Chinese lessons - John Pomfret
tianfeng
June 29, 2007, 06:54 PM posted in General DiscussionI was just reading this book and I think it is a must for anyone going to study in China. He was among the first foreign students studying in China in the early 80's and has some interesting stories to tell. I came across an English translation of a Chinese 成语. He had written it as "to take of ones pants to fart" Meaning wasted effort and I immediately thought this was great and translated it to 脱裤子放屁， But my friends said they had not heard it. They say they would use 多此一举 or use the both together but that to just use 脱裤子放屁 would not work. Has anyone heard this before?
sunmun
June 30, 2007, 03:38 PM"脱了裤子放屁"是歇后语. it can add some fun effect when you are talking 歇后语with others. but they not formal word too. suggest you dont use them in your offical paper. it could bring a opposite effect in such situation. there are more chinese 歇后语here you can learn them more: http://www.mypcera.com/xiaohua/01/xiehouyu/a.htm
franch
June 30, 2007, 11:32 AMHi Tianfeng, If you want to see how that is used in context, search "脱了裤子放屁 tuōle kùzi fàngpì,多费一道手续 duō fèi yī dào shǒuxù". That's one of those 歇后语 which rely on an explicit rephrasing to avoid some misunderstandings, I guess... Not a real chengyu, but it's used on its own, since one might get the hint in context. 多此一举 must be more common indeed, thanks for providing that one to me, I'll make good use of it ;)