Tag Archives: Chinese

Don’t Hit a Dog with a Meatbun!

“If You Hit a Dog with a Meat Bun, the Dog Eats It and You Have No Food Now”

In Mandarin, the proverb is phrased as “用肉包子打狗，有去无回” (yòng ròu bāozi dǎ gǒu, yǒu qù wú huí). This mandarin phrase translates literally to: “If you hit a dog with a meat bun, the dog eats it, and you get nothing back.” The meaning behind the proverb is that once something is given away or invested in the wrong place, it is lost with no return.

I learned this proverb from my classmate C, who heard it from a Chinese friend with whom she has a close personal relationship. Her friend explained it to her in the context of making futile efforts—situations where people put in effort, time, or resources but receive nothing in return. C told me she found it humorous and practical, often using it in conversations when she or someone she knows feels like their effort has been wasted. For example, she mentioned using the phrase when lending money to someone unlikely to repay or when trying to argue with a stubborn person who refuses to change their mind.

This proverb reflects to me, a somewhat practical, yet humorous worldview, emphasizing the importance of knowing where to invest one’s energy and resources. The image of someone literally throwing a meat bun at a dog—only for the dog to eat it—is a vivid metaphor for wasted effort. The cultural value embedded in this proverb aligns with pragmatism, a notion that is deeply ingrained and enshrined in my perception of Chinese culture and their proverbs/folk sayings. From a broader perspective, this proverb connects to universal themes of loss and strategic thinking—understanding that not all efforts are worthwhile and that being mindful of where one invests energy is crucial. It also reveals a subtle caution against generosity without foresight, a theme in many folk traditions worldwide. The humor in the phrase makes it more engaging and relatable, allowing it to be used in everyday conversations while carrying deeper wisdom.

Date of performance: 2/11/2025
Language: English
Nationality: American
Occupation: Student
Primary Language: English
Residence: Los Angeles, CA

‘You can’t put each foot into 2 separate canoes/boats for long without falling into the water’

Text: ‘You can’t put each foot into 2 separate canoes/boats for long without falling into the water’ (Loosely Translated from Chinese)

Context: The subject’s mother, an immigrant who was born and raised in China through her 20s, used to tell her this, especially when the subject was a young adult carving out her place in the world.

“The point being you must focus on pursuing one path/interest instead of trying to do too many things at once and not doing anything well. (Or dating too many people at once!) That’s why she said it all the time because it was applicable to so many situations.” – SK

Analysis: Based on the subject’s description, this proverb seems to be used as a reminder that one ought to stay focused on what is most important to them. Those who say it are expounding the virtue that the pursuit of excellence requires a singular dedication and that trying to “balance” multiple paths will prevent success. As the subject indicated, it was widely applicable and widely used. This suggests to me that it represents a very prevalent idea about the pursuit of success in Chinese culture.

This saying is like the antithesis to the popular English proverb “don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” which cautions Westerners against the dangers of over-commitment. This saying is very popular in the Western world and reveals a lot about how we aspire to live our lives, especially when it comes to chasing success.Perhaps these differences in common proverbs and their associated virtues indicate a divide around how different cultures view this path to success; Chinese culture prioritizes singular dedication to one’s goals and Western culture prioritizes flexibility in options.

“Dripping water can penetrate the stone”

Age: 20


Date of performance: 2/22/25


Language: Chinese


Nationality: Chinese


Occupation: Student


Primary Language: Chinese & English


Residence: United States

Background:

“水滴石穿 (shuǐ dī shí chuān)” is a Chinese proverb commonly used by teachers, parents, and adults in general to encourage young kids.

Context:

For context, the interviewee was told this proverb as a kid growing up whenever they would attend their art class. Upon getting frustrated with their work, their teacher would recite the phrase, “水滴石穿 (shuǐ dī shí chuān)” which translates to “Dripping water can penetrate the stone.”

Interviewee Interpretation:

As understood by the interviewee, this phrase means to have patience and persistence, or that if you have enough patience, you can achieve anything.

Analysis:

Per my interviewee’s understanding, I interpret this metaphor similarly to having an ease of mind and clear consciousness; just like water. Not only then through patience and perseverance can you achieve that which is beyond expectation; dripping water deteriorating stone gradually over time. I found it interesting that dripping is involved with the water asset. Based on my interpretation, it serves to emphasize and directly change the direction of the entire saying. Through its addition, it presents the passage with the additional concept of time which helps guide listeners to gain the insight that patience holds immense power.

“I whisper secrets, , make trees sway, My voice is felt, but not seen in play. Though I’m invisible, I can be heard all day.”

Age: 20


Date of performance: 2/22/25


Language: Chinese


Nationality: Chinese


Occupation: Student


Primary Language: Chinese & English


Residence: United States

Riddle:

“I whisper secrets, make trees sway, My voice is felt, but not seen in play. Though I’m invisible, I can be heard all day.”

Context:

This riddle is usually heard at Chinese lantern festivals in which is meant to be interacted with predominantly by children. This is the case because it is considered a beginner-level riddle. Children interact with these riddles from the festival as they are attached to lanterns during the event. These lanterns serve as a reward system and if you get a riddle correct, you are awarded a rice dumpling.

Interviewee mentions that most riddles from Chinese Culture are predominantly from Chinese Lantern Festivals. They heard this knowledge while growing up from their mom, but it is also generally well-known in Chinese culture. Furthermore, they mentioned it was such an easy riddle and refused to provide the answer upon introduction of the riddle having me try to figure it out on my own.

Analysis:

I was able to answer the riddle pretty easily despite feeling like I was being tricked by my friend. The answer was the wind, which felt pretty self-explanatory to me in the end. I find myself so used to the trend that riddles try to trick people through the use of making the answer something you can’t see that I naturally fell back to thinking of the wind first; which in this case was right as it’s a common riddle answer.

I found it quite interesting how riddles were introduced to children at events, not only that but through the use of lanterns. I’m so accustomed to them just being a verbal challenge that this is such a fun way to implement them and challenge kids. I find it such a fun way to help children integrate into Chinese festivals and help them feel involved in their culture

How much does it cost to get married?

Age: 20


Date of performance: 2/22/25


Nationality: Chinese


Occupation: Student


Primary Language: Chinese & English


Residence: United States

Joke:

Kid: Dad, how much does it cost to get married?

Dad: I don’t know, I’m still paying for it

Context:

Growing up, the interviewee, heard this phrase from listening to Chinese Soap Opera. They believe this joke plays on the stereotypical husband ‘hating’ his wife archetype and is commonly seen in old media. The interviewee interprets it as a dig towards a woman’s pricy needs and serves as a misogynistic comment towards wives in general.

Analysis:

While I agree with it serving as a misogynistic comment, I believe it might also play into the concept of marriage as a whole being an overwhelming price. May it be because of the wife’s choices/preferences or the cost of marriage as a whole, the whole act of having a marriage over the years has become a general burden on people’s wallets as we grow expensive tastes to accentuate our “love” for one another in physical form.