Chinese and English are two radically different languages, each with a long and rich history. Both languages evolved independently from each other, which makes any similarities all the more interesting. Today we will discuss some Chinese proverbs (\u8afa\u8a9e y\u00e0ny\u016d) and idioms (\u6210\u8a9e ch\u00e9ngy\u016d) that have\u2014almost exact\u2014English equivalents. Does this mean that these expressions are universal truths; identical ideas that have developed on opposite ends of the world? Maybe, let us know what you think.<\/p>\n
1.\u5404\u82b1\u5165\u5404\u773cru hua ru ge yan<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Different flowers (\u82b1) look good to different eyes (\u773c).<\/p>\n English equivalent: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.<\/p>\n 2. \u4ee5\u6bd2\u653b\u6bd2 yi du gong du<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Use poison to fight poison.<\/p>\n English equivalent: Fight fire with fire.<\/p>\n 3. \u82b1\u5f00\u582a\u6298\u76f4\u9700\u6298 hua kai kan zhe zhi xu zhe<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Pick the flowers when they are ready to be picked.<\/p>\n English equivalent: Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.<\/p>\n 4. \u5c81\u6708\u4e0d\u7559\u4eba sui yue bu liu ren<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Years don\u2019t wait for people.<\/p>\n English equivalent: Time and tide wait for no man.<\/p>\n 5. \u65e0\u98ce\u4e0d\u8d77\u6d6a wu feng bu qi lang<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Without wind there are no waves.<\/p>\n English equivalent: There is no smoke without fire.<\/p>\n 6. \u5165\u4e61\u968f\u4fd7 ru xiang sui su<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Follow the local custom [when you go to a foreign place].<\/p>\n English equivalent: When in Rome do as the Romans do.<\/p>\n 7. \u8001\u5a46\u662f\u522b\u4eba\u7684\u9753 lao po shi bier en de liang<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Other people\u2019s wives always look more beautiful than your own.<\/p>\n English equivalent: The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.<\/p>\n 8. \u5973\u4eba\u5fc3\u6d77\u5e95\u9488nv ren xin hai di zhen<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: A woman\u2019s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the ocean.<\/p>\n English equivalent: A woman\u2019s heart is a deep ocean of secrets.<\/p>\n 9. \u4ee5\u653b\u4e3a\u5b88 yi gong wei shou<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Use offense as defense.<\/p>\n English equivalent: The best defense is a good offense.<\/p>\n 10\uff0e\u5a5a\u59fb\u662f\u604b\u7231\u7684\u575f\u5893 hun yin shi lian ai de fen mu<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: marriage is romance\u2019s grave.<\/p>\n English equivalent: Marriage is the death of romance.<\/p>\n 11. \u4e00\u89c1\u949f\u60c5 yi jian zhong qing<\/strong> English equivalent: love at first sight<\/p>\n 12. \u767e\u95fb\u4e0d\u5982\u4e00\u89c1 bai wen bur u yi jian<\/strong><\/p>\n Literal translation: Hearing something a hundred times isn\u2019t the same as seeing it once<\/p>\n English equivalent: Seeing is believing.<\/p>\n 13.\u82f1\u96c4\u6240\u89c1\u7565\u540c ying xiong suo jian lve tong<\/strong> English equivalent: Great minds think alike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chinese and English are two radically different languages, each with a long and rich history. Both languages evolved independently from each other, which makes any similarities all the more interesting. Today we will discuss some Chinese proverbs (\u8afa\u8a9e y\u00e0ny\u016d) and idioms (\u6210\u8a9e ch\u00e9ngy\u016d) that have\u2014almost exact\u2014English equivalents. Does this mean that these expressions are universal truths; identical ideas that have developed on opposite ends of the world? Maybe, let us know what you think.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Literal translation: at first sight (\u4e00\u89c1) fall deeply in love (\u949f\u60c5).<\/p>\n
Literal translation: The views of heroes are similar.<\/p>\n