谚语 proverbs Flashcards
bǎi wén bù rú yí jiàn
百闻不如一见
例句:虽然都知道大峡谷很壮观,但是百闻不如一见,有机会你还是应该亲自去看看。
(to see once is better than to hear a hundred times.)
expresses that one should see something for himself
bīng dòng sān chǐ ,fēi yí rì zhī hán
冰冻三尺,非一日之寒
例句:俗话说,冰冻三尺,非一日之寒。他身上的这些坏习惯,肯定不是一天两天养成的。
(ice is not formed by one day‘s cold.)
equivalent of “Rome was not built in a day”
hǎo shū rú zhì yǒu
好书如挚友
例句:书可以指导人们工作,学习和生活,因为好书如挚友。
(a good book is the best of friends,the same today and forever.)
indicates the importance of reading good books
hèn tiě bù chéng gāng
恨铁不成钢
例句:不是父母不爱你,而是他们恨铁不成钢啊。
(pitying iron will not change it into steel.)
to set high goals for someone to help him achieve success after a setback;usually describes the actions of the guardian of a child
bìng cóng kǒu rù
病从口入
例句:难道你不懂病从口入的道理吗?你总是这么不讲卫生,早晚得生病。
(sickness comes from the mouth.)
used to explain the causes and effects of health related problems
huàn nàn jiàn zhēn qíng
患难见真情
例句:俗话说,患难见真情。困境中认识的朋友才是真正的朋友。
(a friend in need is a friend indeed.)
used to describe the relationship between people
huò cóng kǒu chū, yán duō bì shī
祸从口出,言多必失
例句:他这个人,做人太谨慎。他相信祸从口出,言多必失的道理,所以,平时他尽量少说话,多做事。
(careless talk leads to trouble,the more one talks,the more is lost)
indicates that gossip causes misfortune
jiā jiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng
家家有本难念的经
例句:我一直以为只有美国才存在着那么多的家庭问题,到了中国一看,家庭问题也不少,比如离婚呀,儿女出走呀什么的。真是家家有本难念的经。
(every family has a scripture that is hard to recite.)
indicates that every family has its own problems
jiǎn le zhī ma diū le xī guā
捡了芝麻丢了西瓜
例句:你为了挣几个小钱把学习耽误了,这不是捡了芝麻丢了西瓜嘛。
(to lose a watermelon trying to pick up a sesame seed.)
describes losing something significant while obtaining something trivial
jiàn kāng shì zuì dà de cái fù
健康是最大的财富
例句:身体是生存的本钱,健康是最大的财富,所以,我们一定要注意身体健康。
(good health is the greatest treasure.)
indicates that good health is more valuable than anything else
jīn wú zú chì, rén wú wán rén
金无足赤,人无完人
例句:金无足赤,人无完人。生活中怎么可能找到一个完全没有缺点的人呢。
(there is no pure gold. every man has his flaws.)
used to indicate that no one is perfect
lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng
礼轻情意重
例句:教师节那天,小明把亲手做的一朵小花给老师戴在胸前。礼轻情意重,老师非常感动。
(a small gift can show good intentions.)
indicates that it’s the thought that counts
nán er yǒu lèi bù qīng tán
男儿有泪不轻弹
例句:俗话说,男儿有泪不轻弹。你一个大小伙子,怎么说哭就哭。
(men don’t easily cry.)
qiān lǐ zhī xíng ,shǐ yú zú xià
千里之行,始于足下
例句:千里之行,始于足下。只有把小事做好了,才可能成就大事业。
(a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.)
qián rén zāi shù,hòu rén chéng liáng
前人栽树,后人乘凉
例句:前人栽树,后人乘凉。我们应该节约能源,保护环境,为我们的子孙后代留下一个生存空间。
(the previous generation plants the trees so the later generation will benefit from the shade.)
describes doing something for someone else later on
shào xiǎo bù nǔ lì,lǎo dà tú shāng bēi
少小不努力,老大徒伤悲
例:古人说:少小不努力,老大徒伤悲。你现在不好好学习,将来一事无成。到那时,你后悔都来不及了。
(a young idler will become an old beggar.)
used to indicate that one should work hard to have a good life in the future
shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ
失败是成功之母
例:我觉得失败并不是可怕的事情,只要你能不断地从失败中吸取经验教训,总有一天你会成功的,因为失败是成功之母。
(failure is the mother of success.)
expresses that failures prepare you for success
shì shí shèng yú xióng biàn
事实胜于雄辩
例:他们犯下的罪行是事实,他们再怎么否定那段历史也是没有用的,因为人们坚信“事实胜于雄辩”这个道理。
(facts speak louder than words.)
indicates that facts matter more than opinions
shū shān yǒu lù qín wéi jìng
书山有路勤为径
例:书山有路勤为径。一个人不管他多聪明,如果不努力,也很难成就一番事业。只有勤奋好学,才能把成功变成现实。
(one must work hard to climb a mountain.)
indicates that to achieve success,one must work hard
tiān xià méi yǒu bú sàn de yàn xí
天下没有不散的宴席
例:虽然我懂得“天下没有不散的宴席”这个道理,但是跟最好的朋友分别,对我来说,还是一件很难接受的事情。
(all good things come to an end.)
equivalent to good things don’t last forever
tiān xià xīng wáng ,pǐ fū yǒu zé
天下兴亡,匹夫有责
例:天下兴亡,匹夫有责。作为一个中国人,我们都应该为国家的强盛做出自己的贡献。
(a country’s condition is the result of both the noble and the peasant’s actions)
indicates that everybody is responsible for the fate of his country
tiān yǒu bú cè fēng yún
天有不测风云
例:本来小王有个幸福的家庭:妻子漂亮,女儿聪明,一家人生活得快快乐乐的。谁知天有不测风云,一场车祸把一切都毁了。
(the sky may not be consistent.)
equivalent to expect the unexpected
xiào yi xiào,shí nián shào;chóu yi chóu,bái le tóu
笑一笑,十年少;愁一愁,白了头
例:人的情绪直接影响健康。俗话说得好,笑一笑,十年少;愁一愁,白了头。我们应该从中获得启发,寻找积极的人生态度,让自己的身心更健康。
(a smile can make you ten years younger ,but worry turns your hair gray.)
expresses that one’s lifestyle affects his health
xíng dòng shèng yú kōng tá
行动胜于空谈
例:人在一生中,总会有各种理想,愿望和计划。如果人们能在抓住它们的时候马上拿出行动来,那一定会取得很多成就。可惜的是,人们的许多计划都停留在空谈上。我想告诉年轻朋友,人生目标不要立得太多,重要的是有了目标马上就去做,毕竟行动胜于空谈。
(actions speak louder than words.)
indicates that action is much more important than just talking
zhè shān wàng dào nà shān gāo
这山望到那山高
例:你即然从事这个行业,就应该好好学习,好好工作,可不能这山望到那山高啊!
(the other mountain always looks taller than the one you’re standing on.)
the equivalent of “the grass always looks greener on the other side”