不理他。
He played another piece of joyful music, but the cow still kept its head down to graze the grass and totally ignored him.

Gōngmíng Yí náchū zìjǐ de quánbù běnlǐng, jiěguǒ niú háishì bù lǐ tā. 
公明仪拿出自己的全部本领， 结果牛还是不理他。
Gongming Yi showed off all his skills, but the cow still ignored him.

Gōngmíng Yí fēicháng shīwàng, kāishǐ huáiyí zìjǐ de qínjì.   
公明仪非常失望， 开始怀疑自己的琴技。
Gongming Yi was disappointed and started to question his ability.

Lùrén shuō: "búshì nǐ tán de qín bùhǎo, érshì niú gēnběn tīng bù dǒng a."
路人说： 不是你弹的琴不好， 而是牛根本听不懂啊!
A passerby said to him,"It's not because your ability is bad. It is because the cow can not understand music at all."

The cow could not understand the beautiful music like humans. The swanky musician tried his best to play for the cow, but it was just like trying to tell something to somebody who can hardly understand. The idiom "对牛弹琴 (duìniútánqín)" is used to describe this sort of situation, or kind of person.

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Key Learning Point:

对牛弹琴 (Duìniútánqín): to play the harp to a cow

Examples:

Érzi:  Māma, zhècì kǎoshì wǒ yòu méi jígé.
儿子: 妈妈， 这次考试我又没及格。
Son: Mum, I failed this exam.

Māma: Wǒ měitiān dōu zhǔfu nǐ hǎohao xuéxí,  jiǎnzhí shì duìniútánqín a.
妈妈： 我每天都嘱咐你好好学习，简直是对牛弹琴啊。
Mother: I asked you to work hard every day, but it’s just like playing the harp to a cow.

Shuōle nàme duō, tā dōu tīng bù dǒng, wǒ zhēn shì duìniútánqín a.
说了那么多，他都听不懂， 我真是对牛弹琴啊。
He cannot understand even when I say it again and again. It seems that I am just playing the harp to a cow.

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4 Common and Useful Chinese Idioms:

Kids’ Chinese Idiom: 指鹿为马 Deer Or Horse? (Intermediate)

亡羊补牢 It’s Never Too Late to Take Action (Beginner)

老马识途 An Old Horse Knows the Way (Advanced)

守株待兔 To Stand by a Tree Stump Waiting for a Hare (Intermediate)

Sòngcháo de shíhou, yǒu yí gè jiào Wén Tóng de huàjiā, hěn shàncháng huà zhúzi.
宋朝         的  时候， 有  一 个 叫    文    同     的  画家， 很   擅长          画   竹子。
In the Song Dynasty, there was an artist whose name was Wen Tong; he was famous for his bamboo paintings.

Tā zài zhùzhái fùjìn zāi le hěnduō zhúzi, wúlùn yīntiān háishì xiàyǔ, tā yì yǒu shíjiān jiù guānchá zhúzi.
他  在  住宅    附近 栽 了 很多     竹子，无论   阴天    还是  下雨，他一 有   时间  就  观察       竹子。
He grew various bamboos everywhere around his house. He loved to observe the growth of the bamboo no matter whether it was sunny or rainy.

Shíjiān yì cháng, zhúzi zài bùtóng jìjié, bùtóng qìhou tiáojiàn hé bùtóng shíkè de xíngxiàng shēnshēn
时间    一  长，  竹子 在  不同    季节，不同   气候   条件    和  不同     时刻  的  形象         深深
kèzài le tā xīnzhōng.
刻在  了他 心中。
After a long time, the image of the bamboo in different seasons, under different weather conditions and different moments were deeply imprinted in his mind.

Suǒyǐ dāng tā ná zhe bǐ zhǔnbèi zuòhuà shí, zhúzi de xíngxiàng jiù lìkè chūxiàn zài yǎnqián.
所以    当    他 拿 着  笔 准备     作画      时，竹子 的 形象        就 立刻出现     在  眼前。
So when he stood before the paper and picked up a paint brush, the various forms of bamboo rose before his eyes at once.

Tā de péngyou jiù shuō: “Dāng Wén Tóng zài huà zhú shí，xīnzhōng zǎo yǒule zhúzi de xíngxiàng.”
他 的  朋友      就   说：“  当      文     同    在   画  竹   时， 心中       早   有了  竹子  的  形象。”
His friend said: “When Wen Tong was panting the bamboos, he had their images in his mind.”

Usage:

The phrase “胸有成竹(xiōngyǒuchéngzhú)” means having plans or designs ready in one’s mind before doing a certain job so that its success is guaranteed. It also means being calm and sober-minded in dealing with things. “胸( xiōng)” means chest, “有( yǒu)” means have, “成( chéng)” means accomplish and “竹(zhú)” means bamboo.

Example:

Kuài yào kǎoshì le, dàjiā dōu hěn zháojí, kě Xiǎo Míng xiōngyǒuchéngzhú shuō: “Zhècì, wǒ yīdìng
快    要   考试   了，大家都   很   着急，可  小    明     胸有成竹                 说：“ 这次，我  一定
néng ná dìyī.”
能     拿 第一。”
The examination is coming, so everyone is worried about it. But Xiaoming seems that he has a well-thought-out plan and says: “This time, I will be the number one.”

生词(shēngcí) Vocabulary:

竹子 (zhúzi): n. bamboo

擅长 (shàncháng): adj. be good at

观察 (guānchá): v. observe

形象 (xíngxiàng): n. image

Chinese Idiom

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