Chinese phrases: translation into Russian, pronunciation rules, basic and basic expressions, aphorisms and wise sayings

Chinese is beautiful, distinctive and undoubtedly one of the most difficult languages ​​in the world. The main difficulties on the path to mastering Chinese lie in the written language, consisting of characters, pronunciation and cultural characteristics of speech.

Once in China, you may notice that the Chinese speak little English: finding the way or asking something important is sometimes really difficult. Therefore, before traveling to the Middle Kingdom, it will be nice to learn how to pronounce basic and simple phrases in Chinese, but be careful: Chinese is difficult in terms of pronunciation and consists of tones. This means that different syllables can be pronounced in different intonations or tones, because of which the meaning of the word can change dramatically. Before you start learning Chinese phrases with translation, you should understand the main points of pronunciation and tones.

Tones and how to pronounce them correctly

There are only four tones in Chinese, and each of them is important to learn.

1. First tone. A high, even tone is indicated by a dash at the top of the syllable: mā. It reads as if you are taking a high note: la.
2. The second tone is read as if you are asking something, with an ascending intonation, and is indicated by the following dash: má. Here's a simple example: you are chatting with a friend, but did not hear the last phrase. Then you ask, "Huh? What did you say?" This "a" in our Russian language is pronounced like the second tone in Chinese.
3. The third tone, mă, is read very deeply and is pronounced first low, then high, as if falling, and then rising again.
4. The fourth tone is very sharp, descending: mà. It is pronounced harshly, with a sharply falling and breaking intonation, as if we are brushing off someone. Say quickly: "Everything!" This is roughly how the fourth tone sounds.

Why is it important to study tones?

Here's a classic answer to the question: are tones really that important? Important. Many beginners do not attach much importance to pronunciation, although this is one of the most important points in learning Chinese. After all, the same simple syllable ma (ma), spoken in different tones, in Chinese can have radically different meanings:

• 妈 - mā - mother (first tone);
• 麻 - má - hemp (second tone);
• 马 - mă - horse (third tone);
• 骂 - mà - curse, swear, curse (fourth tone).

- pinyin

To read Chinese, you need to know what pinyin is. The pinyin system is a kind of recording of Chinese sounds, because it is still difficult to understand how a word is read from the hieroglyphs. Therefore, pinyin replaces the usual transcription, for example, in English. Many of the sounds that are in Chinese are not in Russian or in English, so you should first deal with the pronunciation.

But remember: it is impossible to read transcriptions without first familiarizing yourself with the sounds, and even more so to learn Chinese phrases without knowing the basic rules of pronunciation. Many letters that are part of the pinyin system do not sound exactly like in the same English, or even not at all.

Pignin letters fall into two categories: initials and endings.

Initials

Initials in Chinese are the consonants with which a syllable usually begins. For starters, it's worth noting that in Chinese there are concepts such as aspirated and non-aspirated initials. What is aspiration? This is a light stream of air that comes out when you pronounce a certain letter. This aspiration is close to the sound [x] in Russian, but the bright sound [x] should be avoided. Place your palm to your mouth and try to exhale strongly: you will feel a warm breath on your hand. Much the same should be felt when pronouncing the aspirated initial in Chinese.

There are 22 of them in a kind of Chinese alphabet, and now we will try to disassemble them using the following table.

Letter designation	How to pronounce
b	Something in between the sounds [п] and [б] in Russian.
d	Hike to the Russian sound [d], but more dull.
g	A more dull sound [g] in Russian, something in between [g] and [k].
j	When the next sound is pronounced, the tongue lies below, barely touching the lower teeth. Sounds like soft [tz] or [dz]
zh	It looks like a combination [j], but it should be read as if with one sound.
z	More sonorous and hissing [dz]. The tongue touches the front teeth.
p	Aspirated sound [n]. It turns out something like [nx].
t	The sound [t] aspirated - [tx].
k	The sound [k] with the same aspiration - [kx].
q	A very soft sound, similar to [ts], is aspirated.
ch	When pronouncing this sound, the tongue seems to turn back towards the sky, a sound [chsh] is obtained with strong aspiration.
c	A dull, hissing sound [ts] with strong aspiration.
m	Russian sound [m] with stronger tension in pronunciation. At the same time, the sound seems to break out.
n	It is similar to the Russian sound [n], but the language is slightly raised here.
ng	The nasal sound [n] is like the -ing ending in English, only deeper.
x	Sounds like a hissing sound.
sh	Tongue turns towards the sky, more hissing sound [w].
s	Intense sound [s].
f	Sound [f].
l	The Russian sound is [л], but when pronounced, its language is slightly lowered.
h	More intense Russian sound [x].
r	There is no such sound in Russian, but it is closer to the Russian sound [g]. In this case, the language still turns towards the sky, as when pronouncing the sounds sh or ch

Finals

Finals in Chinese are vowels. They are single and combined (diphthongs). There are 38 finals in total. Quite a lot, right?

Letter designation	How to pronounce
a	More tense Russian [a].
o	More tense Russian [o].
e	Something between the sounds [eh] and [s]. When pronouncing this sound, the mouth should assume such a position as if you are going to say [o], but in fact you are saying [e].
i	[and]
u	[y]
ü	You will not find such a sound in either Russian or English. In order to reproduce this sound, you have to close your lips, as when pronouncing [yu], but pronounce [yu].
ai	[ay]
an	[en]
ao	[ao]
ang	[eng], but at the same time n is a nasal sound, ng.
ia	[yah]
ie	It looks like a combination [s], but at the same time it seems to be pronounced together.
iao	[yao] or [yao]
iu / iou	[yo]
in	[in]
ian	[ian]
iang	[yan] with a nasal sound at the end.
ing	Like a nasal sound.
iong	As a combination [yong], the sound is nasal.
ua	Similar to, or [ya], where y is a short and deep sound.
uo	or [yo]
uai	Like the English word "why". [wye].
ui / uei	[way], but at the same time e is a short sound.
ru	[en]
eng	[en], the sound at the end of the nasal.
ei	Soft [hey]
uan	[wan], y - deep.
un / uen	[wen], uh - short sound.
uang	[wang] with nasal sound n.
ueng	[wang] with nasal sound n.
ong	[ong], sound n - nasal.
ou	[OU]
üan	[yuan]
ün	[Jun]
iong	[yong], at the end of the nasal sound.
üe	Close to the combination of sounds [yue].
er	The tip of the tongue seems to be bent back and sounds like a combination of Russian sounds [ar].

If you want to learn Chinese or have already started, we advise you to familiarize yourself with all the moments of pronunciation: this is almost the most important thing in the Chinese language.

Simple Chinese Phrases. Greetings and goodbyes

If you are traveling to China as a tourist, it is helpful to learn basic Chinese phrases. Here are collected all the simplest and most useful phrases that may come in handy during your trip.

1. The easiest way is 你好 - nǐ hǎo - Hello! (Probably, many Russian people know this word, but if you were not familiar with it before, we recommend that you get to know each other before traveling to China, because it is simple and universal.)
2. 您好! - nín hǎo - Hello. (This is a more polite and formal way of greeting a person than the previous one.)
3. 你们 好 - nǐmen hǎo - Hello. (This greeting is used to say hello to multiple people at once.)
4. 欢迎 - huānyíng - Welcome!
5. 你 好吗? - nǐ hǎo ma - How are you? How are you / are you doing? (This is a simple phrase to say when you’re not greeting someone for the first time. If you’ve seen the person before, you can ask “nǐ hǎo ma?” To be polite and somewhat interested.)
6. 早安! - zǎo ān! - Good morning! (Oddly, the Chinese are especially fond of using "good morning", and "good afternoon" or "good evening" are not so common anymore.)
7. 再见! - zàijiàn - Goodbye! (The most famous and easiest way to say goodbye to someone.)
8. 晚上 见! - wǎnshàng jiàn! - Until the evening! (assumes a quick meeting)
9. 明天 见! - míngtiān jiàn! - Till tomorrow!
10. 祝 你 好运 - zhù nǐ hǎo yùn! - Good luck!
11. 晚安 - Wǎn "ān - Good night! / Good night!

Basic phrases

To communicate with native Chinese speakers, it is important to know words like "yes" or "no", as well as "please" and "thank you". It is these basic phrases in Chinese with pronunciation that we will now analyze.

1. 是 - shì - Yes.
2. 不是 - bù shì - No.
3. 谢谢! - xiè xie - Thank you!
4. 不用 谢 - bù yòng xiè - Not at all (answer to gratitude).
5. 不客气 - bù kèqì - Please! (the answer to "thank you" literally translates as "do not hesitate").
6. 对不起 - duìbuqǐ - I beg your pardon!
7. 抱歉 - bàoqiàn - Sorry, sorry!
8. 没关系 - méi guānxi - It's okay.
9. 好 - hǎo - Good (Like agreement).
10. 借 过 - Jièguò - Let me pass.

Acquaintance

Chinese phrases with translation and pronunciation:

1. To introduce yourself, you need to say: 我 叫 (your name is here) - Wǒ jiào - My name is (name).
2. To ask the name of the other person in an informal and friendly manner after introducing yourself: 你 呢? - nǐ ne? - And what is your name?
3. A more polite and formal way to ask a name: 怎么 称呼? -Zěnme chēnghu? - What should I call you?
4. Another neutral and more versatile way to ask a name is: 你 叫 什么? - nǐ jiào shénme? - What is your name?
5. 很 高兴! - hěn gāoxìng! - Very nice! (After meeting).
6. 很 高兴 认识 你 - hěn gāoxìng rènsh nǐ! - Pleased to meet you.
7. To explain to the interlocutor where you came from, you can say: 我 从 (country, city) 来 - wǒ cóng ___ lái - I am from / I came from ...
8. 你 多大 了? - nǐ duō dà le? - How old are you?
9. 我 (number) 岁. - I'm ___ years old.

About languages: phrases in Chinese with translation into Russian

It is very difficult to overcome the language barrier in a foreign country. To understand what language a person speaks, you need to know the following Chinese phrases in Russian.

1. 你 说 俄语 吗? - nǐ shuō èyǔ ma? - Do you speak Russian?
2. 你 说 英语 吗? - nǐ shuō yīngyǔ ma? - You speak English?
3. 我 不 说 汉语 - wǒ bù shuō hànyǔ - I don't speak Chinese.
4. 我 说 一点儿 汉语 - wǒ shuō yīdiǎn er hànyǔ - I only speak a little Chinese.
5. 你 懂 我 在 说 什么 吗? - nǐ dǒng wǒ zài shuō shénme ma? - Do you understand what I am saying? / Do you understand me?
6. 请 再说 一遍 - qǐng zài shuō yī biàn - Please repeat what you said.
7. 我 不懂 - wǒ bù dǒng - I don't understand.

Travel phrases

A traveler should always have a phrasebook with simple phrases with him and at least have a little knowledge of English in case of need. In China, English is poorly spoken, so in the Middle Kingdom one cannot do without an interpreter or at least the simplest phrasebook. Pronouncing Chinese phrases is very difficult and a native speaker will hardly be able to understand you unless you are learning Chinese in more depth, so it's better to just show the Chinese a certain phrase in your phrasebook or translate it using your smartphone.

1. 最近 的 厕所 在 哪里? - zuìjìn de cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ? - Where is the nearest toilet?
2. 我 怎样 可以 到 市里? - wǒ zěnyàng kěyǐ dào shì lǐ? - How can I get to the city?
3. 我 怎样 可以 到 宾馆? - wǒ zěnyàng kěyǐ dào bīnguǎn? - How can I get to the hotel?
4. 请问 坐 哪 路 公交 车 可以 到 市中心 吗? - qǐngwèn zuò nǎ lù gōngjiāo chē kěyǐ dào shì zhōngxīn ma? - What bus goes to the city center?
5. 最近 的 地铁 站在 哪儿? - Where is the nearest metro station?
6. 在 哪儿 可以 稍微 吃点 东西? -Zài nǎ "er kěyǐ shāowéi chī diǎn dōngxī? - Where can I eat?
7. 你们 有 俄语 菜单 吗? - Nǐmen yǒu èyǔ càidān ma? - Do you have a menu in Russian?
8. 卫生间 在 哪里? - Wèishēngjiān zài nǎlǐ? - Where is the toilet?
9. 超市 在 哪里? - Chāoshì zài nǎlǐ? - Where is the supermarket here?
10. 这个 多少 钱? - Zhège duōshǎo qián? - How much is it?
11. 试衣间 在 哪里? - Shì yī jiān zài nǎlǐ? - Where's the fitting room?
12. 这个 对 我 来说 太贵 了 - Zhège duì wǒ lái shuō tài guìle - This is too expensive for me.
13. 我 需要 另一个 号 - Wǒ xūyào lìng yīgè hào - Give me another size / I need another size.
14. 我 穿 ___ 的 号 - Wǒ chuān ___ de hào - I wear ___ size.
15. 请问, ___ 街路 在 哪里 - Qǐngwèn, ___ jiēlù zài nǎlǐ - Sorry, you can't tell me where the street is (street name).
16. 从 这里 到 市中心 远 吗? - Cóng zhèlǐ dào shì zhōngxīn yuǎn ma? - Is it far from here to the city center?
17. ___ 在 哪里? - ___ Zài nǎlǐ? - Where is ___?
18. 我 迷路 了 - Wǒ mílùle - I'm lost.
19. 我 感觉 身 ble 不 舒服 - Wǒ gǎnjué shēntǐ bú shūfú - I don’t feel very well.

Aphorisms, wise sayings and phrases with translation

Like all languages ​​and peoples in the world, Chinese has collected many proverbs, wise sayings and expressions during its long and rich history. Chinese culture is very distinctive, and it is not for nothing that the Chinese are considered a wise people. Below are the most beautiful phrases in Chinese.

• 十年 樹木 ， 百年樹人 - It takes tens of years to grow a tree, to grow a person - a hundred.
• 欲速 则不 达 - Doing things faster won't finish things. The Chinese analogue of the Russian proverb "The quieter you go, the further you will be."
• 广 交友 ， 无 深交 - Being friends with everyone means you are not close friends with anyone.
• 空穴来风 未必 无 因 - The wind blows from the empty cave for a reason. It is very similar in meaning to the Russian proverb "There is no smoke without fire."
• 善良 胜过 一切 美貌 - Kindness conquers all beauty.
• 机不可失 ， 时不再来 - The time that you lost cannot be returned. Don't miss the opportunity.
• 花 有 重 开 日 ， 人 无 再 少年 - If the flower blooms again, then the person will never be young again.
• 小洞 不 补 ， 大 洞 吃苦 - Without closing a small hole, you will find yourself with a large hole. There will be a hole, there will be a hole.
• 三人 一条心 ， 黄土 变成 金 - If three people are in one, the earth will turn to gold.
• 吃 一 堑 ， 长 一 智 - You become smarter by failing / failing.
• 只要 功夫 深 ， 铁杵磨成针 - With a lot of work, you can turn an iron rod into a small needle. Russian analogue: "Patience and work will grind everything."
• 冰冻 三尺 ， 非 一日 之 寒 - Meter blocks of ice do not form in one day. Russian analogue: "Moscow was not built right away."
• 一日 之 计 在于 晨 - Morning defines the whole day. Russian analogue: "The morning is wiser than the evening."
• 执 子 之 手 ， 与 子 偕老 - To grow old together, holding hands (I mean eternal love).
• 星星之火 ， 可以 燎原 - One small spark can set off a huge fire (Butterfly Effect).

1. Let me go, I hate you! 放开 我 ， 我 恨 你！
2. I don’t want to listen to this! 我 不 想听！ 我 不 想听 这 一套！
3. Look what you've done / done! 看看 你 都 干了 什么 ＂好事＂ ／ 看看 你 都 干了 些 什么！
4. You absolutely don't know fear! 你好 大 的 胆子 啊！ 你 可 真是 不 知道 “害怕” 两字 怎么 写 啊！
5. You have no forgiveness! I never ask you! 我 永远 都 不会 饶恕 / 原谅 你！
6. We're finished! It's a cover for us! 我们 完了！
7. I have not heard anything more stupid (this)! 这 是 我 听到 的 最 愚蠢 的 话！
8. I don’t believe a single word! 我 不 信 你 说 的 任何 一字！
9. You lie all the time! 你 一直 都 在 撒谎！ 你 从 都没 说过 实话！
10. Don't push me! Don't force me! 别 逼 我！
11. Stop wasting my time! 别 浪费 我 的 时间 了！
12. You make too much noise! 你 也 太 闹 了 吧!
13. Stop Complaining! Stop complaining! Stop whining! 别 发牢骚 / 抱怨 了！
14. You shouldn't (should) have done this! 你 真 不该 那样 做！
15. Don't talk to me like that! 别 那样 和 我 说话！
16. Change your tone! (more infamous) （这 是 什么 调 调？） 换换 自己 的 口气！
17. Forgot who you are talking to? 你 忘 了 自己 是 在 和 谁 说话 吗？
18. What are you fancy? Who do you claim to be? 你 以为 你 是 谁啊？！ 你 当 你 是 谁啊?!
19. You are completely out of your mind (out of your mind)! 你 彻底 疯 了！ You're crazy / crazy (crazy)! (colloquial)
20. Leave me alone! 别 缠 我！
21. Leave me alone! 让 我 安静 一下！
22. Get out of my sight! Get lost! （立即） 从 我 眼前 消失！
23. I can't see you! 我 讨厌 见到 你！
24. I never want to see you again! 再也 不想 见到 你！
25. You make me sick! 你 （真） 让 我 恶心！
26. I can't stand you! 我 受不了 你！
27. This does not concern you! (neutral) 不 关 你 的 事!
28. It’s not your business! 不用 你 伤脑筋！
29. Don't mess with your own business! 别 在 别人 的 事 上 叉 一脚 了！ 管 好 你 自己 的 事 吧！
30. Fuck off! Get out of here! 滚开！
31. Shut up! Shut up! 闭嘴！
32. How can you say that ?! 你 怎么 能 说 这样 说？！ 你 怎么 能 说 这种 话?!
33. You just think so. (This is just your personal opinion) 只有 你 是 这么想 的 / 这 只是 你 的 个人 想法)
34. Well, well, repeat it again! (threat) 有胆 你 就 再 重复 一 便！ 有胆 你 就 再说 一 便！
35. You piss me off! 你 让 我 抓狂！
36. Don't look for excuses! 别 找 借口！
37. These are all excuses! 这 全 是 借口!
38. She is what I need. 她 正是 我 所 需要 的 女孩。
39. She is my goddess! 她 是 我 (心中) 的 女神。
40. She is the girl / woman of my dreams. 她 是 我 的 梦中 情人。
41. You fit together! 你们 很 相配！
42. You are made for each other. 你们 是 天造地设 的 一 对。
43. You are the perfect match. 你们 是 完美 的 一 对
44. He is my ideal! 他 是 我 的 理想 对象。
45. He is the man of my dreams! 他 是 我 的 梦中 情人。
46. ​​He is my guardian angel. 他 是 我 的 守护神。
47. He's not really my type. 他 不 完全 符合 我 的 口味。
48. He's not my type. 他 不是 我 想要 找 的 那一 类 （男人）
49. He's just my friend. 他 只不过 是 我 的 朋友。

• I think we better stay friends. 我 想 我们 还是 做朋友 比较 好
• I can’t tear myself away from your smile! 你 的 笑容 太 迷人 了 ， 它 紧紧 地 抓住 了 我 的 目光。
• You know, we make a good couple. (Beautiful couple) 知道 吗 ， 我们 会 是 很 不错 的 一 对。
• You are the best thing that has happened to me in years. 和 你 的 相遇 是 这么 多年来 在 我 身上 发生 的 最美 好的 事。
• Another Chinese wisdom says: 从小 看 大, 三岁 到 老 (I translate: From childhood what I was, so will be in old age, or stupid will always remain stupid, but smart will be smart!)
• and one more: 活 到 老 ， 学到 老 (Living to old age, study to old age or Live forever - learn!).
• A serious woman is the most beautiful woman. 认真 的 女人 最 美丽。
• Bad start leads to bad end / bad start - bad end. 恶 其 始 者必 恶 其 终。
• A thin world is better than a good quarrel. 吃亏 的 和解 也 比 胜诉 强。
• A bad employee always has a tool to blame. 拙 匠 常 怨 工具 差 (人 笨 怨 刀 钝)。
• Skin and bones. 骨瘦如柴.
• A bargain is a bargain. 达成 的 协议 不可 撕毁。
• The bird is visible in flight. 什么 鸟 唱 什么 歌。
• From a black cow and white milk. / The black hen lays white eggs. 黑 鸡 生 白 蛋; 丑妇 生 俊 儿。
• There would be no happiness, but misfortune helped. 祸 中 得福; 塞 翁 失 马
• It doesn’t carry its burden. 自己 选 的 担子 不嫌 重。
• Hardy like a cat. 猫 有 九条命。
• You can't get a fish out of the pond without difficulty. 带 手套 的 猫 捉 不到 耗子; 四肢 不 勤, 一事无成; 怕 沾污 手指 的 人 做 不 出什么事。
• A drop in the sea. 沧海一粟

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It is curious that a country like China, plagued by wars, conflicts and dictatorships, is the source of such widespread popular wisdom.

Chinese proverbs have little to do with love and romance. Their goal is usually to find meaning in life, find wisdom, or explain human behavior. However, there are a few examples of the heart that are truly beautiful.

"People fix their hair daily, why not heart?"

This is one of the simplest yet most symbolic Chinese proverbs about romantic relationships. In general, most of us find it easy enough to look in the mirror and look good. We wear, we style our hair and we hope for our best smile.

It's not hard to look good. In fact, every day more and more people spend hours in front of a mirror trying to improve their appearance. But what if we spent some of that time fixing our heart?

Have you ever wondered how if you would pay less attention to physical vision and rely more on your personal relationships?

The wisdom and brilliance of this Chinese proverb is right here: it invites people to focus more on caring for their inner world and less on the physical surface.

"Long-term feelings lead to long-term consequences."

Life goes on with great speed. We are constantly exposed to a tremendous amount of information and incentives. However, there is one thing that does not change:. The deeper it is, the deeper its consequences. This is one of the most beautiful Chinese proverbs because it refers to the good consequences of our feelings.

The more sincere and deep our feelings, the sweeter and more durable the fruits will be.

Deep feelings are becoming scarce, today we live in a society of fleeting moments and instant gratification. The buy-and-drop culture is fashion. This is why this adage is so useful, because in most cases, long-term value is still much more useful, including in the emotional sphere.

"The heart never speaks, but you have to listen to it to understand."

It is true that our hearts cannot speak, but ... it takes a few words for a good listener. We often find it difficult to allow ourselves to be guided by how we feel. However, sometimes you need to be less rational and untie the knots of logic.

This proverb is very reasonable. Trying to explain feelings in words is not always easy, and it is often easier to allow yourself to be guided by our emotions. If we constantly use logic, we will lose an important part of ourselves.

"You cannot ask for love, it must be deserved"

When we have to ask for something related to our feelings, we may well be wrong. You cannot go to someone and ask them to love you because you are more likely to fail in your attempt. However, if you make yourself someone who deserves the love of another, the possibilities increase tremendously.

Don't ask others if they want to love you. Love them directly and earn their deepest feelings.

"The one who is afraid of suffering already suffers from fear"

This last Chinese proverb is not specifically oriented towards love, but is closely related. How many people do you know who dare not start new relationships out of fear of pain and suffering? But this wise proverb makes it clear that if you are so afraid of pain, in fact you are already suffering from pain.

Your own fear, whether it be to love, to start something, or to explore new paths, is already a pit of negativity that terrifies you.

These Chinese proverbs about love convey traces of amazing wisdom in their words. In fact, what happens in our life largely depends on ourselves. If we are afraid and do not listen to our heart, we will rarely find people who suit us.

These popular sayings are just a reminder. , having more love and enjoying more fulfillment in life is in the hands of every person.

牛 鼎 烹 鸡 - Boil the chicken in the bull's cauldron.

niú dǐng pēng jī

It is said when a person of great talent or exceptional ability is entrusted with a trivial job.

Bian Zhan was famous among his contemporaries as the author of poems, rhymed prose and other literary genres. The military leader He Jin appointed him to the post of a chronicler to record all the more or less significant events. When the Emperor's advisor Cai Yong found out about this, he thought that a person with such a talent deserves much more. Cai Yong went to He Jin and said, “I think Bian Zhan is an extremely talented person. If you boil chicken in a cauldron for cooking bull carcasses, pouring a little water, then nothing will work, because the chicken will not be immersed in water. If we pour enough water into the pot so that the chicken is completely covered with water, then the broth will turn out to be tasteless due to the fact that there will be too much water for one chicken. What I am afraid is that they will not boil the carcass of a bull in the cauldron. I hope that you will give Bian Zhan the opportunity to show his extraordinary abilities. " Cai Yong's words convinced He Jin, and he recommended Bian Zhang for the position of a high-ranking official at the Emperor's court.

宁 为 玉碎 ， 不 为 瓦全 - Better to be smashed with jade than whole tiles.

nìng wéi yù suì, bù wéi wǎ quán

It is said when someone would rather die for a just cause than live in humiliation.
Proverb origin story:
This happened in 550. The Eastern Wei Dynasty Prime Minister Gao Yang overthrew Emperor Yuan Shanjiang and concentrated all power in his hands. He proclaimed himself Emperor Wenxuan and founded the Northern Qi Dynasty. In an effort to strengthen his power, he tried to destroy all the former ministers and officials who served the emperor he had overthrown. Many of the emperor's relatives were killed.
A judge from Dingxiang province named Yuan Jingan was very afraid for his life, therefore, in order to please the new emperor, he asked to change his name and become Gao instead of Yuan (to be the namesake of the current emperor, not the deposed emperor). Upon learning of this, his cousin Yuan Jinghao said to him: “How can you give up the name of your ancestors and take the name of a stranger? The hero would prefer to be shattered with jade rather than whole tiles. " The next day, Yuan Jingan conveyed the words of his cousin Gao Yang. He ordered to kill Yuan Jinghao, and Yuan Jinghao, who reported on him, awarded him and allowed him to change his surname to Gao. So the judge from Dingxiang managed, at the cost of betrayal, not only to save his life, but later also to advance in the service.
Beiqi Shu (History of the Northern Qi Dynasty, written by Li Baiyao during the Tang Dynasty)

买椟还珠 - Having bought the box, return the pearls.

mǎi dú huán zhū

It is said in a situation where someone makes the wrong choice, not understanding the true value of things.
Proverb origin story:
A jeweler from the Chu kingdom came to the Zheng kingdom to sell his pearls. Naturally, he wanted to present the product in the most attractive way. Therefore, he made a box for pearls of expensive wood, decorated it as best he could and treated it with special incense, after which it began to exude a wonderful aroma. Only then did he put the pearls in the box. When one of the inhabitants of the Zheng kingdom saw such a luxurious box, he did not hesitate to buy it, paying a rather high price. Having completed the deal, the satisfied buyer returned the pearls that were in the box to the jeweler, and carefully took the box home.
A man from the kingdom of Zheng was able to appreciate the beauty of the box, but he did not have enough brains to understand that the pearls in it were immeasurably more valuable than herself.
"Han Fei-tzu"

量文裁衣 - Sewing clothes taking into account the posture.

liàng tǐ cái yī

Act in accordance with the status quo; act in light of changing circumstances.
Proverb origin story:
At the end of the Song Dynasty, a famous tailor lived in Beijing. He was famous for the fact that the dresses he sewed fit perfectly on their owners. Once a judge asked him to sew a robe. “How many years has Your Excellency held his high office?” - asked the tailor. Puzzled by the tailor's question, the judge asked what it mattered. The tailor explained: “When a young official first gets a high position in the civil service, he is very self-confident and walks with his chest and stomach protruding. For this reason, his dress has to be made longer in the front and shorter in the back. If a person has been holding a high office for several years, then he no longer needs to demonstrate his significance and domination, therefore, a dress for him should be sewn of the same length in front and back. When an official holds office for a very long time, he begins to think that he will soon have to resign. From these thoughts he falls into despondency and walks with his back bent and his head down. Clothes for him should be sewn in such a way that they are shorter in the front and longer in the back. How can I sew a mantle for you so that it is just right for you if I don’t know how long Your Excellency has held his high office ?! ”
Luyan Tsonghua (Conversations in the Luyan Garden)
Note: translation by hieroglyphs would look like this: "When measuring the body, cut (cut) clothes."

老马识途 - The old horse knows the way.

lǎo mǎ shí tú

It is about an experienced person who knows how to behave in various situations, and knows how to find a way out of difficult situations.
Proverb origin story:
During the Chunqiu era (the “Spring and Autumn” era), the Huan gong from the Qi kingdom undertook a military campaign in the Shanzhong and Guzhu kingdoms. The campaign was successful, with the weaker kingdoms subdued. When it was time to return home, Gong Huang's army faced an unexpected problem. Guzhu was located quite far from the Qi kingdom. Huang's army set out on a campaign in the spring, and completed it only in the winter. By this time, snow had already fallen, and the surrounding landscape had changed so much that the troops could not find their way back. In the end, they completely lost their way. Everyone was in a very anxious mood. Then the chief adviser Guan Zhong said to Gong Huang: “Old horses always remember the road they had already traveled once. Why don't we rely on their wisdom? Let them lead us. " And so they did: they put several old horses at the head of the column and allowed them to find their way home. After some time, the horses brought the army home.
"Han Fei-tzu"
Note: gong (gong) - the highest rank of an official in ancient China, above which was only the ruler (emperor) of the state.

空中楼阁 - Castle in the air.

kōngzhōng lóugé

It talks about illusions and unrealistic, unreasonable plans or ideas.
Proverb origin story:
Once a very rich but stupid man came to visit his friend and was delighted with his light and spacious three-story house. Returning home, he found a bricklayer and asked him if he could build such houses. The bricklayer replied that it was he who built the house that so delighted the rich man. “I want you to build me exactly the same luxurious house,” he said to the bricklayer. The bricklayer dug a hole for the foundation and began to lay bricks in it. Seeing what the mason was doing, the rich man asked him: "What kind of house are you building for me?" "As you asked, three-story." “But I want to have only the third floor without the first and second,” said the rich man. "How can I build the third floor without first building the two lower ones?" - the artisan was amazed. No matter how hard the bricklayer tried to explain the absurdity of this idea to the rich man, he continued to insist that only the top floor be built for him.
"Baijiu piyu jing" ("Sutra of a hundred parables")
Note: there are various versions of this parable, in particular, the builder of the house (palace, castle) may indicate not a bricklayer, but a carpenter. Apparently, this is due to differences in translation from Sanskrit or to changes that were made to the text of the parable during its later expositions.

橘 化为 枳 - A sweet orange turns sour.

jú huà wéi zhǐ

Used when they want to say that the environment can change a person's character.
Proverb origin story:
When Yan-tzu arrived in the Chu kingdom as an envoy from the Qi kingdom, the Chu ruler held a banquet in honor of the guest. When everyone was drinking wine and having fun, two soldiers entered the hall and brought the tied criminal to the ruler. “Who is this man?” Asked the governor. “This is a thief from the kingdom of Qi,” the soldiers replied. The ruler turned to Yan-tzu and exclaimed: “Oh! Why, this is your fellow countryman! All people in the Qi kingdom must be thieves ?! " Seeing the undisguised sarcasm in Lord Chu's words, Yan Zi stood up and said, “I heard that when orange trees are planted south of the river, sweet fruits ripen on them. When these trees are planted north of the river, they turn into sour trees. They have exactly the same leaves, but the fruits are completely different. Why did it happen? This is because the water and soil on both sides of the river are different. In the kingdom of Qi, people never steal, and when they come to the kingdom of Chu, they become thieves. May I ask you if the whole point is that the water and soil in the Chu kingdom are such that they turn people into thieves? "
"Yan-tzu Chunqiu"
Note: A more accurate translation would be more cumbersome: "Tszyu (orange tree producing sweet fruits) becomes Zhi (orange tree producing sour fruits)."

举案齐眉 - Hold the tray (with food) at eyebrow level.

jǔ àn qí méi

A tray of food, served at eyebrow level, symbolizes the mutual love and respect of the spouses.
Proverb origin story:
Liang Hong grew up in a poor family, but thanks to intense studies he managed to become not just a very educated person, but a real scientist. Many rich people dreamed of marrying their daughters to him. Liang Hong, on the other hand, was a very honest man and treated the powerful of this world with contempt. He rejected all their offers and eventually the messenger married the daughter of his neighbor Meng Guang, who was not a beauty, but shared the views of her husband.
When Meng Guang arrived at her husband's house, she was wearing a gorgeous, elegant dress. For seven days, Liang Hong did not speak to his wife. Only on the eighth day, when Meng Guang pinned up her loose hair, took off all jewelry, changed into a simple dress and started doing household chores, Liang Hong said, “This is so good! You are now my wife. " Since then, they lived happily: treated each other with love, respect and were as polite as if each of them were an honored guest in their house. Every evening when Liang came home, dinner was ready. Maine put dinner on a tray, raised it to eyebrow level, and served it to her husband. Happy Liang accepted the tray and they dined together.
Houhan Shu (History of the Late Han Dynasty)
Note: It is possible that this form of expression of respect extends not only to food and not only to spouses, because The author had to observe how Chinese students in this way (tilting their heads and raising them to the level of their eyebrows) handed in written exam papers to the teacher.

井底之蛙 - Frog at the bottom of the well.

jǐng dǐ zhī wā

It is about one who does not see beyond his nose; about a person with a very narrow outlook.
Proverb origin story:
A frog lived at the bottom of an abandoned well. One day she saw a large sea turtle at the edge of the well and immediately began to brag: “My life in the well is just wonderful. When I'm in the mood, I can jump as much as I like along the wall, and if I'm tired, I can rest in the crevice between the bricks. I can enjoy swimming in the water or walking in soft mud. Crabs and tadpoles envy me because I am the owner of this well and can do whatever I want here. Come down here and you will see for yourself how wonderful it is here. "
The turtle decided to accept the frog's invitation, but, climbing to the edge of the well, it caught its foot on something. She stopped, thought a little, took a step back and began to tell the frog about the sea: “Have you ever seen the sea? It is very large: ten thousand li wide and thousands of zhans deep. When in the old days there were floods and rivers overflowed the banks every nine out of ten years, the sea never overflowed its banks. When a drought came and there was no rain for seven years, the sea never dried up. It is so huge that it is not afraid of floods or droughts. Living in the sea is wonderful. "
What he heard shocked the frog so much that she was speechless and silently gazed at the huge sea turtle.
Chuang Tzu
Note: in the allegories and metaphors of the author of this book, one of the founders of the Taoist teaching Zhuang Zhou (369-286 BC), sometimes quite unexpectedly you can find ideas that are relevant to different areas of knowledge, including psycholinguistics. So, for example, the hypothesis of L.S. Vygotsky, the Chinese philosopher formulated the existence in the human mind of two different from each other, but interacting languages ​​- the language of thought and the verbal language - back in the 4th century. BC. as follows: “The trap is needed for catching hares. Having caught a hare, they forget about the trap. Words are needed to catch a thought. When the thought is caught, the words are forgotten. How could I find a person who has forgotten about words and talk to him! "

金玉其外 ， 败絮 其中 - Like gold and jasper on the outside, like rotten cotton on the inside.

jīn yù qí wài, bài xù qí zhōng

It is talking about something outwardly very attractive, but completely useless and worthless in reality.
Proverb origin story:
During the Ming Dynasty, there was a fruit merchant. He knew how to store his oranges in such a way that they retained a very attractive appearance for a whole year. But if on the outside they were smooth as jasper and shiny as gold, then on the inside they resembled rotten cotton wool.
Once one of the buyers, who had been deceived by him, asked him why he was acting so ugly and fooling the people. The merchant grinningly replied, “Am I the only crook in the world? No. Look around. Take, for example, these generals swell with importance, hung with weapons and sitting on chairs covered with tiger skins. Are they capable of leading the battle? And these officials in black gauze hats and belts adorned with jade - are they capable of doing state affairs? They do nothing to make life a little easier for ordinary people. They don't even want to know what disgrace their subordinates are doing. They are of no use at all: they only do what they eat up what has been done by ordinary people. Aren't they as smooth as jasper? Don't they shine like gold? Don't they look like rotten cotton on the inside? Why are you indignant at the fraud of a simple street vendor and do not notice the fraud of those of whom I have just mentioned? " The deceived buyer could not find an answer to this.

竭泽而渔 - Drain the pond to take fish.

jié zé ér yú

It is said when, for the sake of a momentary insignificant benefit, long-term interests are thoughtlessly sacrificed.
Proverb origin story:
During the Chunqiu era ("Spring and Autumn Period"), a war broke out between the kingdoms of Jin and Chu. Wengong (the ruler of the Jin kingdom) asked his advisor Hu Yan, “The Chu kingdom is strong, but we are weak. How can we win this war? " Hu Yan replied, “Anyone who is too scrupulous about decency, honor and morality always has a lot of problems. Anyone who wants to be a successful warrior should not shun deception. Let's deceive the enemy! " Wengong talked about Hu Yan's proposal to his other adviser, Ji Yong, and asked him what he thought about it. Ji Yong said, “If you lower the pond, you can easily catch a lot of fish at once. But next year the fish will be gone. If you set fire to the forest, then you can get a lot of game and wild animals. But next year there will be no game or wild animals. We can now resort to deception, but in the future it will no longer help us, because deception cannot permanently solve the problem itself. "
The prince nevertheless took advantage of Hu Yan's advice and, with the help of deception, defeated the enemy. However, when it came time to present the awards, he awarded Ji Yong first, and only then Hu Yan. The ruler's retinue was at a loss, then Wengong explained why he did this: “Ji Yong's advice was concerned with the long-term interests of our state, while Hu Yan's proposal was just a temporary solution to the problem. That's why I decided that Ji Yong should be awarded first. "
"Liu Shi Chunqiu"

狡兔三窟 - The cunning hare has three holes.

jiǎo tù sān kū

Used when they want to say that in case of danger, you need to have several safe places where you could find refuge.
Proverb origin story:
One day, the prime minister of the ruler of the Qi kingdom named Meng Chang sent his assistant Feng Xuan to his fiefdom Xuei with an assignment to collect debts. Arriving in Xuei, Feng Xuan, instead of dealing with the debtors, publicly burned all the promissory notes and announced to the amazed local residents that this was ordered by Mr. Meng Chang. Meng Chang became furious when he learned of Feng Xuan's deed. A year later, Meng Chang was removed from his post as High Councilor, and he had no choice but to return to his domain. Already a hundred years before Xueyi, all local residents, young and old, came out of their houses to greet their master. Meng Chang was touched by such a warm attitude towards himself and admitted that Feng Xuan was a very forward-thinking person. Feng Xuan told him, “The cunning hare must have three holes if he wants no one to catch him. You have only one mink right now, so this is not the time to rest on your laurels. I want to cook two more for you. "
Feng Xuan went to the Wei kingdom and told its ruler about Meng Chang's merits as a statesman. "Any state in which he is in the service will certainly become powerful and prosperous," Feng Xuan assured. The ruler of the Wei kingdom believed Feng Xuan and sent a messenger to Meng Chan with gifts and an invitation to government service. A messenger came three times, and each time the disgraced official refused. Seeing how highly esteemed Meng Chang was in the kingdom of Wei, the ruler of the Qi kingdom invited him to take the post of prime minister again.
After some time, Feng Xuan advised Meng Chang to ask the ruler to build a temple in Xuei and place there vessels and trays for presenting gifts to deceased ancestors, which were used by members of the ruler's family. Such a temple would become a symbol that Xueyi will forever remain Meng Chang's domain.
When the temple was built, Feng Xuan told Meng Chan, "Now all three burrows are in place, you can live in peace."
Zhangguo Tse (Tactics of the Struggling Kingdoms)

鸡犬 升天 - (Even) chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

jī quǎn shēng tiān

It means that when a person gets a high position or occupies a very important position, then all his entourage also rises up the career ladder with him.
Proverb origin story:
Prince of Huainan Liu An, who lived during the Han Dynasty, was a passionate adherent of Taoism. He was convinced that, having comprehended the true Tao (true Path), he would gain immortality and become a celestial. After leaving his parental home, Liu An devoted himself entirely to the study of Taoist teachings. Eight celestials (see note) revealed to him the secret of preparing a magic elixir, after drinking which a person acquired eternal life in heaven. Liu An prepared the elixir, drank a little, and in fact ascended to heaven. The remains of the magic elixir were used by the chickens and dogs roaming nearby. In less than a minute, they followed their master to heaven and became immortal heavenly chickens and heavenly dogs.
Shengsen Zhuang (Legends of the Celestials)
Note: The Eight Celestials are the characters of the myth of the "eight immortals" (Taoist saints), well-known in Chinese culture, who decided to go overseas to see the miracles there. On the way, each of them showed the miracles of which he was capable.

In a looser version of the translation: "Effort to draw a tiger, but get a pitiful likeness of a dog."
Used in relation to an overly ambitious person who is trying to do something that is clearly beyond his power.
Proverb origin story:
The famous warlord Ma Yuan, who lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty, had two nephews named Ma Yan and Ma Dun. Both spoke sarcastically about state affairs. They liked to pretend to be warrior knights. On the whole, they behaved very frivolously and were reputed to be very superficial young people.
When rumors about the behavior of the nephews reached the commander, he wrote them a letter with advice on how to behave. He wrote the following: “When you hear about other people's mistakes, then take it as if it were about your parents: just listen, but refrain from commenting. I hate people gossiping about other people's mistakes and making stupid conversations about state affairs. I would love for you to follow the example of Shandu County Governor Lon Bogao, known for his decency, humility, frugality and honesty. He devotes all his time to public affairs. I respect him very much and would like you to try to be like him. Another very worthy person is General Du Jiliang. He is a very fair, gallant and outgoing person who can quickly form friendships with anyone. I have a lot of respect for him too, but I don't want you to try to follow his example. And that's why.
If you follow Lon Bogao's example, but you fail to become like him, then you will at least become sincere and careful people. It's like trying to draw a swan and end up with a duck. The duck is also a bird and at least in shape is a bit like a swan. The difference between intention and result will not be very noticeable. If you follow the example of Du Jiliang, but become the same as him, you will not succeed, then you risk becoming frivolous, cheeky and dissolute people. It's like trying to draw a tiger, but getting a pathetic image of a dog. The difference will be too noticeable. "
Houhan Shu (History of the Late Han Dynasty)

画饼充饥 - Satisfy your hunger with painted cookies.

huà bǐng chōng jī

Entertain yourself and others with illusions, doing nothing in practice to solve the problem.
Proverb origin story:
In the era of the Three Kingdoms, the ruler of the Wei kingdom named Cao Rui decided to select the most talented and capable people for public service. To his ministers, who were supposed to take care of this, he said: “When you select talented people, always beware of fake (exaggerated) reputations. A bloated reputation is like a painted cookie. It may look delicious, but they cannot satisfy their hunger. "
Sango Zhi (History of the Three Kingdoms)
In some sources, this statement is attributed to another ruler of the Wei kingdom - Ming, who addressed it to his assistant named Liu Yu. The meaning of the statement itself also varies: according to one version, it was not only about an inflated reputation, but about a person's reputation in general.

囫囵吞枣 - Swallow dates whole (without chewing).

hú lún tūn zǎo

涸 辙 之 鲋 - Carp in dry rut.

hé zhé zhī fù

It is about someone who is in a very difficult situation and needs immediate help.
Proverb origin story:
Zhuang Zhou was a great philosopher, but he was very poor. One day he went to a local official to borrow some grain. He told him: “Soon I will go to collect taxes from the peasants. When I collect them, I will lend you three hundred lians of silver. Are you happy?" In response, Zhuang Zhou bitterly told the nobleman a story: “Yesterday, when I was walking towards you, I heard mournful groans and saw a dying carp in the dry road rut. I asked: "Karp, what kind of wind brought you here?" Karp barely audible whispered: “I got here from the East Sea and now I am dying without water. Please bring me at least a small bucket of water and save me. " Then I said to the carp: “I am going south. There is a big river there. I will dig a channel through which the water from the river will come here, and you will be saved. " Karp was indignant: “I only need a small bucket of water! By the time you dig the canal and the water from the big river comes here, I’m completely dry. To find me, you have to go to a shop that sells dried fish. "
Chuang Tzu

鬼 由 心 生 - Devils give rise to (their own) mind.

guǐ yóu xīn shēng

It speaks with irony about a person suffering from unfounded fears.
Proverb origin story:
Zhan Shuliang was a stupid and shy person. One day, walking down the street on a moonlit night, he accidentally lowered his head and saw his own shadow. He decided that a ghost lay on the ground. Turning around, he saw a strand of his own hair and was completely sure that this other ghost was right behind him. Not remembering himself from fear, Zhan Shuliang rushed to run and ran until he was exhausted. Finally he got home ... and at the same second he fell down dead.
"Xun-tzu"
Addition: The Chinese expression uses the character 心 (xīn, heart). The fact is that in Chinese culture, the heart is primarily a thinking, not a feeling organ. It is, so to speak, a heart-mind, a "smart" heart. In the Russian equivalent, we used the word mind because in Russian culture the heart and mind are clearly opposed to each other as carriers of the emotional and rational principles, respectively. For this reason, Russian expressions such as “I understand with my mind, my heart says something else” are difficult for a carrier of the Chinese linguistic consciousness to perceive. For the same reason, in translations of many Chinese proverbs containing the hieroglyph "heart", the Russian word mind or mind is used. The Chinese understanding of the heart as a receptacle of the mind is in tune with the ancient tradition. Aristotle believed that a person has three souls: an animal (located in the stomach and genitals), a feeling (located in the chest) and an intelligent soul (located precisely in the heart, not in the head). For example, the philosopher Xun-tzu, when asked how people learn Tao, answered: "With the help of the heart." When the heart helps the natural feeling to distinguish truth from falsehood, this is called reflection, ”that is, thinking is carried out with the help of feelings (a symbiosis of emotional and rational)! And one of the five senses in ancient Chinese natural philosophy (along with anger, joy, sorrow and fear) is thought! On the concept of xin in Chinese philosophy and culture, see: E.A. Torchinov. Philosophy of Chinese Buddhism. - SPb, 2001.

挂 羊头 卖 狗肉 - After hanging the head of a lamb, sell dog meat.

guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu

It is about trying to sell a poor quality product, passing it off as something that it is not in reality.
Proverb origin story:
Jingong was a stupid and incompetent ruler of the Qi kingdom. He liked that the ladies of the court dressed in men's clothes. The women of the Qi kingdom began to imitate the ladies of the court, and this soon became fashionable. Upon learning of this, Jingong ordered his officials to prohibit women from wearing men's clothing. However, the ban had no effect. The ruler summoned High Councilor Yan Ying and asked, "Why were the officials I sent unable to carry out my order?" Yan Ying replied, “You encourage the women in the court to wear men's clothes, and you forbid everyone else to do so. This is like showing off the head of a bull and selling horse meat. If your ban was in effect at court, then all the other women themselves would not want to wear a man's dress. " Jingong listened to Yan Ying's advice, and less than a month later, this fashion passed by itself.
Later, Yan Ying's expression "Hang the head of a bull, and sell horse meat" was popularly replaced by "Hang a lamb's head, and sell dog meat" and began to use it as a proverb.
"Yan-tzu Chunqiu"

狗尾续貂 - Dog tail instead of sable tail.

gǒu wěi xù diāo

It is a question of a useless continuation of a wonderful work.
Proverb origin story:
The Emperor of the Wu Kingdom during the Jin Dynasty made Simia Lun the prince of the Zhao Kingdom. During the reign of Emperor Hui Sim, Lun usurped the throne. Having come to power, he did not skimp on high positions and titles for his relatives and all his retinue. Even the slaves and servants of his house were granted titles of nobility. Every time an event was held at his court, the palace was filled with a huge number of newly minted nobles, each of whom always wore a headdress decorated with a sable tail. But, since too many had acquired the title of nobility, sable tails were not enough for everyone. Those who received the title, but could not get a sable tail to decorate their headgear, were forced to be content with dog tails. Such an ironic proverb was born among the people: "When there are not enough sables, dog tails will do."
Jin Tu (History of the Jin Dynasty)

覆水难收 - Spilled water is difficult to collect.

fù shuǐ nán shōu

It is said in a situation where it is impossible to correct what has already been done.
Proverb origin story:
Prince Jiang was of a noble family, but very poor. Because of this, his wife left him. Some time later, the ruler Wen Wang of the Zhou Dynasty appointed him as his supreme advisor. Upon learning that Jiang had taken such a high position, his wife regretted leaving him and wanted to return. Jiang poured water from a cup onto the ground and told his wife to collect it back. No matter how hard the wife tried, she could not collect anything but dirt. Jiang told his wife, "After you left me, being together again is as impossible as collecting spilled water."
Shi and Chi (Records Found)

断 鹤 续 凫 - Cut the stork's legs and stretch the mallard's legs.

duàn hè xù fú

It is said in a situation where someone is trying to go against the laws of nature, suggests something unnatural.
Proverb origin story:
There was once a man who came up with an unexpected idea when he saw two birds nearby: a crane and a wild duck. The crane had very long legs, the wild duck had short legs. Without hesitation, he cut the crane's legs and extended the legs of the wild duck. The man was sure that it would be more convenient for both of them. However, after that, neither the crane nor the duck could no longer fly, or even just walk.
Chuang Tzu said: “If the crane was born long-legged, then it is necessary. If the duck was born with short legs, this is also not a disadvantage. If you lengthen the legs of a wild duck, she will be sad, for she will not need such legs. If you shorten the legs of the crane, it will also be sad, because it will lose its strength. "
The ancient Taoists opposed any external norms and rules, considering them to be violence against life. Chuang Tzu compared state laws and regulations to stretching the legs of ducks and cutting the legs of cranes. The meaning of the parable was precisely in the condemnation of the regulatory role of the state, and the ideal ruler in the Taoist tradition was supposed to rule by "not doing" and "leaving everything to himself."
Chuang Tzu is the main work of the famous Taoist philosopher Chuang Chou (369-286 BC). To date, 33 chapters of this book have survived. There is a legend that once a philosopher dreamed that he was a small butterfly fluttering carelessly among the flowers. Waking up, the philosopher could not decide for a long time who he really was: Chuang Tzu, who dreamed ， that he was a butterfly, or a butterfly that dreams that she was Chuang Tzu?

东 食 西 宿 - In the east there is, in the west to spend the night.

dōng shí xī sù

It is a question of a very greedy person who agrees to everything for his own benefit.
Proverb origin story:
In the kingdom of Qi, there was a family in which there was a girl of marriageable age. Two young men wooed the girl. The admirer, who lived east of the bride's house, was small and ugly, but his parents were very rich. The second contender for the hand and heart lived west of the bride's house. He was handsome, but his parents were poor.
The girl's parents could not decide in any way which of the suitors to give preference. Tired of doubts and disputes, they invited their daughter to choose her own husband. Seeing their daughter's indecision, the parents said: “If you are so shy that you cannot say in words about your choice, then let us know at least with a sign. If you prefer a young man from a family that lives to the east of us, raise your left hand; if your choice fell on a young man from a family living to the west of us, raise your right hand. "
After thinking a little and weighing all the pros and cons, the bride raised both hands. In complete bewilderment, the parents asked her to explain what this meant. Blushing, the girl explained: "I would like to eat in a family living in the east, and sleep in a family living in the west."
"Yiwen leichu"
("Encyclopedia of Arts")

此地无银三百两 - 300 lians of silver are not buried here.

cǐdì wú yín sānbǎi liǎng

It is said in a situation where a person is trying to hide something, but he betrays himself by his actions.
Proverb origin story:
One day a man named Chan stole 300 lians of silver. He considered himself an unusually intelligent person, so he decided to act "cunningly". Fearing that the money he had stolen from him could also be stolen from him, he buried it in a secluded place under cover of night and put up a sign with the inscription: "Nobody buried 300 lians of silver here."
Chan's neighbor Wang saw him hide the silver and took it for himself. Like Chan, Wang considered himself very smart. To prevent the neighbor from suspecting him of theft, he also left a sign in the same place. On the tablet, he wrote: "Your neighbor Wang did not take the silver buried here." Wang was convinced that he had done very wisely.
Folk parable

唇亡齿寒 - The teeth are cold without lips.

chún wáng chǐ hán

It is said in a situation when they want to point out the inextricable connection of someone's interests.
Proverb origin story:
The Jin Kingdom gathered an army to attack the Guo Kingdom. However, it was possible to reach this kingdom only by passing through the lands of the kingdom of Yu. The ruler of the kingdom of Jin, Prince Xiangong, sent rich offerings (precious stones and good horses) to Yu, hoping to receive permission for the passage of his army.
Ruler Yu's advisor named Jiqi advised his master, "We must not give them permission to pass through our lands." The interests of our state and the kingdom of Guo are as inseparable as lips and teeth. If the lips die, the teeth will not survive because of the cold. If we allow the Jin army to pass through our lands, then the kingdom of Guo will be conquered by it, and our state will fall after it.
Ruler Yu did not listen to his advisor, accepted the gifts and allowed the Jin army to pass freely through his territory. As predicted by Jiqi, having conquered the kingdom of Guo, the Jin army ravaged the kingdom of Yu. The ruler himself was taken prisoner, and the prince Xiangong from the Jin kingdom took away from him the precious stones and horses that he was flattered by.
Zuo Zhuan (The Chronicles of Zuo)

痴人说梦 - The fool tells his dreams.

chī rén shuō mèng

About a person who says obvious nonsense.
Proverb origin story:
One rich family had a very stupid child. One morning he got out of bed and, not yet fully awake, looked around. Suddenly he grabbed the hand of the maid, who came into the room for something: "Did you see me in a dream today?" "No, I haven't," replied the maid. The child was terribly angry: “I saw you in my dream! Why are you lying so outrageously ?! " He ran to his mother and, tugging at her dress, began to shout: “The maid must be severely punished. I definitely saw her in my dream, and she said that she did not see me. She deliberately deceives her master. This is just unheard-of audacity! "
"Yumo o tan"

抱薪救火 - Wear brushwood to put out the fire.

bào xīn jiùhuǒ

It is said when the wrong means are used to solve a problem and thereby only complicate the situation.
Proverb origin story:
After the small principalities ceased to exist in the era of the Struggling Kingdoms, seven kingdoms were formed: Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei and Qin. The most powerful of them - Qin - constantly attacked the other six kingdoms. In 273 BC. after another crushing defeat from the Qin army, one of the commanders of the Wei army was very scared and suggested that his ruler cede one of his territories to the Qin kingdom in exchange for peace. This was opposed by one of the ministers named Su Dai. He told the ruler: “It is useless to seek peace by giving up our territories. The Qin rulers will not stop until all the lands of the Wei kingdom have been conquered by them. Trying to trade the world for a piece of your land is like carrying armfuls of brushwood to a fire. Until all the wood is burned, the fire will not go out. " The ruler of the Wei kingdom did not listen to the opinion of his minister, and his kingdom was eventually completely conquered by the Qin kingdom.
Shiji (Historical Records)

刮目相看 - Look with different eyes.

guā mù xiāng kàn

Look with different eyes (at someone; ar. Meaning: change the mind about someone)
Proverb origin story:
During the Three Kingdoms, the kingdom of Wu had a general named Lu Meng. His family was poor and there was no money for his training, so he was trained in combat techniques, and, in the end, he became a general.
Emperor Song Chuan once told Lu Meng that both the Han emperor, Guang Wu, and Cao Cao of the Wei Dynasty were both scholarly people. He realized that his high-ranking subordinate also had to learn.
From that point on, Lu Meng did his best to study, so he soon became very educated. Minister Lu Su once decided to discuss military affairs with him and found that the general's ideas were wonderful. He told Lu Man, “I never thought you would become so educated. You are not the same as you were before! " Lu Meng laughed and said, "You just need to not see the person for a while, and he will appear before you in a new light!"

前车之鉴 - Someone else's misfortune teaches.

qián chē zhī jiàn

Warning; the lesson learned from the failure of the predecessor; history lessons; lessons from the past; instructive; someone else's misfortune teaches;
Proverb origin story:
During the Western Han Dynasty, a man named Jia Yi lived in the village of Luoyang. He was very smart, and the emperor himself made him his teacher. Once, when Jia Yi was giving the emperor a lesson on how to govern the country properly, he said, “During the Qin dynasty, there was a cruel official named Zhao Gao. He was the teacher of Hu Hai, the second son of the emperor. He taught Hu Hai for a long time how to eliminate political opponents and execute prisoners. After the death of his father, Hu Hai became emperor. On the second day of his reign, he began to execute people and did not listen to advisers. In fact, Hu Hai was not a bad person, but he was overthrown. "
Keeping in mind the mistakes of our predecessors, we must take them into account and not repeat them again. This is the same if during the trip we saw that the cart overturned due to a bad road. We must draw conclusions and not go the same way. Therefore, the saying "someone else's misfortune teaches" means that you need to see the mistakes that others have already made, and not repeat them yourself.

玩火自焚 - While playing with fire, burn yourself.

wán huǒ zì fén

Playing with fire, burn yourself (arr. Meaning: dig a hole for yourself, chop the branch on which you are sitting)
Proverb origin story:
During the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC), the son of the ruler of the Wei kingdom, Zhou Xiu, after the death of his father, killed his brother and became emperor. He was a tyrant, oppressed the people and succumbed to military provocations from neighboring principalities. By getting involved in wars, he tried to divert the attention of the people and divert the anger of the people from himself in order to strengthen his power.
The ruler of the Lu kingdom learned about the usurper regime of Zhou Xiu. He asked his advisor, "What do you think of such a government?" The counselor said the following: “He enters wars, brings suffering to people. He will not get support from them. He is also moody, so he has few loyal friends. In addition, fire is like fire, if you fight all the time, you can get burned someday. "
It is quite predictable that the people of the Wei Kingdom, with the support of the saboteurs of the Chen Kingdom, threw off the oppression of Zhou Xiu and executed him less than a year after this dialogue.

殃及 池 魚 - In case of great misfortune, even a small one finds it difficult to protect oneself.

yāng jí chí yú

(When there is a fire in the city) even the fish in the pond have a bad time.
Proverb origin story:
In the era of Spring and Autumn, there was a man named Huan Sima. He had a great jewel. When the ruler found out about this, he immediately wanted to take possession of it. And then he sent to Huan Sima to find out where he kept this thing. Huan Sima replied that he threw her into the moat outside the city walls.
Then the governor ordered that all the ditches be drained and the search in the mud continued until the jewel was found. The moat was so large, and the valuable thing so small that, although people searched for a long time, they did not find it. And since the ditch was drained and people walked along its bottom, all the fish died.
Now this proverb describes a situation where an innocent person can accidentally find himself in a disastrous situation.

大公無私 - Crystal honest.

dà gōng wú sī

Crystal honest, unselfish; altruistic; justice, impartiality.
Proverb origin story:
Chi Huangyang lived during the spring and autumn period. When the ruler asked him who would be suitable for the role of judge in Hainan Province, Chi replied, "Shi Hu would definitely be suitable for the job." The ruler was amazed at the answer, then he asked: “Isn't he your enemy? How can you think he's doing better? " To this Chi Huangyang said the following: "You asked me who would be better suited for this position, you did not ask if Shi Hu is my enemy!" Then the ruler made Shi Hu a magistrate, and his hopes were justified, he really did a good job and did a lot of good for the people.
When Confucius found out about this, he praised Chi Huangyang: I recommend a person, he started only from the qualities required for work. Even if they were enemies, Chi still valued good qualities in them. Chi Huangyang was a crystal honest and fair person.

夜郎自大 - Shameless bragging.

yè láng zì dà

Ignorant arrogance; shameless bragging; megalomania.
Proverb origin story:
During the reign of the Han dynasty in southwestern China, the following incident occurred with the small principality of Elan. In one of the villages of this principality there lived a girl who every day went to the river to wash. One day she noticed
on the river there was a big bamboo raft, from which a child's cry was heard. The girl opened the package and found a baby there, whom she happily took home.
After this boy grew up, he became the prince of Elana. Although Elan was small, the prince was arrogant. Once he asked the envoy of China: "Which country is bigger: China or Elan?" The messenger could not help laughing.
Now about very proud people they say: "arrogant, like Prince Elana."

投鼠忌器 - To spare the guilty, so as not to harm the innocent; act prudently.

tóu shǔ jì qì

Throw (a stone) at a rat, but be afraid to break the dishes (arr. Meaning: refrain from action, taking into account the possible consequences; spare the guilty, so as not to harm the innocent; act prudently)
Proverb origin story:
The Chronicle of the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) tells the story of a rich man who loved to collect expensive things. Among them was a rare finely handcrafted jade vase. She possessed great historical value, for which the collector loved her so much.
One night, the owner of myriad riches noticed that a rat had slipped past the precious vase. The small animal jumped inside the vessel in search of food. The animal so enraged the rich man that he threw a stone at the rat. Of course he killed the animal, but the precious vase was also broken. When the man realized what had happened, he deeply regretted what he had done. The rich man blamed himself for a rash act, as a result of which he lost something that could never be returned. After that, our hero realized that a person who cares only about the present and is not able to think about the consequences is himself going to meet trouble. Then the rich man realized: do not try to burn down the house to get rid of the rat.

揠苗助長 - Pull up the seedlings with your hands.

yà miáo zhù zhǎng

Pull up seedlings with your hands (wanting to accelerate their growth)
Proverb origin story:
Pull up the seedlings with your hands.
Once upon a time there was a farmer who was in a hurry. From the very day of sowing, he hoped to get a quick harvest. Every day the farmer went to watch his seeds sprout.
Although the sprouts had already begun to appear, the farmer was unhappy. He believed that the seedlings were growing too slowly. Therefore, one day our hero went into the field and began to jerk them, slightly lifting them so that the sprouts seemed taller. It had taken him all day, but now he was pleased.
The next morning, the whole family went out to look at the results of yesterday's work. They saw that all the seeds had died. The moral of this story is that sometimes it’s better to let things develop in their own way, otherwise you can only ruin everything.

笑裡藏刀 - There is honey on the lips, and ice on the heart.

xiào lǐ cáng dāo

In a smile, hide a knife (arr. Meaning: insidious, two-faced; compare: softly lay down, but sleep hard; there is honey on the lips, and ice on the heart);
Proverb origin story:
There was an official named Li Yifu during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). He was adept at flattering people, so he was promoted quickly. In the end, Li Yifu was made prime minister. He was a vicious person: when he spoke to people, there was always a sweet smile on his face, but at the same time, the official was carrying evil intentions in his soul.
One day, Li heard that a beautiful girl had been imprisoned. He sent for the jailer and, when he came, ordered her to be released. The order was carried out, and Lee took the girl to his home.
Later, someone reported this to the emperor. The jailer was afraid that he would be punished for what he had done, and went to Li Yifu for help. However, the prime minister ignored his pleas and asked not to be disturbed. The jailer was so upset that he hanged himself out of grief.
Another prison guard, upon hearing of the tragic suicide, decided to tell the emperor the truth. But Lee knew about these plans. The foolish emperor believed Li's words and sent the guard to serve in the most remote area.

自相矛盾 - Contradict yourself.

zì xiāng máo dùn

Contradict yourself, have a deep contradiction in yourself, say things that are opposite in meaning.
Proverb origin story:
There was a seller in the Chu kingdom who traded in spears and shields. He loudly listed the advantages of the shield: "My shields are so strong that nothing can break them."
Then he praised the spear just as loudly: "My spear is so sharp that it can pierce any armor."
"What happens if you try to pierce your shield with your spear?" They asked him.
The simultaneous existence of an impenetrable shield and an all-piercing spear is impossible.

熟能生巧 - Mastery is acquired by experience.

shú néng shēng qiǎo

Mastery is acquired by experience.
(trans. to master in perfection; the work of the master is afraid)
Proverb origin story:
Chen Yaozi is a talented archer from the Song Dynasty. He always hit the very center of the target, so he was nicknamed "Magic Archer". Chen, realizing that he was the most accurate archer, took pride in himself.
One day, when Mr. Chen was practicing shooting, a man selling oil passed by. He stopped and watched the archer for a long time. "Do you know the art of archery?" Chen asked, "Look how good I am at shooting," the merchant replied, "and this is nonsense, skill is acquired by experience." Such words angered Chen, so he asked, "How dare you underestimate my skills?" Without a word, the stranger put the oil jug on the ground, covered the neck with a coin (then the coins had a small hole in the middle - ed.) And, scooping up water with a ladle, filled the vessel without spilling a drop. After that, the merchant turned to Chen and said the following: “This is also nonsense. It all depends on the practice leading to perfection. "

狐假虎威 - Use the strength of others in order to achieve results yourself.

hú jiǎ hǔ wēi

Use the power and authority of others in order to achieve certain results yourself.
Literal translation: The fox borrows the strength / power of the tiger.
Proverb origin story:
One day a tiger caught a fox and wanted to eat it. The sly fox immediately told him: “How dare you eat me? You should know that I was sent by heaven to the forest to be the king of all beasts. If you do not believe me, follow me and watch how any animal, without exception, will fear me. " In order to make sure that the fox was telling the truth, the tiger agreed to her proposal. The fox walked in front, and the tiger was not far from her. All wild animals in the fox, for example, hares, deer, etc. were afraid of the tiger and stretched out. The tiger thought that they were really afraid of the fox, and therefore did not dare to eat it. The proverb comes precisely from this story, and this is what it says about those people who use the power and authority of third parties to intimidate other people (one of the meanings).

害群之马 - The black sheep spoils the whole flock.

hài qún zhī mǎ

The black sheep spoils the whole flock, the family has its black sheep.
Literal translation: a horse that harms the whole herd.
Proverb origin story:
This story took place about 4 thousand years ago. The Yellow Emperor - the first legendary ruler of China decided to go to the countryside to visit his friend. On the way, he met a boy who was watching a herd of horses.
The emperor asked the boy:
"Do you know how far away my friend's house is?" The boy said he knew. After that, the emperor asked if the boy knew his friend. The answer was again yes. The emperor thought that the boy was smart enough and asked him: "Do you know how to run the state?"
The boy replied, “There is little difference between running the state and watching over a herd of horses. You just need to get the wild horses out of the herd. "
The Emperor left, pondering the boy's words. After that, the adage "the black sheep spoils the flock" was used to describe anyone who has a bad influence on others.

大公无私 - Be selfless, completely impartial.

dà gōng wú sī

Be disinterested, completely impartial.
Literal translation: unbiased, unselfish.
Proverb origin story:
During Spring and Autumn, there was an official named Qi Huanyang. Once, the governor summoned him to the palace and asked: “We have a vacant position as the head of the Jin county. Who do you think would be the perfect fit for this position? " Without hesitation, Qi Huanyang replied, "Xie Hu is an excellent candidate for this position." The ruler asked in surprise, “Did you say Se Hu? I thought he was your enemy. Why do you recommend him for such an important position? " Smiling, Qi Huangyang replied, “The ruler did not ask for my personal opinion of Xie Hu. You asked me who I consider competent to fill this position. Therefore, I recommend Xie Hu. " The ruler followed Qi Huangyang's advice and appointed Xie Hu to this position. He did an excellent job with the duties of the county governor and won the respect of ordinary people and his colleagues.
Some time later, correctly, he called Qi Huangyan back to his place and asked his advice on who to appoint as a judge. Qi Huangyang recommended Qi Wu for this position. Again, the ruler was very surprised by Qi Huangyang's answer because Qi Wu was his son. Correctly asked: “Why do you recommend your son for this position? Aren't you afraid there will be rumors? " Qi Huangyang replied, "Ruler, you asked who I think is the most suitable for this position, and I replied that I think Qi Wu is the most suitable." Although he doubted the rule, he still appointed Qi Wu as the judge. Qi Wu did an excellent job of being a judge and was respected by all people. Qi Huangyang's actions were praised by Confucius, who said, “Qi Huangyang was right. He recommended people according to their abilities and skills, and not according to their personal attitude, and not according to whether they would then gossip about it or not. " Since that time, people like Qi Huangyang are considered impartial and unselfish people. From this commentary, Confucius came to us this idiom, and now anyone who does business honestly and unselfishly can be described as "Unselfish, completely impartial."

打草惊蛇 - Take the dishonest person to clean water.

dǎ cǎo jīng shé

Scare / warn the enemy with swift actions. It is said in a situation where by your actions you can bring a dishonest person to clean water.
Proverb origin story:
Long ago, a county governor named Wang Liu worked in eastern China in what is now Anhui province. He took a lot of bribes. His secretary also took many bribes and often helped Wang Liu get bribes. One day a man came to the judge and complained about the secretary. The secretary's crimes were almost exactly the same as those of Wang Liu himself. Wang Liu was so scared that he forgot that he was the boss and instead of taking out the punishment, all he did was write, "Hit the grass, and I got scared like a snake in the grass."
This story later became the basis for the idiom "Hit the grass and frighten the snake." The original meaning of this proverb sounded like this: "Punishment for some serves as a warning to others."

杯弓蛇影 - Be unnecessarily distrustful and suspicious.

bēi gōng shé yǐng

It is about a person who is suspicious of everything, distrustful of everything.
Literal translation: a bow in a cup is reflected like a snake
Proverb origin story:
During the Han dynasty, there was one county governor named Ying Bin. One day, he called his secretary Du Huang to his home and treated him to wine. A red bow hung on the north wall of the house. It was reflected in Du Huang's cup. Du Huan thought there was a snake wriggling in his cup. He was very scared, but did not dare to refuse Ying Bin's offer to drink wine, as he did not dare to refuse. he was his boss. Du Huan drank the wine with his eyes closed.
When Du Huan returned home, he felt very bad. His stomach and stomach ached, he could not eat or drink anything. He sent for a doctor and took medicine, but nothing could cure him.
When Ying Bin asked Du Huang about the causes of his illness, he told him that he had drunk wine with a snake. It seemed very strange to Ying Binyu. He returned home, tried to ponder what had happened, but could not find an answer. Suddenly he saw a bow on the north wall. "Here it is!" Ying Bin shouted. He immediately sent for Du Huan. When Du Huan came, he put him in the same place where he had been sitting before and put a cup of wine in front of him.
Du Huan saw the snake in the cup again. Before Du Huan got scared again, Ying Bin said, pointing to the shadow of the snake in the cup, "The snake in the cup is nothing but the reflection of the bow on the north wall."
Now that Du Huan found out about it, he immediately felt much better. His illness disappeared instantly. Later, this case turned into a proverb and so they began to talk about a person who was too distrustful and suspicious.

半途而废 - Do something halfway, not completely. Stop halfway.

bàn tú ér fèi

To do something halfway, not completely. Stop halfway. It is about a man, a cat. cannot complete something, stops halfway.
Proverb origin story:
During the time of the warring kingdoms, there was a man named Yue Yang Zi who had a very virtuous wife. One day, returning home, he found a piece of gold. His wife told him to take the gold back to where he found it. Another time, he left to study, and after a year of study came back, because learning was difficult for him. His wife took the scissors and cut the threads on the yarn: "I prepared this yarn thread by thread, I worked on it day and night." Yue Yang then replied, “Didn't you waste so much time now that you just cut it? Very sorry".
The wife replied: “That's right. Isn't that the same as your studies? Success comes only if you work hard for a long time, if you finish halfway, then your learning will be like this cut threads. This proverb applies to any situation where a person begins to do something, but quits, and is not finished.

守株待兔 - Rely on luck and fate in your actions.

shǒu zhū dài tù

Hope for winning without any difficulty, rely on luck and fate in your actions.
Proverb origin story:
There was once a peasant in the Song Dynasty. There was a tree in his field. One day when he was working in the field, he saw a rabbit running. The rabbit ran very fast, crashed into a tree, broke its neck and fell down dead. The farmer quickly ran to the rabbit, picked it up and, delighted, thought: "How lucky I am, I got the rabbit for free and without difficulty."
The next day he no longer worked, but sat next to a tree and waited for another rabbit. But for the whole day the rabbit did not appear. But he continued to wait, and every day he came to the field, did not work, and waited for the rabbit. The weeds in the field were already the size of the incoming crop, and the rabbit still did not appear.
This proverb is said about those people who want to achieve something without making any effort.

画龙点睛 - In one word, reveal the essence of the matter.

huà lóng diǎn jīng

Add the decisive touch; to reveal the essence of the matter in one word; apt addition.
Proverb origin story:
During the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420 - 589 AD), the famous painter Zhang Seng Zhou lived. His art was highly regarded by Emperor Liang Wu. One day he was asked to paint the wall of the Andun Temple. He drew 4 dragons. Everyone looked at the images of the dragons and admired. Suddenly one person asked: "But why didn't you draw pupils in the eyes of the dragons?"
Zhang Seng Zhou replied, "If I paint the pupils, the dragons will fly away." Nobody believed him. They thought he was joking like that and continued to insist that he draw the pupils of the dragons. Zhang Seng Zhou had no choice but to draw the pupils of the dragons. As soon as he had time to draw the pupils of the two dragons, they came to life, and with a monstrous cry "flew" out of the wall. The people watching the artist got scared and fled in different directions. Someone hid, someone fell to the ground. The dragons circled a little more over the temple and soared into the sky. The other two dragons remained on the wall.
This saying means that a person can make his speech, speech or work memorable and outstanding, just by highlighting a few key words or phrases.

Communication can be difficult. Moreover, in the second language!

Knowing a few useful phrases will not only help you avoid awkwardness in communication, but will allow you to create new contacts with others and raise communication to a new level.

Greetings

• 你好! (nǐ hǎo) Hey!

You may already know this greeting. If not, 你好! (nǐ hǎo - Hello!) is the first basic Chinese phrase that must be learned in order to establish contact in a society where everyone without exception speaks Chinese.

• 你好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma) How are you?

If this is not your first time greeting someone, you can show more attention and interest by asking how they are doing. 你 好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma) Is a great phrase for this case.

• 你吃了吗? (nǐ chī le ma) Have you eaten?

This is the Chinese way to show attention. Culturally, this is the close equivalent of "How are you?" People ask, "Have you eaten?" as a polite way to inquire about the other person's well-being and well-being, and most will simply respond with “吃 了” (chī le), "I ate."

To admit that you have not eaten means to put some pressure on the questioner: a polite reaction to such a confession will be the only way out - to feed you.

• 早安! (zǎo ān) Good morning!

The Chinese love to say "Good morning," so if you greet someone early, try to use that greeting. If the golden time is missed, you should not go to 午安 ( wǔ ān- good afternoon) or 晚上 好 ( wǎn shàng hǎo- good evening): they are less common.

"Good night" - 晚安 (wǎn ān)... As in English, this phrase can also mean goodbye.

Add a colloquial touch:

Add ease and "cool" with the word "Hey" at the beginning of the phrase. For example:

诶, 你好. (ēi, nǐ hǎo) "Hey hello".

诶, 怎么样? (ēi, zěn me yàng) "Hey, how are you?"

What is your name?

• 我 叫 [name], 你 呢？ (wǒ jiào [name], nǐ ne) I am [name]. What is your name?

This is an informal way to introduce yourself to each other. 我 叫 (wǒ jiào) means "My name is," and 你 呢? (nǐ ne) "And you?"

• 怎么称呼？ (zěn me chēng hū) How can I contact you?

This phrase is a more formal / polite way to ask someone's name. This roughly translates as "How should I contact you?"

• 请问您贵姓? (qǐng wèn nín gùi xìng) May I know your last name?

This phrase is even more formal and is used in. When someone replies by saying their last name, for example, “我 姓王” (wǒ xìng wáng), "My surname is Wang", you can answer using the words 王先生 ( wáng xiān shēng- Mr. Wang), 王小姐 ( wáng xiǎo jiě- mistress (unmarried) Wang) or 王 太太 ( wáng tài tài- Mrs (married) Wang).

Again, a little colloquial shade:

For a fun, playful twist in a monotonous dating ceremony, try this phrase:

請問你貴姓大名? (qǐng wèn nǐ gùi xìng dà míng?) What is your "famous" name?

It's a way of asking someone's name while also flattering the other person in a friendly way.

Continuation of the conversation

Now that we've met someone, here's how to keep the conversation going.

• 你是本地人吗？ (nǐ shì běn dì rén ma) Are you local?

This is a less straightforward way of asking "Where are you from?" 你 是 哪里 人? (nǐ shì nǎ lǐ rén)... In China, residents of big cities often come from elsewhere. They move from smaller cities to metropolitan areas to work or study. Asking if they are local can provide an opportunity to talk about their hometowns.

• 你作什么样的工作? (nǐ zùo shén me yàng de gōng zùo) What is your job?

Among professionals or working adults, you can start a conversation by asking what field they work in. You may also ask “你 的 专场 是 什么?” ( nǐ de zhuān chǎng shì shén me?- What is your specialty?)

• 你读什么专业? (nǐ dú shén me zhuān yè) What do you study?

Among students, you can start the conversation by asking about their specialization or main subject.

• 你有什么爱好? (nǐ yǒu shén me ài hào?) What do you like to do?

This phrase is used to ask about hobbies or interests. Another great way to strike up a conversation.

How to "dilute" the situation:

Try this casual phrase to overcome awkwardness and tension when entering a room or joining a group:

诶, 什么事？ (ēi, shén me shì?) Well, what's going on here?

This is the equivalent of "How are you?" or "What's going on here?" In the right context, such as among friends or peers, it can sound very friendly and appropriate.

Answers during a conversation

Part of the art of conversation is being able to give appropriate answers. People love to be met with sympathy, encouragement, and compliments, no matter what they say.

What do you say when you hear something fun or interesting? Here are some basic phrases to respond to these stories:

• 太酷了! (tài kù le!) That's cool!

The Chinese word for "cool" is borrowed from the English word "cool" and sounds exactly the same!

• 好搞笑。 (hǎo gǎo xiào) Cool.

搞笑 (gǎo xiào) literally means "to have fun" or "to joke."

• 真的吗? (zhēn de ma) What, really?

真的 (zhēn de) means "true" and 吗 (ma)- interrogative particle.

• 不会吧? (bù hùi ba) Are you serious?

不会 (bù hùi) means no, but 吧 (ba) Is an exclamation particle. In other words, it's like saying "Come on!"

• 我的妈呀! (wǒ de mā ya) OMG!

我的妈呀! (wǒ de mā ya) literally means "Oh, Mommy!". Culturally, this is closer to "Oh, my God!"

• 哎呦我去! (āi yōu wǒ qù) Oh my God!

Again, there is no exact equivalent. 哎呦 我 去! (āi yōu wǒ qù) literally translates as "Oh, I'm coming!" This phrase is super-laid-back, so this is not the case when you can use it with anyone, especially if you just met.

• 我也是。 (wǒ yě shì) Me too.

Three words to help you express the other person's shared feelings.

• 我理解。(wǒ lǐ jiě) I understand.

A very useful phrase for expressing empathy.

Conversational option:

For the most emotional response, try saying:

太牛了! (tài níu le) This is damn good (fucking don't get up)!

In formal business contexts, this can be seen as rude. But perfectly acceptable at a party.

Goodbye phrases

Finally we come to the words for parting. Here's how you can say goodbye in a casual and appropriate way.

• 我先走了。下次再聊吧！ (wǒ xiān zǒu le。 xià cm zài liáo ba) I have to go. Let's talk some more (let's talk another time)!

If you need to leave first, you can bow out in a friendly way.

• 回头见。 (húi tóu jiàn) See you.

This phrase is useful for a short breakup, for example, if you meet again on the same day.

• 我们再联络吧。 (wǒ mén zài lián lùo ba) We will keep in touch.

This means that you may call or write later. The phrase works well when you rarely see each other in person, but would like to be in the know and maintain closer contact.

How to put it all more naturally:

Even when it comes to goodbyes, there are several ways to tone down the "sociality" and perhaps move on to a closer relationship in the future:

这是我的手机号码。给我发短信吧！ (zhè shì wǒ de shǒu jī hào mǎ。gěi wǒ fā duǎn xìn ba) Here's my cell number. Write a sms sometime!

This is a simple phrase to help you stay in touch after a party.

加我的微信。 (jiā wǒ de wēi xìn) Add me to WeChat.

We hope these phrases add flavor to your social life! Whatever social situation you face, use it as an opportunity to hone your language skills, even when greeting someone, saying goodbye, or reacting to someone else's story.