Tag Archives: Chinese proverb

The Lazy Donkey

Age: 20

Text:

“The lazy donkey has to shit and piss before it goes to the mill.”

Context:

The informant would hear this from their mother when they were younger, but still hears it today as well. They grew up in China, and thus the above phrase is simply a translation from Chinese.

Analysis:

I interpret this phrase to mean doing aimless things in order to delay going to or doing work/what needs to be done. To back this up further, the informant told me that one time their mother said this to them when they went to get a drink of water and go to the bathroom right before their piano lesson–they were trying to delay going to their lesson, and thus their mother scolded them. I noticed that the phrase talks about the lazy donkey. No one wants to be seen as lazy, so this would incentivize them to work harder and efficiently. Furthermore, Chinese culture(and East Asian cultures in general) places a huge significance on diligence and rigor; having a strong work ethic is incredibly important, as it is seen as a reflection of one’s character. Additionally, Chinese social norms today find its foundations in Confucian principles, particularly in the principle of community and the collective good. If you are a lazy donkey, you are actively choosing to be a burden to your community.

* I would like to note that although I, the author of this post, was not born in China, as a first-generation Asian American with immigrant parents, I have grown up in an environment that placed heavy importance in the values mentioned above, and am familiar with this culture.

五十步笑百步 (Wu Shi Bu Xiao Bai Bu)

Those who retreated 50 steps mock those who retreated 100 steps.

Occupation: Student 

Date: 02/11/2025 

Primary Language: English

Language: Mandarin

Description

Okay. I got closer so I actually got it. Yeah, I have the one that’s um, The change tax is like, um, so that’s like the one who runs 50 steps away from the enemy laughs at the one who runs 100 steps away. It’s kind of poking fun at people who like kind of fell but they’re making fun of other people who fell. Even though, like, on like surface level, they’re both like running away from something. Yeah. Um it’s really interesting to me because it was often used my in my family. Because I have a younger sister, which… sometimes when we both get clowned on by my parents, she will laugh at me even though like she also did do something wrong. It’s also… I don’t remember a specific history behind it, but it’s definitely used, like, in war times or like, like tease on soliders who run away from your enemies. 

Subject Opinion: 

Subject: It happens unintentionally so often that, just the saying, it…surprisingly could be applied to a lot of situations. 

Analysis: 

This ancient Chinese proverb states that those who mock others’ shortcomings often have the same shortcomings themselves, criticizing the irony and hypocrisy in human behavior. The proverb’s wartime context opens up a much larger consideration of folklore born in turbulent eras during which common folk are often exposed to war, famine, etc. Similar to a large portion of Chinese wisdom, this proverb places us in a military context that, on the literal level, only applies to soldiers. But the fact that the proverb is widely known reflects the reverence and attention common folk paid to soldiers at the time, giving folk speech that stem from that realm a particular zest and intrigue. It is also interesting that the subject referenced her own family and how it’s used to point out hypocrisy in mundane matters. Though the proverb does not directly communicate a piece of advice, it encourages against the behavior described by letting the receiver come to their conclusions after witnessing the irony of the situation, making it an incredibly durable and effective proverb. 

Folk Speech: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Text (Proverb): “Fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me.”

Context: Being a life-long learner means seeing the good in mistakes. I’ve gotten comfortable with the fact that progress is made through our own failure or the failure of others. This is an old Chinese proverb that I have heard many times while growing up with my immigrant parents. They would say this out of anger when people treat them poorly for not being able to speak English. This mistreatment led them to learn English so that they could stand up for themselves in society. I think this proverb speaks to the natural naivety of humans, as there are many things in life that are out of control. At the same time, it also speaks to our primal ability to take control through critical thinking, drawing from personal experience to prevent what was previously unknown.

Analysis: The proverb chosen is a very driven and direct proverb that is used to set the mindset of the sayer to never let themselves get too comfortable with people after being fooled/ let down. As for the Informant, I can see that this proverb originates in their childhood as they would hear it growing up from their parents, possibly being the cause of why they remember it so clearly. As for how the proverb was interpreted, the proverb goes further than just a note to self, it is related to the nature of humans and how one must adapt to the situations they face, making the proverb a reminder to never get too comfortable nor too unaware.

冻得像个寒号鸟 (Dong De Xiang Ge Han Hao Niao): Frozen Like a Winter-Cry Bird

Nationality: USA
Occupation: Student
Performance Date: Feb. 22, 2023
Primary Language: English
Language: Chinese

CONTEXT:

A is one of my best friends. She is a senior in high school from my hometown. Her parents immigrated from China, and she was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and spent her early years as a child in Chicago before moving to San Diego. 

The context of this piece was during a facetime call in which I asked her to share some pieces of folklore with me. 

In Mandarin Chinese, there are many sayings that are short metaphors and morals derived from origin folktales, often involving animals or foolish people. These sayings are known as 成语 (chengyu). 

TEXT:

A: “So when I was younger, my dad and I had this routine that we would go through every time we went out. And it was always my dad saying ‘Go grab a jacket, it’s gonna be cold.’ And I’d be like, ‘No, I’m fine.’ And then I would go out and I’d be cold. And he would see me being cold. And when he would give me his jacket, he would also be like, ‘冻得像个寒号鸟,’ which, in English, is ‘frozen like this specific species of bird.’ The story behind it is that there’s like, there was this bird called 寒号鸟, and it lived in this tree. And summer ended, and fall approached like all of these birds were flying south right? And they were always like, ‘寒号鸟, you have to come south with us. You’re gonna freeze to death.’ And the bird would always be like, ‘No, it’s too late, I don’t want to go.’ And then more and more birds were flying and leaving, and it just wouldn’t go because it was lazy. And then winter actually came and it couldn’t fly through the snow and then it froze to death. So that’s why my dad was always like, ‘冻得像个寒号鸟.’

Me: “How do you feel about that particular phrase?

A: “I definitely feel some exasperation, almost, because it would be like, ‘Okay, I get it.’ You’re saying I should have listened to you and I should have listened to your advice. And I shouldn’t be lazy. I should go grab a jacket.’

Me: “Do you find that it’s helped your habit at all?”

A: “I mean, I think all kids grow up to become more responsible. And I don’t think he’s said that in a really long time, actually. But it’s something that I remember.”

ANALYSIS:

This story seems to have many different versions, but for the most part, the context is the same. The lessons of some of the other documented versions of this story seem to be focused on discouraging laziness and lack of preparation, and tend to be utilized for situations beyond literally freezing. In A’s instance, however, it is about literally being prepared for the cold. However, to me, it seems to be less about laziness and more about just not acting like you can handle more cold than you can, and her father seems to be comparing her to the bird in terms of the cold rather than saying she’s being lazy. Parents, especially when their children are young, often take pleasure in proving themselves right. For something like wearing a jacket in the cold, this is one of the most common ones, even across cultures. For Chinese Americans, though, it ties in with its own story — beyond a simple “I told you so” into a fixed phrase for a specific occurrence.

Proverb: bàn zhū chī lâo hû

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: USC
Performance Date: 02/20/2023
Primary Language: Chinese

Mandarin Characters: 扮猪吃老虎

Literal Translation: Pretending to be a pig to trap the tiger.

Context: The informant begins by saying that the proverb has been said to her by her parents and grandparents since she was a literal girl. There is no set time to use the phrase, as the proverb has been mentioned to her a couple of times a year, it simply depends on the situation or context of the prior conversation. For example, if one is going through hardships or periods in life that require encouragement, then it is appropriate for a family member or friend to use the proverb towards that individual. The proverb literally translates to “pretending to be a pig to trap the tiger,” which elicits the message of never fully revealing your cards until the moment is right. It’s a proverb that encourages individuals to remain clever and to always map out strategies that can help them attain success. V.S. also mentions that it encourages Chinese people to remain humble and never be boisterous, similar to the pig who pretended to be weak in order to conquer their enemy/obstacle, the tiger.

 Analysis: The Chinese are fond of incorporating mythical creatures and or animals into their folk, simply because they have a stronger connection to natural truths. Animals are primal, and thus act on instinct and learned behavior, a trait that allows them to be wise in a sense that humans could never be. There is also the presence of the zodiac within Chinese culture, which depicts a system that assigns you a certain animal based on your birth year. Each animal has a certain set of traits that sets them apart from others and all of its interpersonal relationships with the other zodiacs. The proverb also reminds me of the American proverb “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” which elicits the same idea of concealing one’s true power and nature until the time is right, although the American version is more villainized. The wolf in sheep’s clothing seems to be concealing itself for malevolent intent, while the pig does so to remain humble.