Animal Proverbs - Hit the snake 7 inches below its head
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IN THIS LESSON
ID: 4257
Intermediate
Animal metaphors are prevalent in almost every language, but people from different cultures may regard the same animal differently. In Chinese proverbs, you will see a lot of animal metaphors to symbolize human actions.
In this lesson, we're showing you three common proverbs related to snakes. They can be directly translated to "Hit the snake 7 inches below its head", "Once got bitten by the snake, and ended up being afraid of the straw ropes for ten years", and "A greedy man is like a snake that wants to swallow an elephant". Do you know what they actually mean? Check out these proverbs and learn how to apply them to daily life!
Joshua,Joy
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Detailed Vocabulary
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| SIMPLIFIED | PINYIN | ENGLISH | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草绳 | yīzhāobèishéyǎo, shíniánpàcǎoshéng | lit. Got bitten by a snake one day, and then became afraid of straw ropes for a decade (idiom); fig. Once bitten, twice shy. | |
| 一旦 | yīdàn | once (sth happens, then...) | |
| 就算 | jiùsuàn | even if | |
| 感到 | gǎndào | to feel |
一朝被蛇咬十年怕草绳
yī 一zhāo 朝bèi 被shé 蛇yǎo 咬shí 十nián 年pà 怕cǎo 草shéng 绳
Once bitten, twice shy.
所以人一旦失败或是受到伤害就算很久很久以后遇到类似的事情或是类似的东西的时候他们还是会记得还是会感到害怕
suǒyǐ 所以rén 人yīdàn 一旦shībài 失败huòshì 或是shòudào 受到shānghài 伤害jiùsuàn 就算hěn 很jiǔ 久hěn 很jiǔ 久yǐhòu 以后yùdào 遇到lèisì 类似de 的shìqing 事情huòshì 或是lèisì 类似de 的dōngxi 东西de 的shíhou 时候tāmen 他们háishi 还是huì 会jìde 记得háishi 还是huì 会gǎndào 感到hàipà 害怕
Therefore, once people encounter failure or get hurt, even though a long time has passed, when they run into similar situations, they would still be reminded and get scared of.
她受过一次伤害之后就很难再相信男朋友了这就是一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草绳
tā 她shòu 受guò 过yīcì 一次shānghài 伤害zhīhòu 之后jiù 就hěn 很nán 难zài 再xiāngxìn 相信nánpéngyou 男朋友le 了zhè 这jiùshì 就是yīzhāobèishéyǎo, shíniánpàcǎoshéng 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草绳
Ever since she got hurt, she has had a difficult time trusting her boyfriend. This is “Once bitten, twice shy.”
差点溺水的那一次之后我永远都不敢游泳了这就是一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草绳
chàdiǎn 差点nìshuǐ 溺水de 的nà 那yīcì 一次zhīhòu 之后wǒ 我yǒngyuǎn 永远dōu 都bù 不gǎn 敢yóuyǒng 游泳le 了zhè 这jiùshì 就是yīzhāobèishéyǎo,shíniánpàcǎoshéng 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕草绳
After that time I almost drowned, I would never have the courage to swim again.This is “Once bitten, twice shy.”
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