Chinese allegories
歇后語
These are two-part allegorical sayings. The first part, which is always stated, is the literal meaning of the expression. The second part is the unstated, implied meaning of the expression.

guān yǔ xiáng cáo cāo – shēn zài cáo yíng xīn zài hàn
關(guān)羽降曹操 – 身在曹營心在漢
Guan Yu (160-219), a general in the period of the Three Kingdoms, surrendered to Cao Cao (155-220), a military strategist and statesman during the Three Kingdoms. – live in the Cao camp but with one's heart in the Han camp; though one is physically here, one's mind is elsewhere; be half-hearted

chī cáo cāo de fàn xiǎng liú bèi de shì – rén zài xīn bú zài
吃曹操的飯，想劉備的事 – 人在心不在
(After surrendering to Cao Cao,) Guan Yu (160-219), a general in the period of the Three Kingdoms, lived in the Cao camp, but only bore Liu Bei's affairs in mind – though one is physically here, one's mind is elsewhere; be half-hearted

cáo cāo shā huà tuó – yǐ yuàn bào dé
曹操殺華佗 – 以怨報德
Cao Cao (155-220), a military strategist and statesman during the Three Kingdoms, killed Hua Tuo (141-203), a noted surgeon and physician at the end of the Han Dynasty. – return evil for good; repay good with evil

cáo cāo yòng jì – yòu jiān yòu huá
曹操用計 – 又奸又滑
Cao Cao (155-220), a military strategist and statesman during the Three Kingdoms, mapped out schemes or laid traps. – cunning and treacherous

k?ng míng dà bǎi kōng chéng jì – huà xiǎn wéi yí
孔明大擺空城計 – 化險為夷
Zhuge Liang (181-234), a famous military strategist and statesman in the State of Shu during the period of the Three Kingdoms, implemented the empty-city stratagem (bluffing the enemy by keeping the gates of a weakly defended city open as if a trap were laid for him inside). – turn danger into safety; get out of the jaws of danger; head off a disaster

k?ng míng zhǎn wèi yán – jiè dāo shā rén
孔明斬魏延 – 借刀殺人
Zhuge Liang (181-234), a famous military strategist and statesman in the State of Shu during the period of the Three Kingdoms, killed Wei Yan (?-234), a military general of Shu Han. – murder with a borrowed knife; make use of another person to get rid of an adversary; kill by another's hand

zhū g? liàng lóng zhōng duì cè – y?u xiān jiàn zhī míng
諸葛亮隆中對策 – 有先見之明
Zhuge Liang (181-234), a famous military strategist and statesman in the State of Shu during the period of the Three Kingdoms, outlined the Longzhong Plan to envisage the securing of a viable regional base in southern China and then a two-pronged attack to conquer the north. – have ability to anticipate what is coming; have a prophetic vision; have the foresight

liú bèi fǎng xián – sān gù máo lú
劉備訪賢 – 三顧茅廬
Liu Bei (161-223), founder of the Shu Han Kingdom of the Three Kingdoms, visited a virtuous talent (here, referring to Zhuge Liang). – make three personal calls at the thatched cottage; repeated and sincere invitations

View all lessons >>