Chengyus, Suyus & Co.

henning
April 17, 2008, 06:00 AM posted in General Discussion

From the CPod lesson banter:

E0179
日本恐怖片
E0179
日本恐怖片
E0179
日本恐怖片

E0179    日本恐怖片 

 

毛骨悚然  máogǔsǒngrán to be totally terrified
灵魂出窍 línghúnchūqià the soul has left the body
欲罢不能  yùbàbùnéng  cannot help but do
过人之处 guòrénzhīchù to surpass

 

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guolanusa
April 17, 2008, 10:42 AM

坐井观天 zuo4 jing3 guan1 tian1 (sit, well, look, sky) This is one of my favorites. I think it can be sort of translated as "narrow-minded," but that possibly conveys a negative connotation that the chengyu doesn't include. Maybe "unable to see the big picture" would be better. 有关的故事包括一只在井里坐着的青蛙和一只从天空飞来的小鸟儿。那很自豪的青蛙以为天空很小,因为它从井里面看到的天特别小。小鸟儿终于说服青蛙上出自己看。青蛙发现天有多么大,它就不好意司机了。

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auntie68
April 17, 2008, 10:55 AM

One of my favourites: 饮水思源 yin3shui3 si1yuan2 = "drink water, reflect on its source" -- the idea of being grateful, of knowing where the good things you enjoy come from, and taking strength from that. One which I don't like as much is: 饮鸩止渴 yin3zhe2 zhi3ke3 = "drink poison, stop thirst", which in my dictionary is defined in English as: "to seek temporary relief regardless of the consequences". Thanks, henning, for starting this thread.

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guolanusa
April 17, 2008, 10:57 AM

I should have said that the word "narrow-minded" conveyed MORE of a negative connotation than that chengyu seems to imply. I shouldn't have implied that the chengyu does not have any negative connotation to it. Sorry!

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henning
April 17, 2008, 10:59 AM

和 井底之蛙 差不多吗?

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auntie68
April 17, 2008, 11:05 AM

henning, you've just unleashed my inner chengyu beast with: 井底之蛙 ! jing3di3 zhi1wa1 = "well bottom [thereof] frog" One of the first 成语 I ever learned, when I was in primary school. I love the way this image projects the idea of a person with the same kind of "tunnel vision" -- ie narrow outlook -- as a little frog living at the bottom of a well and thinking that the bright blue disk he sees is the entire universe. Again, thanks for this thread!

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guolanusa
April 17, 2008, 11:07 AM

I'm with auntie68 - thanks, henning, this promises to be an awesome thread! Auntie68, thanks for teaching us 饮鸩止渴...I like it; definitely memorable! 老马识途 lao3 ma3 shi2 tu2 (old, horse, knows, road) Makes me laugh every time I hear it because it is used to refer to people - I'm not sure I'd feel complimented if someone referred to me as an old horse, even if it did imply that I therefore had more experience and should serve as a guide!

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auntie68
April 17, 2008, 11:12 AM

Once the beast has escaped, it's very hard to put it back: 守株待兔 shou3zhu1 dai4tu4 = watching tree-trunk, waiting-for rabbit Am a bit surprised that I can still remember this one. The foolish man, who was also a hungry man, happens to be in the right place at the right time -- in a freak accident, a rabbit runs into a tree stump near him and knocks itself out. Yum! But then the man goes back to the stump each day, waiting to "catch" another rabbit in the same way... pretty vivid stuff if you ask me.

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auntie68
April 17, 2008, 11:20 AM

Oh guolanusa, the 老马识途 chengyu made me cry when I watched a Korean movie: "Hwang Jin-I" (the version starring the lovely Sung Hye-Gyo). The safe, comfortable life of the innocent young girl who is to become one of the greatest courtesans in Korean history has just been shipwrecked by the revelation of a terrible secret concerning her origins. Her faithful old maidservant promises to stay by her side to guide her in her new life; she is only an "old horse", but at least she can guide Hwang Jin-I safely. That got my tears flowing, because it reminded me of the 成语.