Chinese Proverbs and Idioms

I've never been the awesomest student when it comes to Mandarin. And somehow I suck in Chinese if it were to be compared with my English and Bahasa Malaysia. But there is something that attracts me about Chinese. It is the idioms and proverbs. Unlike many English idioms and Peribahasa (Malay proverbs), many of the Chinese proverbs are accounted for, in terms of who uttered it and the source of document it came from.

And Chinese proverbs can be so artfully describe, as ancient China emphasizes a lot in the beauty of their language. Whether if it is about love, scenery, words of advice, or even artful swipes, there IS always a suitable idiom to be used.

But sad to say that Chinese language itself is under threat. The only majority speaking Mandarin countries are just China, Taiwan and Malaysia (if I'm not mistaken, and judging by the articulate Chinese they use).

I know there are quite a number of Chinese who had never received proper education in Mandarin. So since I'm quite free, I basically translated the idioms that are introduced in the secondary syllables.

As to help those with an insight to Chinese proverbs, and also for myself to refresh the idioms I've learned, and also to be taught again on the values it has.

Here we go~! (THIS IS JUST PRE-FORM ONE aka PERALIHAN STANDARD!)

1）君子绝交，不出恶声

Literal meaning: Even when a gentleman dislikes someone, he doesn’t talk bad about him or her

2）祸莫大于不知足

Literal meaning: The root of all problems is because human’s greed

3）不经一事，不长一智

Literal meaning: If you never experience something, you’ll never learn something

4）三人行，必有我师焉

Literal meaning: Even among three people, there is always something an individual have that can be taught to the other two.

5）劝君莫打枝头鸟，子在巢中望母归

Literal meaning: Do not disturb the birds in their nests. They are eagerly waiting for their mum to be back.

6）己所不欲，勿施于人

Literal meaning: If it is something that you don't want, then don't expect others to want it by giving it to them

7）亡羊而补牢，未为迟也

Literal meaning: It’s not too late to mend a broken pen keeping goats when one goat is missing from the pen

8）业精于勤，荒于嬉

Literal meaning: Studies are improve because of hard work, neglected because of slacking

9）一日不见，如三秋兮

Literal meaning: The time of going through a day without you is like spending an unbearable three years.

10）投我以桃，报之以李

Literal meaning: For showing gratitude of the peaches, I’ll give you pears

11）小时了了，大未必佳

Literal meaning: A kid may be smart, but that doesn’t promise him a bright future.

12）一语为重百金轻

Literal meaning: A word or a promise, is heavier or more precious than a hundred gold bars

13）近朱者赤，近墨者黑

Literal meaning: You’ll turn red when you touch red dye; you’ll turn black when you touch black ink

14）记人之善，忘人之过

Literal meaning: Remember the good deeds people have done, forget and forgive the sins that they’ve commit

15）敏而好学，不耻下问

Literal meaning: If one really does intend to learn, it is no sin for him or her to ask someone who is from the lower status

16）温故而知新，可以为师也

Literal meaning: The secret of mastering something is to keep on repeating doing it

17）本是同根生，相煎何太急

Literal meaning: We come from the same roots, why must be kill or harm each other?

18）名不正，则言不顺

Literal meaning: If you’re not a good example, don’t expect others to follow or listen

19）口惠而实不至

Literal meaning: Promising someone verbally but in the end not doing or achieving it practically

20）尽的大的责任，就得大快乐，尽的小的责任，就得小快乐

Literal meaning: If you’ve accomplished something big, your happiness is definitely “bigger” than those who accomplished something smaller

21) 一日曝之，十日寒之

Literal meaning: Hot for a day, cold for ten days. Meaning no discipline or determination

22) 人逢喜事精神爽，月到中秋分外明

Literal meaning: During a joyous occasion, people tend to have happier mood, during moon cake festival, the moon will be rounder than other times

23) 欲穷千里目，更上一层楼

Literal meaning: If you want to see more of the view, then you’ll have to climb a higher level of the tower

24) 慈母手中线，游子身上衣

Literal meaning: Each strand of thread or yarn that a mother knits is to make a sweater for her outgoing children

25) 富贵本无根，尽从勤里得

Literal meaning: There is no secret ways to be wealthy or accomplished rather than to be hard working

26) 以子之矛，攻子之盾

Literal meaning: I’ll attack your shield with your spear. Meaning one’s word are contradicting.

27) 谁知盘中餐，粒粒皆辛苦

Literal meaning: Who knows the rice taken during meals, each and every grain is the fruit of a farmer’s hard work

28) 清明节时雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂

Literal meaning: During Chengbeng it drizzles, the people walking all look so sullen and sad. Used to describe Chengbeng occasions

29) 路遥见马力，日久见人心

Literal meaning: Only a long journey may we know whether a horse is strong; only going through days and years we know what’s inside a person’s heart

30) 明日复明日，明日何其多；日日复明日，万事成蹉跎

Literal meaning: Keep on delaying tasks for tomorrow, how much tomorrow you have? Every day you keep on delaying for the other tomorrow, you’ll end up with everything undone.

There you go. 30 of'em. =)