Eight
Immortals cross the sea, each employing his or her theurgy.
(Chinese
original:  Chinese Pinyin: Ba1xian1 guo4 hai3, ge4 xian3 shen2tong1.) |
The Eight
Immortals (Baxian) are legendary, each has a special miraculous power.
The proverb describes a situation where people bring their diverse talents
into play in accomplishing a task. |
Seeing
once is better than hearing a hundred times.
(Chinese
original: 百闻不如一见 Chinese Pinyin: Bai3 wen2 bu4 ru2 yi2 jian4.) |
Seeing
is believing. |
Display
one's proficiency of axe in front of the master carpenter.
(Chinese
original:  Chinese Pinyin: Ban1 men2 nong4 fu3.) |
Display
one's minimal skill before an expert. |
Lift
a stone only to drop on your own feet.
(Chinese
original:  Chinese Pinyin: Ban1qi3 shi2tou2 za2 zi4ji3 de jiao3.) |
Isn't
it similar to "Shoot your gun at your own foot"? |
A
bottle half filled (with vinegar) tends to rock.
(Chinese
original:  Chinese Pinyin: Ban3 ping2 cu4 - luan4 huang4dang1.)
|
The
moral of the proverb is something like "Still water runs deep."
When someone has a lot of learning, he or she still wants to learn more;
only those who know a little brag a lot. |
Putting
out a fire while holding firewood.
(Chinese
original: 抱薪救火Chinese Pinyin: Bao4 xin1 jiu4 huo3.) |
It only
made the fire worse. Improper solution of a problem does not solve but
instead aggravate the problem. |
Mistaking
the reflection of a bow in a cup for a snake.
(Chinese
original:  Chinese Pinyin: Bei1 gong1 she2 ying3.) |
A guest
got sick after he was scared by what he had seen in a wine vessel at
his friend's home. The snake he had seen was actually the shadow of
a bow hanging on the wall. This proverb asks us not to scare ourselves
with something we don't know. |
How
can you put out a fire set on a cart-load of firewood with only a cup
of water?
(Chinese
original:  Chinese Pinyin: Bei1 shui3 che1 xin1.) |
It is
useless to apply minor remedies to a major problem. |
A
clumsy bird that flies first will get to the forest earlier.
(Chinese
original:  Chinese Pinyin: Ben4 niao3 xian1 fei1 zao3 ru4 lin2.) |
Usually
as an expression of modesty and humbleness, it means that one who is
slow in learning should make extra efforts. |
You
can't tell the cost of food and fuel without being the head of a household;
you can't appreciate the love of your parents without having children
of your own.
(Chinese
original: 不当家不知柴米贵，不养儿不知父母恩 Chinese Pinyin: Bu4 dang1jia1
bu4 zhi1 chai2 mi3 gui4, bu4 yang3 er2 bu4 zhi1 fu4mu3
en1.) |
|
Shed
no tears until seeing the coffin.
(Chinese
original: 不见棺材不落泪 Chinese Pinyin: Bu2 jian4 guan1cai2 bu2 luo4 lei4.)
(Similar proverb: Not giving up until one reaches the Yellow River.
不到黄河不死心: Bu2 dao4 Huang2he2 bu4 si3xin1.) |
Will
not give up an inevitably losing battle until the last minute. It is
a burlesque of the stubbornness and stupidity of people who would not
stop until it is too late |
We
are not so much concerned if you are slow as when you
come to a halt.
(Chinese
original: 不怕慢，就怕站 Chinese Pinyin: Bu2 pa4 man4, jiu4
pa4 zhan4.) |
As
in the case of the race between the hare and the tortoise. |
You
can't catch a cub without going into a tiger's den.
(Chinese
original: 不入虎穴焉得虎子 Chinese Pinyin: Bu2 ru4 hu3xue2,
yan1 de2 hu3 zi3.) |
Risky
as it is, if you are afraid of taking chances, there is no way you can
succeed. |
