Chinese allegories
歇后語
Two-part allegorical saying (of which the first part, always stated, is descriptive, while the second part, often unstated, carries the message)

ǎi zi pá lóu tī – bù bù dēng gāo
矮子爬樓梯 – 步步登高
A dwarf climbing a ladder – becoming higher with each step

chá fěn jìn guān cai – s? yào miàn zi
搽粉進棺材 – 死要面子
Putting make-up on before entering the coffin – saving face even when dying

chá hú lǐ zhǔ ji?o zi – dào bù chū lái
茶壺里煮餃子 – 倒不出來
Boiling dumplings in a teapot – no way to get them out

chuāng hu shàng de zhǐ – yī chuō jiù pò
窗戶上的紙 – 一戳就破
Paper window panes – torn by a touch

dāo jiān shàng fān jīn dǒu – wán mìng
刀尖上翻筋斗 – 玩命
Turning somersaults on knives – playing with one's life

diàn xiàn gān dàng kuài zi – dà cái xiǎo yòng
電線桿當筷子 – 大材小用
Using telephone poles as chopsticks – putting much material to petty use

gé nián de huáng lì – guò shí le
隔年的皇歷 – 過時了
Last year's almanac – out of date

gāo shè pào dǎ wén zi – xiǎo tí dà zuò
高射炮打蚊子 – 小題大做
Killing a mosquito with a cannon – making a mountain out of a molehill

View all lessons >>