Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Common-Allusions

Hello everyone!

Welcome to our exploration of similar allusions found across various cultures worldwide. In this lesson, we'll delve into the ways in which different cultures express similar ideas and concepts.

Please note that this page is part of a broader series, connected to our main topic: Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Similar-Sayings.

In progress.

Ability to achieve financial reward

This comes from the Greek myth, where King Midas is given the ability to turn anything he touches into gold.

language	term
English	Midas touch
Finnish	Midaan kosketus
French	touche de Midas
Galician	toque de Midas
Italian	tocco di Mida
Modern Greek	άγγιγμα του Μίδα
Portuguese	toque de Midas

Accuse someone the fault that the accuser shares

This comes from Master Mèng (孟子), where Master Mèng admonishes the King of Liáng with a story: a routed soldier who retreats 50 two-steps laughs at another, who retreats 100 two-steps.

language	term
Chinese	五十步笑百步／五十步笑百步
Japanese	五十歩百歩

Aspire for the throne

This comes from Commentary of Zuǒ (左傳), where Viscount of Chu attacks the barbaric tribes and is rewarded by the Zhōu Overlord; he asks the Zhōu Prince Wángsūn Mǎn of the size and weight of the Nine Tripod Cauldrons.

language	term
Chinese	問鼎／问鼎
Japanese	鼎の軽重を問う

Awkward imitation

This comes from Master Zhuāng (莊子), where the beauty Xīshī often frown because of her heart disease; an ugly woman Dōngshī tries to imitate her and frown, which scares off villagers.

language	term
Chinese	東施效顰／东施效颦
Japanese	顰みに効う

Badly imitate others and lose the one's original individuality

This comes from Master Zhuāng (莊子), where children from Shòulíng try to imitate the walking of Hándān people but failed and forget their original way of walking, so they get back by crawling.

language	term
Chinese	邯鄲學步／邯郸学步
Japanese	邯鄲の歩み

Be hasty and fail with inappropriate methods

This comes from the story in Master Mèng (孟子), where a farmer complains that his seedling do not grow; he pulls the seedlings up, hoping it helps; the seedlings wither afterwards.

language	term
Chinese	揠苗助長／揠苗助长
Japanese	助長抜苗

Be resolute in one's endeavor

This comes from Master Liè (列子), where there are two mountains Tàiháng and Wángwū, which makes it hard for an old foolish man to travel. The old foolish man convinces his family to dig the mountain little by little; when being questioned, he argues that the mountain will be moved eventually, as long as his offsprings keep digging; the Jade Emperor sends two deities to move the mountains away.

language	term
Chinese	愚公移山／愚公移山
Japanese	愚公山を移す
Korean	우공이산

Be true to one's words

This comes from Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where Chǔ people say “receiving 100 jīn gold is nothing compared to accepting a promise from Jì Bù.”

language	term
Chinese	一諾千金／一诺千金
Japanese	一諾千金
Korean	일낙천금

Between two dangers

This comes from the Greek myth, where monsters Scylla and Charybdis are sited on both sides of Strait of Messina, where Odysseus has to pass through.

language	term
Danish	mellem Skylla og Karybdis
English	between Scylla and Charybdis
Finnish	Skyllan ja Kharybdiksen välillä
French	tomber de Charybde en Scylla
German	zwischen Skylla und Charybdis sein
Modern Greek	μεταξύ Σκύλλας και Χάρυβδης
Polish	między Scyllą a Charybdą
Russian	между Сциллой и Харибдой
Spanish	entre Escila y Caribdis
Swedish	mellan Skylla och Karybdis

Contradiction

This comes from the story in Master Huái Nán (淮南子), where a merchant says that his shields are so firm that nothing can penetrate them, and then says that his spears are so sharp that they can penetrate anything; someone asks “What about piercing your own shield with your own spear?”

In Chinese, it has a new meaning: conflict.

language	term
Chinese	矛盾／矛盾
Japanese	矛盾
Korean	모순
Vietnamese	mâu thuẫn

Costly victory

This comes from the story of the Battle of Heraclea and the Battle of Asculum, where King Pyrrhus of Epirus defeats Rome, suffering heavy casualties.

language	term
Armenian	պյուռոսյան հաղթանակ
Azerbaijani	Pirr qələbəsi
Bulgarian	Пирова победа
Chinese	皮洛士式勝利／皮洛士式胜利
Czech	Pyrrhovo vítězství
Danish	pyrrhussejr
Dutch	pyrrusoverwinning
English	Pyrrhic victory
Esperanto	Pirha venko
Finnish	Pyrrhoksen voitto
French	victoire à la Pyrrhus
German	Pyrrhussieg
Hungarian	pirruszi győzelem‎
Indonesian	kemenangan piris
Italian	vittoria di Pirro
Japanese	ピュロスの勝利
Latin	victoria Pyrrhica
Macedonian	Пирова победа
Modern Greek	Πύρρειος νίκη
Norwegian Bokmål	pyrrhosseier
Norwegian Nynorsk	pyrrhossiger
Polish	pyrrusowe zwycięstwo
Portuguese	vitória pírrica
Romanian	victorie à la Pirus
Russian	Пиррова победа
Slovak	Pyrrhovo víťazstvo
Spanish	victoria pírrica
Swedish	pyrrhusseger

Create the best environment for the child

This comes from the story in the Biographies of Exemplary Women (列女傳), where young Master Mèng loses his father and lives near a graveyard and imitates funerals; his mother moves his family to a street; there young Master Mèng imitates trading; his mother moves his family to a place near a school; young Master Mèng imitates the etiquette; his mother is satisfied and his family settles there.

language	term
Chinese	孟母三遷／孟母三迁
Japanese	孟母三遷

Deceive others with tricks

This comes from the story in Master Zhuāng (莊子), where a monkeykeeper says that he will give each monkey three chestnuts in the morning and four in the evening; the monkeys are angry; the monkeykeeper then says he will give each monkey four chestnuts in the morning and three in the evening; the monkeys become happy.

In Chinese, it has a new meaning: change one's mind frequently. The original meaning is obsolete in Chinese.

In Japanese, it has a new meaning: not realising that two things are essentially identical.

language	term
Chinese	朝三暮四／朝三暮四
Japanese	朝三暮四
Korean	조삼모사

Device or person placed within the enemy

This comes from the story of Trojan War in Aeneid (Aenē̆is), where Odysseus builds a wooden horse, hides himself and soldiers inside, let the Trojan force capture the wooden horse as a trophy, then opens the gate of Troy at night to let the Greek army in.

language	term
Armenian	Տրոյական ձի
Chinese	特洛伊木馬／特洛伊木马
Czech	trojský kůň
Danish	trojansk hest
English	Trojan horse
Esperanto	troja ĉevalo
Finnish	Troijan hevonen
French	cheval de Troie
German	trojanisches Pferd
Hebrew	סוס טרויאני
Hungarian	trójai faló‎
Icelandic	trójuhestur
Italian	cavallo di Troia
Japanese	トロイの木馬
Korean	트로이 목마
Latin	equus Troianus
Macedonian	Тројанскиот коњ
Modern Greek	δούρειος ίππος
Polish	koń trojański
Portuguese	cavalo de Troia
Romanian	cal troian
Russian	Троянский конь
Spanish	caballo de Troya

Deliberate

This comes from the story about Jiǎ Dǎo, who hesitates on the use of a word “push” or “knock” in a verse “birds dwell on the trees by the pond, a monk pushes/knocks the gate in the moonlight”; he walks while thinking and runs into an official's convoy; the official is Hán Yù, who listens to his problem and deliberate with him together, then makes the conclusion that the word “knock” is better, because it shows the quietness of the night.

language	term
Chinese	推敲／推敲
Japanese	推敲
Korean	퇴고

Distinct difference between the good and the evil

This comes from the Classic of Poetry (詩經), where it is said “Jīng River becomes contaminated after converging with Wèi River”.

language	term
Chinese	涇渭／泾渭
Japanese	涇渭

Distortion of the truth by a powerful person

This comes from the story in New Account (新語), where Zhào Gāo rides a deer and calls it a horse; the Emperor is confused and Zhào Gāo asks ministers; some keep silent, some say it is a horse, some say it is a deer; those who say it is a deer are eliminated by Zhào Gāo.

language	term
Chinese	指鹿為馬／指鹿为马
Japanese	指鹿為馬
Korean	지록위마

Excessive extravagance

This comes from the story in the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where King Zhòu of Shāng builds a pool of wine and a forest of meat at a dune and having naked children playing around for a party.

language	term
Chinese	酒池肉林／酒池肉林
Japanese	酒池肉林
Korean	주지육림

Face hostilities from all sides

This comes from the story of Battle of Gāixià in the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where the coalition force of Hàn surrounds the Chǔ army and sing Chǔ folk songs.

language	term
Chinese	四面楚歌／四面楚歌
Japanese	四面楚歌
Korean	사면초가

Flawless

This comes from the story in the Records of Spirits and Monsters (靈怪錄), where the clothing from heaven has no seams.

In Japanese, it has a new meaning: simple-minded.

language	term
Chinese	天衣無縫／天衣无缝
Japanese	天衣無縫
Korean	천의무봉

Greedy

This comes from the Book of Dōngguàn (東觀漢記), where Emperor Wǔ of Wèi says “People suffer from their greeds; when I have taken Lǒngyòu, I desire Shǔ”.

language	term
Chinese	得隴望蜀／得陇望蜀
Japanese	隴を得て蜀を望む

Groundless fear

This comes from the story in Master Liè (列子), where a man in Qǐ worries that the heaven and the earth may fall apart.

language	term
Chinese	杞人憂天／杞人忧天
Japanese	杞憂
Korean	기인우천

Harmful person in peaceful disguise

This comes from the story in Gospel of Matthew (Κατά Ματθαίο Ευαγγέλιον), where the Lord says “Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

language	term
Albanian	ujk me lëkurë qengji
Belarusian	воўк у авечай шкуры
Chinese	披著羊皮的狼／披着羊皮的狼
Czech	vlk v rouše beránčím
Danish	ulv i fåreklæder
Dutch	wolf in schaapskleren
English	wolf in sheep's clothing
Finnish	susi lampaan vaatteissa
French	loup déguisé en agneau
Galician	lobo con pel de ovella
Georgian	მგელი ცხვრის ტყავში
German	Wolf im Schafspelz
Hindi	भेड़ की खाल में भेड़िया
Hungarian	báránybőrbe bújt farkas
Icelandic	úlfur í sauðargæru
Iranian Persian	گرگ در لباس میش‎
Italian	lupo travestito da agnello
Japanese	羊の皮を着た狼
Kirgiz	кой терисин жамынган карышкыр
Latin	lupus in vestimentum ovium
Latvian	vilks aitas ādā
Lithuanian	vilkas avies kailyje
Malagasy	amboadia mitafy hodi-janak' ondry
Malay	serigala berbulu domba
Modern Greek	λύκος με προβιά αρνιού
Norwegian	ulv i fåreklær
Polish	wilk w owczej skórze
Portuguese	lobo em pele de cordeiro
Romanian	lup îmbrăcat în piele de oaie
Russian	волк в овечьей шкуре
Serbo-Croatian	вук у јањећој кожи / vuk u janjećoj koži
Slovenian	volk v ovčji koži
Spanish	un lobo con piel de cordero
Swedish	ulv i fårakläder
Ukrainian	вовк в овечій шкурі
Vietnamese	sói đội lốt cừu

Ignorant and arrogant

This comes from Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where the King of Diān asks the Hàn envoy “Hàn and my kingdom, which is larger?”; the King of Yèláng asks this question, too.

language	term
Chinese	夜郎自大／夜郎自大
Japanese	夜郎自大

Illusory good thing

This comes from Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志), where the King of Wèi compares fame with painted pancakes when trying to find a candidate for an official position.

language	term
Chinese	畫餅／画饼
Japanese	画餅

This comes from lyrics in the song The Preacher and the Slave: “Work and pray, live on hay, You’ll get pie in the sky when you die.”

language	term
English	pie in the sky
Russian	журавль в небе

Impose oneself hardships to accomplish something

This comes from the story in Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where King Gōujiàn of Yuè is defeated by the State of Wú; he forces himself to sleep on firewood and lick a gallbladder every day to remind himself to revenge.

language	term
Chinese	臥薪嘗膽／卧薪尝胆
Japanese	臥薪嘗膽
Korean	와신상담
Vietnamese	nếm mật nằm gai

Improve something unnecessarily

This comes from the story in Strategies of the Warring States (戰國策), where a man gives his servants a jug of wine; the servants decide to compete drawing a snake on the ground and the one who finishes it first wins the wine; one finishes, grabs the jug and says “I can draw feet for it” and started drawing feet for the snake; another one finishes drawing the snake, snatches his wine, says “A snake doesn't have feet. How can you do it?” and drinks the wine.

language	term
Chinese	畫蛇添足／画蛇添足
Japanese	画蛇添足
Korean	화사첨족
Vietnamese	vẽ rắn thêm chân

Innocent and attractive girl

This comes from Lolita, where a 37 to 38-year-old man sexually abuses a 12-year-old girl Dolores Haze, who is nicknamed “Lolita” by him.

language	term
Chinese	蘿莉／萝莉
Czech	lolita
Danish	lolita
English	lolita
Finnish	lolita
Japanese	ロリ
Korean	로리
Modern Greek	λολίτα
Russian	лолита

Intimidate others with powerful connections

This comes from the fable in Strategies of the Warring States (戰國策), where the tiger catches a fox and want to eat it; the fox says that the Emperor of Heaven sends it to govern all animals and if the tiger doesn't believe, it can let the fox walk in front of other animals and see other animals' reaction; other animals see the tiger and scare off, the tiger doesn't know that the animals are actually scared by the tiger and not the fox.

language	term
Chinese	狐假虎威／狐假虎威
Japanese	虎の威を借る狐
Vietnamese	cáo mượn oai hùm

Invasive authority with mass surveillance

This comes from 1984, where in the state of Oceania, there is a motto “Big Brother is watching you” referring to the applied mass surveillance.

language	term
Chinese	老大哥／老大哥
English	Big Brother
Finnish	isoveli
French	Big Brother
Hungarian	Nagy Testvér
Modern Greek	Μεγάλος Αδελφός
Polish	Wielki Brat
Portuguese	Grande Irmão
Russian	Большо́й Брат
Serbo-Croatian	велики брат / veliki brat
Spanish	Gran Hermano
Swedish	storebror

Laborious and futile task

This comes from the Greek myth, where King Sisyphos of Ephyra kills visitors to show off his power and is forced by gods to do a task for eternity: to roll an immense boulder up a hill and repeat when it rolls back.

language	term
Danish	sisyfosarbejde
English	Sisyphean labour
French	rocher de Sisyphe
German	Sisyphusarbeit‎
Modern Greek	Σισύφειο μαρτύριο
Russian	сизифов труд
Swedish	sisyfosarbete
Ukrainian	сізіфова праця

Land of abundance

This comes from the story in Book of Exodus (שְׁמוֹת), where the Lord refers the Land of Israel “land flowing with milk and honey”.

language	term
English	land of milk and honey
French	pays où coulent le lait et le miel
Hebrew	ארֶץ זבת חלב וּדְבש‎
Modern Greek	Η γη που ρέει γάλα και μέλι.
Polish	kraina mlekiem i miodem płynąca‎
Portuguese	terra de leite e mel

Lies are accepted after being repeated

This comes from the story in Strategies of the Warring States (戰國策), where Páng Cōng asks the King of Wèi if one person says that there is a tiger in Dàliáng, will he believe; the king answers no; Páng Cōng asks if two person say so, will he believe; the king answers he will be confused; Páng Cōng asks if three persons say so, will he believe; the king answers yes.

language	term
Chinese	三人成虎／三人成虎
Japanese	三人虎を成す
Korean	삼인성호
Vietnamese	tam nhân thành hổ

Lose the goal when facing too many choices

This comes from the story in Master Liè (列子), where Yáng Zhū's neighbour loses a sheep and asks Yáng Zhū for help; the sheep is not found back eventually because there are too many forks in the road.

language	term
Chinese	歧路亡羊／歧路亡羊
Japanese	多岐亡羊

Lowly skills

This comes from the story in the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where Lord Mèngcháng escapes the detention of King Zhāo of Qín with the help of two retainers, one of whom steals a fur coat back to bribe the concubine of King Zhāo of Qín, the other imitates cock's cry to let the guards open the gate at midnight.

language	term
Chinese	雞鳴狗盜／鸡鸣狗盗
Japanese	鶏鳴狗盗

Manipulate one's thoughts by doubting the one constantly

This comes from Gas Light, where a man convinced people that her wife is insane, in order to seize his wife's wealth.

language	term
Catalan	fer llum de gas
Danish	gaslighte
Esperanto	gaslampumi
English	gaslight
Finnish	kaasuvalottaa
French	gaslighter
Hungarian	gázlángol
Russian	газлайтить
Serbo-Croatian	geslajtati

Mature and attractive girl

This comes from the Greek myth, which indicates a female natural spirit.

language	term
English	nymph
Galician	ninfa
German	Nymphe
Italian	ninfa
Macedonian	нимфа
Modern Greek	νύμφη
Norwegian	nymfe
Portuguese	ninfe
Russian	нимфа
Spanish	ninfa
Swedish	nymf

Meaningless fighting

This comes from Master Zhuāng (莊子), where there are two clans Mán and Chù, which are located at two tentacles of a snail and fight each other for fifteen days, leaving ten thousands of casualties.

language	term
Chinese	蝸角鬥爭／蜗角斗争
Japanese	蝸牛角上の争い

Misfortune may turn into fortune and vice versa

This comes from the story in Master Huái Nán (淮南子), where an old man lives at the frontier; one of his horses strays into Xiōngnú land; the horse comes back accompanied with another horse; the old man's son rides the new horse, falls and breaks his leg; in a Xiōngnú invasion, able-bodied men volunteer and nine out of ten dies in battle, while the old man and his son keep alive.

language	term
Chinese	塞翁失馬，焉知非福／塞翁失马，焉知非福
Japanese	人間万事塞翁が馬
Korean	인간만사 새옹지마
Vietnamese	tái ông thất mã, yên tri phi phúc

Obvious matter being ignored

This comes from the fable The Inquisitive Man (Любопытный), where a man notices everything except an elephant in a room, in a museum.

language	term
Amharic	በክፍሉ ውስጥ ዝሆን
Armenian	փիղ մեջ տարածությունը
Chinese	房間裡的大象／房间里的大象
Danish	olifant in de kamer
English	elephant in the room
Esperanto	elefanto en la ĉambro
Finnish	virtahepo olohuoneessa
French	éléphant dans la pièce
Georgian	ადგილში სპილო
German	Elefant im Raum
Hebrew	פיל בחדר‎
Hindi	कमरे में हाथी
Hungarian	elefánt a szobában
Icelandic	gajah di dalam sang kamar
Italian	elefante nella stanza
Japanese	部屋の象
Korean	방안의 코끼리
Modern Greek	ελέφαντας στο δωμάτιο
Polish	słoń w salonie
Portuguese	elefante na sala
Romanian	elefantul din cameră
Russian	слона-то я и не приметил
Spanish	elefante en la habitación
Swedish	elefanten i rummet
Thai	ช้างในห้อง

Ordinary people can't understand great ambitions

This comes from Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where Chén Shè says “swallows and sparrows cannot understand the aspirations of swans.”

language	term
Chinese	燕雀安知鴻鵠志／燕雀安知鸿鹄志
Japanese	燕雀安んぞ鴻鵠の志を知らんや

Other people's helpful opinion or experience

This comes from the Classic of Poetry (詩經), where it is said “stones from other hills can be used to polish jadeware”.

language	term
Chinese	他山之石／他山之石
Japanese	他山の石
Korean	타산지석

Panic and be overly sensitive

This comes from the story in Book of Jìn (晉書), where the defeated troops of Qín hear the sound of the wind and the cry of cranes, believe that the enemy has come.

language	term
Chinese	風聲鶴唳／风声鹤唳
Japanese	風声鶴唳
Korean	풍성학려

Person blamed for someone else's failure

This comes from the story in Book of Leviticus (ויקרא), where Aaron confesses the sins of the people of Israel with his hands on a goat's head; the goat is sent to wilderness, bearing all the sins.

language	term
Arabic	كبش فداء
Armenian	քավության նոխազ
Bulgarian	изкупителна жертва
Catalan	boc expiatori
Chinese	替罪羊／替罪羊
Czech	obětní beránek
Danish	syndebuk
Dutch	zondebok
English	scapegoat
Esperanto	propeka kapro
Faroese	syndabukkur
Finnish	syntipukki
French	bouc émissaire
Georgian	განტევების ვაცი
German	Sündenbock
Hebrew	שעיר לעזאזל‎
Hindi	बकरा
Hungarian	bűnbak
Icelandic	blóraböggull
Irish	ceap milleáin
Italian	capro espiatorio
Japanese	スケープゴート
Latvian	grēkāzis
Lithuanian	atpirkimo ožys
Macedonian	жртвен јарец
Malayalam	ബലിയാട്
Modern Greek	αποδιοπομπαίος τράγος
Norwegian	syndebukk
Polish	kozioł ofiarny
Russian	козёл отпущения
Serbo-Croatian	жртвени јарац / žrtveni jarac
Spanish	chivo expiatorio
Swedish	syndabock
Thai	แพะรับบาป
Turkish	günah keçisi
Ukrainian	козел відпущення
Welsh	bwch dihangol

Prevent trouble from happening

This comes from the story in the Book of Hàn (漢書), where a guest advises the host to replace the straight chimney with a crooked one and move the firewood pile away from the chimney; the host doesn't accept the advice; soon his house is on fire; the host makes a banquet for neighbours who helped him to extinguish the fire; he is then reminded to invite the guest who adviced him in the first place.

language	term
Chinese	曲突徙薪／曲突徙薪
Japanese	曲突徙薪

Profiteer from special skills

This comes from the story in the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where Lǚ Bùiwéi sees Qí prince Yìrén and say “This is a rare good that can be hoarded”.

language	term
Chinese	奇貨可居／奇货可居
Japanese	奇貨居くべし
Vietnamese	kỳ hóa khả cư

Prolonged high risk for a position

This comes from the story in Tusculan Disputations (Tusculanae Disputationes), where the courtier Damocles flatters the tyrant of Syracuse and is then invited to a banquet; at the banquet, he suddenly notices a sword suspended from the ceiling by a single thread over his head, gets scared and doesn't want to stay any longer; this is meant to show him the risk of being a powerful person.

language	term
Arabic	سيف مسلت
Armenian	դամոկլյան սուր
Bulgarian	дамоклев меч
Catalan	espasa de Dàmocles
Chinese	達摩克利斯之劍／达摩克利斯之剑
Danish	damoklessværd
Dutch	zwaard van Damocles
English	sword of Damocles
Esperanto	glavo de Damoklo
Finnish	Damokleen miekka
French	épée de Damoclès
German	Damoklesschwert
Hausa	takobin damokilis
Hebrew	חרב דמוקלס‎
Hungarian	Damoklész kardja
Italian	cavar le castagne dal fuoco
Japanese	ダモクレスの剣
Modern Greek	Δαμόκλειος σπάθη
Norwegian	damoklessverd
Polish	miecz Damoklesa
Portuguese	espada de Dâmocles
Russian	дамоклов меч
Spanish	espada de Damocles
Swedish	damoklessvärd

Put on the finishing touches

This comes from the story in Records of Famous Painters from Past Dynasties (歷代名畫記), where Zhāng Sēngyóu doesn't paint eyes on dragons at the Ānlè Temple in Jīnlíng, saying that the dragons will fly away if he does; he is asked to do so and when he does on two dragons, they break through the walls and ascend to the clouds.

language	term
Chinese	畫龍點睛／画龙点睛
Japanese	画竜点睛
Korean	화룡점정

Showing benevolence ridiculously towards one's enemy

This comes from the Commentary of Zuǒ (左傳), where Duke Xiāng of Sòng refuses to attack his enemy until his enemy finishes crossing the river and setting up the formation; he is then defeated.

language	term
Chinese	宋襄之仁／宋襄之仁
Japanese	宋襄の仁
Korean	송양지인

Recommend oneself

This comes from the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where Lord Píngyuán's retainer Máo Suí recommends himself to persuade the King of Chǔ for military aid.

language	term
Chinese	毛遂自薦／毛遂自荐
Japanese	毛遂自薦

Refuse to adapt to changed conditions

This comes from the Master Lǚ's Spring and Autumn Annals (呂氏春秋), where the sword of a passenger on a boat falls into the river; the passenger makes a notch on the boat and says “This is where my sword fell in.” when the boat stops, he jumps into water from the notch to find his sword and finds nothing.

language	term
Chinese	刻舟求劍／刻舟求剑
Japanese	舟に刻みて剣を求む
Korean	각주구검
Vietnamese	khắc chu cầu kiếm

Share the same fate

This comes from the story in the Commentary of Zuǒ (左傳), where the Marquis of Jìn asks the Duke of Yū for military passage to attack the State of Guó; Gōng Zhīqí admonishes the Duke of Yū, comparing the relation between Guó and Yū as lips and teeth, saying “When the lips perish, the teeth become cold.”

language	term
Chinese	脣亡齒寒／唇亡齿寒
Japanese	唇亡歯寒
Korean	순망치한
Vietnamese	môi hở răng lạnh

Situation where the escape has mutually conflicting conditions

This comes from the story in the Catch-22, where according to the regulation “Catch-22”, the only way to be exempted from combat missions is to prove that the one is insane, but once he submits an exempt application, he would be proved sane because he cares about his own life.

language	term
Czech	Hlava XXII
English	Catch-22
Hungarian	22-es csapdája
Polish	Paragraf 22
Swedish	moment 22

Solve a seemingly complex problem with a simple and decisive solution

This comes from the Greek legend, where Alexander unties the complex knot in Gordium in Phrygia by cutting it.

language	term
Czech	rozetnout gordický uzel
English	cut the Gordian knot
Finnish	avata Gordionin solmu
French	trancher le nœud gordien
German	den gordischen Knoten durchhauen
Modern Greek	κόβω το Γόρδιο δεσμό

This comes from Book of Northern Qí (北齊書), where Emperor Gāozǔ asks his sons to solve a bunch of messy threads; his second son cuts it with a sword, says “the chaos must be dealt with decisively.”

language	term
Chinese	快刀斬亂麻／快刀斩乱麻
Japanese	快刀乱麻を断つ

Something embarrassing and politely ignored

This comes from The Emperor's New Clothes (Kejserens nye klæder), where the emperor is tricked into being naked, believing that he's wearing the finest clothes in the world and only bastards can't see it; then he goes for a parade, only to be challenged by a child. This fable is based on a similar story in Tales of Count Lucanor (Libro de los enxiemplos del Conde Lucanor et de Patronio), which takes place in a Moorish kingdom.

language	term
Chinese	皇帝的新裝／皇帝的新装
Danish	kejserens nye klæder
English	the emperor's new clothes
Finnish	keisarin uudet vaatteet
French	Les habits neufs de l'empereur
Portuguese	roupa nova do imperador
Russian	Новое платье короля
Slovak	cisárove nové šaty
Swedish	kejsarens nya kläder

Source of unforeseen trouble

This comes from Works and Days (Ἔργα καὶ Ἡμέραι), where Zeus gives Epimetheus a jar and tells him to keep it closed; his wife Pandora opens it out of curiosity, releasing curses inside upon mankind.

language	term
Albanian	kutia e Pandorës
Armenian	Պանդորայի արկղ
Bashkir	Пандора ҡумтаһы
Bulgarian	кутията на Пандора
Catalan	capsa de Pandora
Chinese	潘多拉魔盒／潘多拉魔盒
Czech	Pandořina skříňka
Danish	Pandoras æske
Dutch	doos van Pandora
Esperanto	skatolo de Pandora
English	Pandora's box
Faroese	eskjan hjá Pandoru
Finnish	Pandoran lipas
French	boîte de Pandore
Georgian	cპანდორას ყუთი
German	Pandorabüchse
Hebrew	תיבת פנדורה‎
Hindi	पैन्डोरा का बॉक्स
Hungarian	Pandóra szelencéje
Indonesian	kotak Pandora
Italian	vaso di Pandora
Japanese	パンドラの箱
Kazakh	Пандора қалбыры
Korean	판도라의 상자
Latvian	Pandoras lāde
Macedonian	Пандорина кутија
Modern Greek	κουτί της Πανδώρας
Norwegian Bokmål	pandoraeske
Occitan	boita de Pandora
Panjabi	ਪੰਡੋਰਾ ਦਾ ਡੱਬਾ
Polish	puszka Pandory
Portuguese	caixa de Pandora
Romanian	cutia Pandorei
Russian	ящик Пандоры
Spanish	caja de Pandora
Swedish	Pandoras ask
Tamil	பண்டோராவின் பெட்டி
Turkish	Pandora'nın kutusu
Ukrainian	скринька Пандори
Uzbek	Pandora qutisi
Vietnamese	chiếc hộp Pandora

Stubbornly stick to old ways

This comes from the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where Lìn Xiàngrú admonishes the King of Zhào against appointing Zhào Kuò as the general, saying “Appointing Zhào Kuò for his fame, is like playing sè with its bridges glued.”

language	term
Chinese	膠柱鼓瑟／胶柱鼓瑟
Japanese	柱に膠して瑟を鼓す

Take damage for others without getting proper rewards

This comes from the fable The Monkey and the Cat (Le Singe et le Chat), where the cat is tricked by the monkey to pull some chestnuts out of the fire, getting its paws burnt and can't stop the monkey from taking all chestnuts away.

language	term
Catalan	treure les castanyes del foc
Chinese	火中取栗／火中取栗
Danish	rage kastanjerne ud af ilden
English	pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire
Finnish	hoitaa jonkun homma
French	tirer les marrons du feu
German	die Kastanien aus dem Feuer holen
Italian	cavar le castagne dal fuoco
Modern Greek	βγάζω τα κάστανα από τη φωτιά
Norwegian Bokmål	rake kastanjene ut av ilden
Norwegian Nynorsk	rake kastanjane ut av elden
Polish	wyciągać kasztany z ognia
Russian	доставать каштаны из огня
Spanish	sacar las castañas del fuego
Swedish	kratsa kastanjerna ur elden

Talk about something the listener doesn't understand

This comes from the story in Master Móu's Treatise Settling Doubts (牟子理惑論), where Gōngmíng Yí plays the qín music piece towards a cattle and the cattle continues to eat grass as before.

language	term
Chinese	對牛彈琴／对牛弹琴
Japanese	牛に対して琴を弾ず
Korean	대우탄금
Thai	สีซอให้ควายฟัง
Vietnamese	đàn gảy tai trâu

Talent will be discovered

This comes from the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where Máo Suí recommends himself to persuade the King of Chǔ for military aid, saying “A talented person is like an awl in a bag, whose end will be seen immediately.”

language	term
Chinese	錐處囊中／锥处囊中
Japanese	嚢中の錐

The most decent person

This comes from the Gospel of Matthew (Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον), where the Lord calls his disciples “salt of the earth”.

language	term
Arabic	ملح الأرض
Ancient Greek	τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς
Finnish	maan suola
French	sel de la Terre
German	Salz der Erde
Hebrew	מלח הארץ‎
Italian	sale della terra
Japanese	地の塩
Korean	세상의 소금
Latin	sal terrae
Modern Greek	το αλάτι της γης
Old Armenian	աղ երկրի
Old English	eorþan sealt
Polish	sól ziemi
Portuguese	sal da terra
Romanian	sarea pământului
Russian	соль земли
Spanish	sal de la tierra
Swedish	Jordens salt
Thai	กลือแห่งโลก
Welsh	halen y ddaear

The third party benefits from the the struggle between two parties

This comes from the story in the Strategies of the Warring States (戰國策), where the snipe tries to eat the oyster and the oyster closes its shell, clamping the snipe's beak; they both don't want to surrender; a fisherman comes by and catches both of them.

language	term
Chinese	鷸蚌相爭，漁人得利／鹬蚌相争，渔人得利
Japanese	鷸蚌の争い、漁夫の利となる
Vietnamese	ngư ông đắc lợi

Thing of little value but feels pitiful if thrown away

This comes from the story in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志), where Cáo Cāo calls Hànzhōng “chicken rib”; Yáng Xiū immediately understands that Cáo Cāo doesn't want to conquer Hànzhōng but feels pitiful to give it up.

language	term
Chinese	雞肋／鸡肋
Japanese	鶏肋
Korean	계륵

The work becomes popular

This comes from the story in the Book of Jìn (晉書), where the Rhymed Prose of the Three Capitals becomes popular, even driving the price of paper high in Luòyáng.

language	term
Chinese	洛陽紙貴／洛阳纸贵
Japanese	洛陽の紙価貴し

Time brings drastic changes

This comes from the story in Biographies of the Deities and Immortals (神仙傳), where Mágū says “Since we met last time, I have seen the East Sea turned into mulberry fields multiple times.”

language	term
Chinese	滄海桑田／沧海桑田
Japanese	滄海桑田
Korean	창해상전
Vietnamese	thương hải tang điền

Unnecessary activity of high risk

This comes from the short story Russian Roulette, where it is said that in Russian army in Rumania, around 1917, “some officer would suddenly pull out his revolver, anywhere, at the table, in a café, at a gathering of friends, remove a cartridge from the cylinder, spin the cylinder, snap it back in place, put it to his head and pull the trigger.”

language	term
Arabic	رولِيت روسي
Bulgarian	расейская рулетка
Bulgarian	руска рулетка
Catalan	ruleta russa
Chinese	俄羅斯輪盤／俄罗斯轮盘
Czech	ruská ruleta
Dutch	Russische roulette
English	Russian roulette
Esperanto	rusa ruleto
Finnish	venäläinen ruletti
French	roulette russe
German	russisches Roulette
Hungarian	orosz rulett
Iranian Persian	رولت روسی‎
Italian	roulette russa
Japanese	ロシアンルーレット
Jèrriais	rouôlette Russe
Korean	러시안 룰렛
Lithuanian	rusiška rueletė
Macedonian	руски рулет
Modern Greek	Ρώσικη ρουλέτα
Mongolian	орос рулет
Norwegian	russisk rulett
Polish	rosyjska ruletka
Portuguese	roleta russa
Romanian	ruleta rusească
Russian	русская рулетка
Serbo-Croatian	руски рулет / ruski rulet
Spanish	ruleta rusa
Turkish	Rus ruleti
Ukrainian	російська рулетка
Vietnamese	cò quay Nga

Unrealistic ideal land

This comes from The Birds (Ὄρνιθες), where two men and birds builds a state on the clouds.

language	term
Ancient Greek	Νεφελοκοκκυγία
Czech	Mrakoptakohrad
English	cloud-cuckoo-land
Finnish	Pilvikukkula
French	Coucouville-les-Nuées
German	Wolkenkuckucksheim
Modern Greek	Νεφελοκοκκυγία
Polish	Chmurny Kukułczyn
Portuguese	Cucolândia das Nuvens

This comes from The Peach Blossom Spring (桃花源記), where a fisherman discovers an isolated village hidden behind a peach forest.

language	term
Chinese	桃花源／桃花源
Japanese	桃源郷
Korean	도원향

This comes from Lost Horizon, where people are living hundreds of years in happiness at the isolated village Shangri-La.

language	term
Burmese	ရှန်ဂရီလာ‎
Chinese	香格里拉／香格里拉
English	Shangri-La
Esperanto	Ŝangrilao
Finnish	Shangri-La
French	Shangri-La
German	Shangri-La
Japanese	シャングリラ
Korean	샹그릴라
Mongolian	Шангри-Ла
Portuguese	xangri-lá
Russian	Шангри-Ла

Vulnarability

This comes from the Greek myth, where Thetis dips Achilles in River Styx to make him invulnerable, holding one of his heels, leaving it his only vulnerable point.

language	term
Arabic	كعب أخيل‎
Armenian	աքիլեսյան գարշապար
Asturian	calcañu d'Aquiles
Bulgarian	Ахилесова пета
Catalan	taló d'Aquil·les
Chinese	阿喀琉斯之踵／阿喀琉斯之踵
Czech	Achilova pata
Danish	akilleshæl
Dutch	achilleshiel
English	Achilles' heel
Finnish	akilleenkantapää
French	talon d'Achille
Galician	talón de Aquiles
Georgian	აქილევსის ქუსლი
German	Achillesferse
Hungarian	Achilles-sarok
Interlingua	calce de Achilles
Iranian Persian	پاشنه آشیل‎
Italian	tallone di Achille
Japanese	アキレス腱
Korean	아킬레스 건
Macedonian	Ахилова пета
Modern Greek	αχίλλειος πτέρνα
Norwegian	akilleshæl
Polish	pięta Achillesa
Portuguese	calcanhar de Aquiles
Romanian	călcâiul lui Ahile
Russian	ахиллесова пята
Serbo-Croatian	Ахилова пета / Ahilova peta
Spanish	talón de Aquiles
Swedish	akilleshäl
Tagalog	sakong ni Akiles

Wait to get something for nothing by chance

This comes from Master Hán Fēi (韓非子), where a farmer sees a hare bumping into a stump, killing itself; the farmer then stops working, hoping to get another hare the same way.

In Chinese, it has a new meaning: wait for something to happen.

language	term
Chinese	守株待兔／守株待兔
Japanese	株を守もる
Korean	수주대토
Vietnamese	thủ chu đãi thố

Work hard on studies

This comes from the Records of the Grand Historian (史記), where Master Kǒng reads the Book of Change so many times that the binding threads on the book are broken multiple times.

language	term
Chinese	韋編三絕／韦编三绝
Japanese	韋編三絶
Korean	위편삼절