Editing Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Common-Allusions

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|Japanese
|Japanese
|五十歩百歩
|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.
{| class="wikitable"
!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.
{| class="wikitable"
!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.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|邯鄲學步／邯郸学步
|-
|Japanese
|邯鄲の歩み
|}
|}


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|Japanese
|Japanese
|助長抜苗
|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; an old wise man laughs at him because the mountains are too huge comparing to the work they can do; the old foolish man argues that he has children, his children have children, and the mountain won't get higher, therefore as long as they keep digging, the mountain will be moved eventually; the Jade Emperor learns about this and is moved by his determination, so he sends two deities to move the mountains away.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|愚公移山
|-
|Japanese
|愚公山を移す
|-
|Korean
|우공이산
|}
|}


== Be true to one's words ==
== 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.”
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”


{| class="wikitable"
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== Contradiction ==
== Contradiction ==
This comes from the story in ''Master Huái Nán'' (淮南子), where a merchant sells spears and shields; he says that his shields are so firm that nothing can penetrate them; he also says that his spears are so sharp that they can penetrate anything; someone asks “What about piercing your own shield with your own spear?”
This comes from the story in ''Master Huái Nán'' (淮南子), where a merchant sells spears and shields; he says that his shields are so firm that nothing can penetrate them; he also 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.


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|Swedish
|Swedish
|pyrrhusseger
|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.
{| class="wikitable"
!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.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|朝三暮四
|-
|Japanese
|朝三暮四
|-
|Korean
|조삼모사
|}
|}


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|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">סוס טרויאני</div>
| style="text-align:right" |סוס טרויאני
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Hungarian
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|Korean
|Korean
|퇴고
|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”.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|涇渭／泾渭
|-
|Japanese
|涇渭
|}
|}


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== Excessive extravagance ==
== 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.
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 for a party.


{| class="wikitable"
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|Korean
|Korean
|천의무봉
|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”.
{| class="wikitable"
!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.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|杞人憂天／杞人忧天
|-
|Japanese
|杞憂
|-
|Korean
|기인우천
|}
|}


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|-
|-
|Iranian Persian
|Iranian Persian
|<div style="text-align:right">گرگ در لباس میش‎</div>
| style="text-align:right" |گرگ در لباس میش‎
|-
|-
|Italian
|Italian
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|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|λύκος με δέρμα προβάτου
|λύκος εις δέρμα προβάτου
λύκος με προβιά αρνιού
λύκος με προβιά αρνιού
|-
|-
Line 737: Line 596:
|hoạ xà thiêm túc
|hoạ xà thiêm túc
vẽ rắn thêm chân
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.
{| class="wikitable"
!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
|}
|}


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|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">ארֶץ זבת חלב וּדְבש‎</div>
| style="text-align:right" |ארֶץ זבת חלב וּדְבש‎
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
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|Vietnamese
|Vietnamese
|tam nhân thành hổ
|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.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|歧路亡羊
|-
|Japanese
|多岐亡羊
|}
|}


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|Japanese
|Japanese
|鶏鳴狗盗
|鶏鳴狗盗
|}
== Mature and attractive girl ==
This comes from the Greek myth, which indicates a female natural spirit.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|English
|nymph
|-
|Galician
|ninfa
|-
|German
|Nymphe
|-
|Italian
|ninfa
|-
|Macedonian
|нимфа
|-
|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.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|蝸角鬥爭／蜗角斗争
|-
|Japanese
|蝸牛角上の争い
|}
|}


Line 1,052: Line 809:
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">פיל בחדר‎</div>
| style="text-align:right" |פיל בחדר‎
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Hindi
Line 1,095: Line 852:
|Thai
|Thai
|ช้างในห้อง
|ช้างในห้อง
|}
== 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”.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|他山之石
|-
|Japanese
|他山の石
|-
|Korean
|타산지석
|}
|}


Line 1,139: Line 879:
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">كبش فداء</div>
| style="text-align:right" |كبش فداء
|-
|-
|Armenian
|Armenian
Line 1,184: Line 924:
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">שעיר לעזאזל‎</div>
| style="text-align:right" |שעיר לעזאזל‎
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Hindi
Line 1,290: Line 1,030:
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">سيف مسلت</div>
| style="text-align:right" |سيف مسلت
|-
|-
|Armenian
|Armenian
Line 1,329: Line 1,069:
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">חרב דמוקלס‎</div>
| style="text-align:right" |חרב דמוקלס‎
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Hungarian
Line 1,377: Line 1,117:
|Korean
|Korean
|화룡점정
|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.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|宋襄之仁
|-
|Japanese
|宋襄の仁
|-
|Korean
|송양지인
|}
|}


Line 1,471: Line 1,194:
|German
|German
|den gordischen Knoten durchhauen
|den gordischen Knoten durchhauen
|-
|Modern Greek
|λύνω το Γόρδιο δεσμό
|-
|Modern Greek
|κόβω το Γόρδιο δεσμό
|}
|}


Line 1,584: Line 1,301:
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">תיבת פנדורה‎</div>
| style="text-align:right" |תיבת פנדורה‎
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Hindi
Line 1,727: Line 1,444:


== Talk about something the listener doesn't understand ==
== 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.
This comes from the story in ''Master Móu's Treatise Settling Doubts'' (牟子理惑論), where Gōngmíng Yí plays the qín song Qīng Jué towards a cattle and the cattle continues to eat grass as before.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 1,765: Line 1,482:


== The most decent person ==
== The most decent person ==
This comes from the ''Gospel of Matthew'' (Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον), where the Lord calls his disciples “salt of the earth”.
This comes from the ''Gospel of Matthew'' (Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον), where the Lord calls “salt of the earth”.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 1,773: Line 1,490:
|Arabic
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">ملح الأرض</div>
|<div style="text-align:right">ملح الأرض</div>
|-
|Ancient Greek
|τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Finnish
Line 1,800: Line 1,514:
|Latin
|Latin
|sal terrae
|sal terrae
|-
|Modern Greek
|το αλάτι της γης
|-
|-
|Old Armenian
|Old Armenian
Line 1,833: Line 1,544:
|Welsh
|Welsh
|halen y ddaear
|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.
{| class="wikitable"
!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.
{| class="wikitable"
!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.
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|洛陽紙貴／洛阳纸贵
|-
|Japanese
|洛陽の紙価貴し
|}
|}


Line 1,950: Line 1,613:
|-
|-
|Iranian Persian
|Iranian Persian
|<div style="text-align:right">رولت روسی‎</div>
| style="text-align:right" |رولت روسی‎
|-
|-
|Italian
|Italian
Line 2,209: Line 1,872:
== Wait to get something for nothing by chance ==
== 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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"

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