Difference between revisions of "Language/Multiple-languages/Culture/Common-Allusions"

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== Be hasty and fail with inappropriate methods ==
== Aspire for the throne ==
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.
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"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 59: Line 59:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|揠苗助長／揠苗助长
|問鼎／问鼎
拔苗助長／拔苗助长
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|助長抜苗
|鼎の軽重を問う
|}
|}


== Be true to one's words ==
== Awkward imitation ==
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 ''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"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 74: Line 73:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|一諾千金／一诺千金
|東施效顰／东施效颦
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|一諾千金
|顰みに効う
|-
|Korean
|일낙천금
|}
|}


== Between two dangers ==
== Badly imitate others and lose the one's original individuality ==
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.
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"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 90: Line 86:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Danish
|Chinese
|mellem Skylla og Karybdis
|邯鄲學步／邯郸学步
|-
|-
|English
|Japanese
|between Scylla and Charybdis
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Chinese
|Skyllan ja Kharybdiksen välillä
|揠苗助長／揠苗助长
拔苗助長／拔苗助长
|-
|-
|French
|Japanese
|tomber de Charybde en Scylla
|助長抜苗
|-
|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 ==
== Be resolute in one's endeavor ==
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 ''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"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 129: Line 116:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|矛盾
|愚公移山
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|矛盾
|愚公山を移す
|-
|-
|Korean
|Korean
|모순
|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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Chinese
|mâu thuẫn
|一諾千金／一诺千金
|-
|Japanese
|一諾千金
|-
|Korean
|일낙천금
|}
|}


== Costly victory ==
== Between two dangers ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 148: Line 149:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Armenian
|Danish
|պյուռոսյան հաղթանակ
|mellem Skylla og Karybdis
|-
|-
|Azerbaijani
|English
|Pirr qələbəsi
|between Scylla and Charybdis
|-
|-
|Bulgarian
|Finnish
|Пирова победа
|Skyllan ja Kharybdiksen välillä
|-
|-
|Chinese
|French
|皮洛士式勝利／皮洛士式胜利
|tomber de Charybde en Scylla
|-
|-
|Czech
|German
|Pyrrhovo vítězství
|zwischen Skylla und Charybdis sein
|-
|-
|Danish
|Modern Greek
|pyrrhussejr
|μεταξύ Σκύλλας και Χάρυβδης
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Polish
|pyrrusoverwinning
|między Scyllą a Charybdą
|-
|-
|English
|Russian
|Pyrrhic victory
|между Сциллой и Харибдой
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Spanish
|Pirha venko
|entre Escila y Caribdis
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Swedish
|Pyrrhoksen voitto
|mellan Skylla och Karybdis
|}
 
== 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?”
 
In Chinese, it has a new meaning: conflict.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|French
|Chinese
|victoire à la Pyrrhus
|矛盾
|-
|-
|German
|Japanese
|Pyrrhussieg
|矛盾
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Korean
|pirruszi győzelem‎
|모순
|-
|-
|Indonesian
|Vietnamese
|kemenangan piris
|mâu thuẫn
|-
|}
|Italian
 
|vittoria di Pirro
== 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.
|Japanese
 
|ピュロスの勝利
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Armenian
|պյուռոսյան հաղթանակ
|-
|-
|Latin
|Azerbaijani
|victoria Pyrrhica
|Pirr qələbəsi
|-
|-
|Macedonian
|Bulgarian
|Пирова победа
|Пирова победа
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Chinese
|Πύρρειος νίκη
|皮洛士式勝利／皮洛士式胜利
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Czech
|pyrrhosseier
|Pyrrhovo vítězství
|-
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|Danish
|pyrrhossiger
|pyrrhussejr
|-
|-
|Polish
|Dutch
|pyrrusowe zwycięstwo
|pyrrusoverwinning
|-
|English
|Pyrrhic victory
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Esperanto
|vitória de Pirro
|Pirha venko
vitória pírrica
|-
|-
|Romanian
|Finnish
|victorie à la Pirus
|Pyrrhoksen voitto
|-
|-
|Russian
|French
|Пиррова победа
|victoire à la Pyrrhus
|-
|-
|Slovak
|German
|Pyrrhovo víťazstvo
|Pyrrhussieg
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Hungarian
|victoria pírrica
|pirruszi győzelem‎
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Indonesian
|pyrrhusseger
|kemenangan piris
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Armenian
|Italian
|Տրոյական ձի
|vittoria di Pirro
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Japanese
|特洛伊木馬／特洛伊木马
|ピュロスの勝利
|-
|-
|Czech
|Latin
|trojský kůň
|victoria Pyrrhica
|-
|-
|Danish
|Macedonian
|trojansk hest
|Пирова победа
|-
|-
|English
|Modern Greek
|Trojan horse
|Πύρρειος νίκη
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Norwegian Bokmål
|troja ĉevalo
|pyrrhosseier
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|Troijan hevonen
|pyrrhossiger
|-
|-
|French
|Polish
|cheval de Troie
|pyrrusowe zwycięstwo
|-
|-
|German
|Portuguese
|trojanisches Pferd
|vitória de Pirro
vitória pírrica
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Romanian
| style="text-align:right" |סוס טרויאני
|victorie à la Pirus
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Russian
|trójai faló‎
|Пиррова победа
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Slovak
|trójuhestur
|Pyrrhovo víťazstvo
|-
|-
|Italian
|Spanish
|cavallo di Troia
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|孟母三遷／孟母三迁
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|トロイの木馬
|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
|-
|-
|Korean
|Chinese
|트로이 목마
|朝三暮四
|-
|-
|Latin
|Japanese
|equus Troianus
|朝三暮四
|-
|-
|Macedonian
|Korean
|Тројанскиот коњ
|조삼모사
|-
|Modern Greek
|δούρειος ίππος
|-
|Polish
|koń trojański
|-
|Portuguese
|cavalo de Troia
|-
|Romanian
|cal troian
|-
|Russian
|Троянский конь
|-
|Spanish
|caballo de Troya
|}
|}


== Deliberate ==
== Device or person placed within the enemy ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
!term
!term
|-
|Armenian
|Տրոյական ձի
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|推敲
|特洛伊木馬／特洛伊木马
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Czech
|推敲
|trojský kůň
|-
|Danish
|trojansk hest
|-
|-
|Korean
|English
|퇴고
|Trojan horse
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Esperanto
|指鹿為馬／指鹿为马
|troja ĉevalo
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Finnish
|指鹿為馬
|Troijan hevonen
|-
|-
|Korean
|French
|지록위마
|cheval de Troie
|}
|-
 
|German
== Excessive extravagance ==
|trojanisches Pferd
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.
|-
 
|Hebrew
{| class="wikitable"
|<div style="text-align:right">סוס טרויאני</div>
!language
|-
!term
|Hungarian
|trójai faló‎
|-
|Icelandic
|trójuhestur
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Italian
|酒池肉林
|cavallo di Troia
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|酒池肉林
|トロイの木馬
|-
|-
|Korean
|Korean
|주지육림
|트로이 목마
|}
|-
 
|Latin
== Face hostilities from all sides ==
|equus Troianus
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.
|-
|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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 370: Line 415:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|四面楚歌
|推敲
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|四面楚歌
|推敲
|-
|-
|Korean
|Korean
|사면초가
|퇴고
|}
|}


== Flawless ==
== Distinct difference between the good and the evil ==
This comes from the story in the ''Records of Spirits and Monsters'' (靈怪錄), where the clothing from heaven has no seams.
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
|}


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


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 389: Line 446:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|天衣無縫／天衣无缝
|指鹿為馬／指鹿为马
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|天衣無縫
|指鹿為馬
|-
|-
|Korean
|Korean
|천의무봉
|지록위마
|}
|}


== Harmful person in peaceful disguise ==
== Excessive extravagance ==
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.”
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 405: Line 462:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Albanian
|Chinese
|ujk me lëkurë qengji
|酒池肉林
|-
|-
|Belarusian
|Japanese
|воўк у авечай шкуры
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|披著羊皮的狼／披着羊皮的狼
|四面楚歌
|-
|-
|Czech
|Japanese
|vlk v rouše beránčím
|四面楚歌
|-
|-
|Danish
|Korean
|ulv i fåreklæder
|사면초가
|-
|}
|Dutch
 
|wolf in schaapskleren
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|English
|Chinese
|wolf in sheep's clothing
|天衣無縫／天衣无缝
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Japanese
|susi lampaan vaatteissa
|天衣無縫
|-
|-
|French
|Korean
|loup déguisé en agneau
|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
|-
|-
|Galician
|Chinese
|lobo con pel de ovella
|得隴望蜀／得陇望蜀
|-
|-
|Georgian
|Japanese
|მგელი ცხვრის ტყავში
|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
|-
|-
|German
|Chinese
|Wolf im Schafspelz
|杞人憂天／杞人忧天
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Japanese
|भेड़ की खाल में भेड़िया
|杞憂
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Korean
|báránybőrbe bújt farkas
|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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Albanian
|úlfur í sauðargæru
|ujk me lëkurë qengji
|-
|-
|Iranian Persian
|Belarusian
| style="text-align:right" |گرگ در لباس میش‎
|воўк у авечай шкуры
|-
|-
|Italian
|Chinese
|lupo travestito da agnello
|披著羊皮的狼／披着羊皮的狼
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Czech
|羊の皮を着た狼
|vlk v rouše beránčím
|-
|-
|Kirgiz
|Danish
|кой терисин жамынган карышкыр
|ulv i fåreklæder
|-
|-
|Latin
|Dutch
|lupus in vestimentum ovium
|wolf in schaapskleren
|-
|-
|Latvian
|English
|vilks aitas ādā
|wolf in sheep's clothing
|-
|-
|Lithuanian
|Finnish
|vilkas avies kailyje
|susi lampaan vaatteissa
|-
|-
|Malagasy
|French
|amboadia mitafy hodi-janak' ondry
|loup déguisé en agneau
|-
|-
|Malay
|Galician
|serigala berbulu domba
|lobo con pel de ovella
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Georgian
|λύκος εις δέρμα προβάτου
|მგელი ცხვრის ტყავში
λύκος με προβιά αρνιού
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|German
|ulv i fåreklær
|Wolf im Schafspelz
|-
|-
|Polish
|Hindi
|wilk w owczej skórze
|भेड़ की खाल में भेड़िया
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Hungarian
|lobo em pele de cordeiro
|báránybőrbe bújt farkas
|-
|-
|Romanian
|Icelandic
|lup îmbrăcat în piele de oaie
|úlfur í sauðargæru
|-
|-
|Russian
|Iranian Persian
|волк в овечьей шкуре
|<div style="text-align:right">گرگ در لباس میش‎</div>
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Italian
|вук у јањећој кожи / vuk u janjećoj koži
|lupo travestito da agnello
|-
|-
|Slovenian
|Japanese
|volk v ovčji koži
|羊の皮を着た狼
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Kirgiz
|un lobo con piel de cordero
|кой терисин жамынган карышкыр
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Latin
|ulv i fårakläder
|lupus in vestimentum ovium
|-
|-
|Ukrainian
|Latvian
|вовк в овечій шкурі
|vilks aitas ādā
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Lithuanian
|sói đội lốt cừu
|vilkas avies kailyje
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Malagasy
|夜郎自大
|amboadia mitafy hodi-janak' ondry
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Malay
|夜郎自大
|serigala berbulu domba
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Modern Greek
|畫餅／画饼
|λύκος με δέρμα προβάτου
λύκος με προβιά αρνιού
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Norwegian
|画餅
|ulv i fåreklær
|}
 
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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|English
|Polish
|pie in the sky
|wilk w owczej skórze
|-
|Portuguese
|lobo em pele de cordeiro
|-
|Romanian
|lup îmbrăcat în piele de oaie
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|журавль в небе
|волк в овечьей шкуре
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Serbo-Croatian
|臥薪嘗膽／卧薪尝胆
|вук у јањећој кожи / vuk u janjećoj koži
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Slovenian
|臥薪嘗膽
|volk v ovčji koži
|-
|-
|Korean
|Spanish
|와신상담
|un lobo con piel de cordero
|-
|Swedish
|ulv i fårakläder
|-
|Ukrainian
|вовк в овечій шкурі
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Vietnamese
|nếm mật nằm gai
|sói đội lốt cừu
nằm gai nếm mật
|}
|}


== Improve something unnecessarily ==
== Ignorant and arrogant ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 585: Line 664:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|畫蛇添足／画蛇添足
|夜郎自大
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|画蛇添足
|夜郎自大
|-
|Korean
|화사첨족
|-
|Vietnamese
|hoạ xà thiêm túc
vẽ rắn thêm chân
|}
|}


== Intimidate others with powerful connections ==
== Illusory good thing ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 606: Line 678:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|狐假虎威
|畫餅／画饼
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|虎の威を借る狐
|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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|English
|pie in the sky
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Russian
|cáo mượn oai hùm
|журавль в небе
|}
|}


== Invasive authority with mass surveillance ==
== Impose oneself hardships to accomplish something ==
This comes from the novel ''1984'', where in the state of Oceania, there is a motto “Big Brother is watching you” referring to the applied mass surveillance.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 623: Line 705:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|老大哥
|臥薪嘗膽／卧薪尝胆
|-
|-
|English
|Japanese
|Big Brother
|臥薪嘗膽
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Korean
|isoveli
|와신상담
|-
|-
|French
|Vietnamese
|Big Brother
|nếm mật nằm gai
nằm gai nếm mật
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Chinese
|Nagy Testvér
|畫蛇添足／画蛇添足
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Japanese
|Μεγάλος Αδελφός
|画蛇添足
|-
|-
|Polish
|Korean
|Wielki Brat
|화사첨족
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Vietnamese
|Grande Irmão
|hoạ xà thiêm túc
|-
vẽ rắn thêm chân
|Russian
|Большо́й Брат
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|велики брат / veliki brat
|-
|Spanish
|Gran Hermano
|-
|Swedish
|storebror
|}
|}


== Laborious and futile task ==
== Innocent and attractive girl ==
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.
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"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
!term
!term
|-
|Chinese
|蘿莉／萝莉
|-
|Czech
|lolita
|-
|-
|Danish
|Danish
|sisyfosarbejde
|lolita
|-
|-
|English
|English
|Sisyphean labour
|lolita
|-
|Finnish
|lolita
|-
|-
|French
|Japanese
|rocher de Sisyphe
|ロリ
|-
|-
|German
|Korean
|Sisyphusarbeit‎
|로리
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|Σισύφειο μαρτύριο
|λολίτα
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|сизифов труд
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|狐假虎威
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Japanese
|sisyfosarbete
|虎の威を借る狐
|-
|-
|Ukrainian
|Vietnamese
|сізіфова праця
|cáo mượn oai hùm
|}
|}


== Land of abundance ==
== Invasive authority with mass surveillance ==
This comes from the story in ''Book of Exodus'' (שְׁמוֹת), where the Lord refers the Land of Israel “land flowing with milk and honey”.
This comes from the novel ''1984'', where in the state of Oceania, there is a motto “Big Brother is watching you” referring to the applied mass surveillance.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!language
!term
!term
|-
|Chinese
|老大哥
|-
|-
|English
|English
|land of milk and honey
|Big Brother
|-
|Finnish
|isoveli
|-
|-
|French
|French
|pays où coulent le lait et le miel
|Big Brother
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Hungarian
| style="text-align:right" |ארֶץ זבת חלב וּדְבש‎
|Nagy Testvér
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|Η γη που ρέει γάλα και μέλι.
|Μεγάλος Αδελφός
|-
|-
|Polish
|Polish
|kraina mlekiem i miodem płynąca‎
|Wielki Brat
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Portuguese
|terra de leite e mel
|Grande Irmão
|-
|Russian
|Большо́й Брат
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|велики брат / veliki brat
|-
|Spanish
|Gran Hermano
|-
|Swedish
|storebror
|}
|}


== Lies are accepted after being repeated ==
== Laborious and futile task ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 724: Line 842:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Danish
|三人成虎
|sisyfosarbejde
|-
|English
|Sisyphean labour
|-
|French
|rocher de Sisyphe
|-
|German
|Sisyphusarbeit‎
|-
|Modern Greek
|Σισύφειο μαρτύριο
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Russian
|三人虎を成す
|сизифов труд
|-
|-
|Korean
|Swedish
|삼인성호
|sisyfosarbete
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Ukrainian
|tam nhân thành hổ
|сізіфова праця
|}
|}


== Lowly skills ==
== Land of abundance ==
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: he tries to ask King Zhāo of Qín's favourite lady for help; she asks for a white fox-fur coat; he has already presented such a coat to the King Zhāo of Qín as a gift and has no other coat; one of his retainers steals it from Qín treasury back so he can present it to that lady; King Zhāo of Qín is persuaded by the lady, allows Lord Mèngcháng to return; soon King Zhāo of Qín regrets it and sends men to find Lord Mèngcháng; in the midnight, Lord Mèngcháng and his men are stopped at the Hángǔ Pass, because the law does not allow exiting until morning when cocks cry; one of his retainers imitates cock's cry, the cocks nearby all start crying; Lord Mèngcháng and his men exit the Pass before the pursuers arrive.
This comes from the story in ''Book of Exodus'' (שְׁמוֹת), where the Lord refers the Land of Israel “land flowing with milk and honey”.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 744: Line 874:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|English
|雞鳴狗盜／鸡鸣狗盗
|land of milk and honey
|-
|French
|pays où coulent le lait et le miel
|-
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">ארֶץ זבת חלב וּדְבש‎</div>
|-
|Modern Greek
|Η γη που ρέει γάλα και μέλι.
|-
|Polish
|kraina mlekiem i miodem płynąca‎
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Portuguese
|鶏鳴狗盗
|terra de leite e mel
|}
|}


== Misfortune may turn into fortune and vice versa ==
== Lies are accepted after being repeated ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 759: Line 901:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|塞翁失馬，焉知非福／塞翁失马，焉知非福
|三人成虎
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|人間万事塞翁が馬
|三人虎を成す
|-
|-
|Korean
|Korean
|인간만사 새옹지마
|삼인성호
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Vietnamese
|tái ông thất mã, yên tri phi phúc
|tam nhân thành hổ
|}
|}


== Obvious matter being ignored ==
== Lose the goal when facing too many choices ==
This comes from the fable ''The Inquisitive Man'' (Любопытный), where a man notices everything except an elephant in a room, in a museum.
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"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 778: Line 920:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Amharic
|Chinese
|በክፍሉ ውስጥ ዝሆን
|歧路亡羊
|-
|-
|Armenian
|Japanese
|փիղ մեջ տարածությունը
|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: he tries to ask King Zhāo of Qín's favourite lady for help; she asks for a white fox-fur coat; he has already presented such a coat to the King Zhāo of Qín as a gift and has no other coat; one of his retainers steals it from Qín treasury back so he can present it to that lady; King Zhāo of Qín is persuaded by the lady, allows Lord Mèngcháng to return; soon King Zhāo of Qín regrets it and sends men to find Lord Mèngcháng; in the midnight, Lord Mèngcháng and his men are stopped at the Hángǔ Pass, because the law does not allow exiting until morning when cocks cry; one of his retainers imitates cock's cry, the cocks nearby all start crying; Lord Mèngcháng and his men exit the Pass before the pursuers arrive.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|房間裡的大象／房间里的大象
|雞鳴狗盜／鸡鸣狗盗
|-
|-
|Danish
|Japanese
|olifant in de kamer
|鶏鳴狗盗
|-
|}
|English
 
|elephant in the room
== Mature and attractive girl ==
This comes from the Greek myth, which indicates a female natural spirit.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|English
|elefanto en la ĉambro
|nymph
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Galician
|virtahepo olohuoneessa
|ninfa
|-
|-
|French
|German
|éléphant dans la pièce
|Nymphe
|-
|-
|Georgian
|Italian
|ადგილში სპილო
|ninfa
|-
|-
|German
|Macedonian
|Elefant im Raum
|нимфа
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Norwegian
| style="text-align:right" |פיל בחדר‎
|nymfe
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Portuguese
|कमरे में हाथी
|ninfe
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Russian
|elefánt a szobában
|нимфа
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Spanish
|gajah di dalam sang kamar
|ninfa
|-
|-
|Italian
|Swedish
|elefante nella stanza
|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
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|塞翁失馬，焉知非福／塞翁失马，焉知非福
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|部屋の象
|人間万事塞翁が馬
|-
|-
|Korean
|Korean
|방안의 코끼리
|인간만사 새옹지마
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Vietnamese
|ελέφαντας στο δωμάτιο
|tái ông thất mã, yên tri phi phúc
|-
|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
|}
|}


== Panic and be overly sensitive ==
== Obvious matter being ignored ==
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.
This comes from the fable ''The Inquisitive Man'' (Любопытный), where a man notices everything except an elephant in a room, in a museum.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 861: Line 1,021:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Amharic
|風聲鶴唳／风声鹤唳
|በክፍሉ ውስጥ ዝሆን
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Armenian
|風声鶴唳
|փիղ մեջ տարածությունը
|-
|-
|Korean
|Chinese
|풍성학려
|房間裡的大象／房间里的大象
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Danish
| style="text-align:right" |كبش فداء
|olifant in de kamer
|-
|-
|Armenian
|English
|քավության նոխազ
|elephant in the room
|-
|-
|Bulgarian
|Esperanto
|изкупителна жертва
|elefanto en la ĉambro
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Finnish
|boc expiatori
|virtahepo olohuoneessa
|-
|-
|Chinese
|French
|替罪羊
|éléphant dans la pièce
|-
|-
|Czech
|Georgian
|obětní beránek
|ადგილში სპილო
|-
|-
|Danish
|German
|syndebuk
|Elefant im Raum
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Hebrew
|zondebok
|<div style="text-align:right">פיל בחדר‎</div>
|-
|-
|English
|Hindi
|scapegoat
|कमरे में हाथी
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Hungarian
|propeka kapro
|elefánt a szobában
|-
|-
|Faroese
|Icelandic
|syndabukkur
|gajah di dalam sang kamar
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Italian
|syntipukki
|elefante nella stanza
|-
|-
|French
|Japanese
|bouc émissaire
|部屋の象
|-
|-
|Georgian
|Korean
|განტევების ვაცი
|방안의 코끼리
|-
|-
|German
|Modern Greek
|Sündenbock
|ελέφαντας στο δωμάτιο
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Polish
| style="text-align:right" |שעיר לעזאזל‎
|słoń w salonie
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Portuguese
|बकरा
|elefante na sala
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Romanian
|bűnbak
|elefantul din cameră
|-
|-
|Icelandic
|Russian
|blóraböggull
|слона-то я и не приметил
|-
|-
|Irish
|Spanish
|ceap milleáin
|elefante en la habitación
|-
|-
|Italian
|Swedish
|capro espiatorio
|elefanten i rummet
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Thai
|スケープゴート
|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
|-
|-
|Latvian
|Chinese
|grēkāzis
|他山之石
|-
|-
|Lithuanian
|Japanese
|atpirkimo ožys
|他山の石
|-
|-
|Macedonian
|Korean
|жртвен јарец
|타산지석
|-
|}
|Malayalam
 
|ബലിയാട്
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Chinese
|αποδιοπομπαίος τράγος
|風聲鶴唳／风声鹤唳
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|Japanese
|syndebukk
|風声鶴唳
|-
|-
|Polish
|Korean
|kozioł ofiarny
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Russian
|Arabic
|козёл отпущения
|<div style="text-align:right">كبش فداء</div>
|-
|-
|Serbo-Croatian
|Armenian
|жртвени јарац / žrtveni jarac
|քավության նոխազ
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Bulgarian
|cabeza de turco
|изкупителна жертва
chivo expiatorio
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Catalan
|syndabock
|boc expiatori
|-
|-
|Thai
|Chinese
|แพะรับบาป
|替罪羊
|-
|-
|Turkish
|Czech
|günah keçisi
|obětní beránek
|-
|-
|Ukrainian
|Danish
|козел відпущення
|syndebuk
|-
|-
|Welsh
|Dutch
|bwch dihangol
|zondebok
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|English
|曲突徙薪
|scapegoat
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Esperanto
|曲突徙薪
|propeka kapro
|}
 
== 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”.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Faroese
|奇貨可居／奇货可居
|syndabukkur
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Finnish
|奇貨居くべし
|syntipukki
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|French
|kỳ hóa khả cư
|bouc émissaire
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Georgian
| style="text-align:right" |سيف مسلت
|განტევების ვაცი
|-
|-
|Armenian
|German
|դամոկլյան սուր
|Sündenbock
|-
|-
|Bulgarian
|Hebrew
|дамоклев меч
|<div style="text-align:right">שעיר לעזאזל‎</div>
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Hindi
|espasa de Dàmocles
|बकरा
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Hungarian
|達摩克利斯之劍／达摩克利斯之剑
|bűnbak
|-
|-
|Danish
|Icelandic
|damoklessværd
|blóraböggull
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Irish
|zwaard van Damocles
|ceap milleáin
|-
|-
|English
|Italian
|sword of Damocles
|capro espiatorio
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Japanese
|glavo de Damoklo
|スケープゴート
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Latvian
|Damokleen miekka
|grēkāzis
|-
|-
|French
|Lithuanian
|épée de Damoclès
|atpirkimo ožys
|-
|-
|German
|Macedonian
|Damoklesschwert
|жртвен јарец
|-
|-
|Hausa
|Malayalam
|takobin damokilis
|ബലിയാട്
|-
|Hebrew
| style="text-align:right" |חרב דמוקלס‎
|-
|Hungarian
|Damoklész kardja
|-
|Italian
|cavar le castagne dal fuoco
|-
|Japanese
|ダモクレスの剣
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|Δαμόκλειος σπάθη
|αποδιοπομπαίος τράγος
|-
|-
|Norwegian
|Norwegian
|damoklessverd
|syndebukk
|-
|-
|Polish
|Polish
|miecz Damoklesa
|kozioł ofiarny
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Russian
|espada de Dâmocles
|козёл отпущения
|-
|-
|Russian
|Serbo-Croatian
|дамоклов меч
|жртвени јарац / žrtveni jarac
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Spanish
|espada de Damocles
|cabeza de turco
chivo expiatorio
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Swedish
|damoklessvärd
|syndabock
|-
|Thai
|แพะรับบาป
|-
|Turkish
|günah keçisi
|-
|Ukrainian
|козел відпущення
|-
|Welsh
|bwch dihangol
|}
|}


== Put on the finishing touches ==
== Prevent trouble from happening ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 1,110: Line 1,259:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|畫龍點睛／画龙点睛
|曲突徙薪
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|画竜点睛
|曲突徙薪
|-
|Korean
|화룡점정
|}
|}


== Recommend oneself ==
== Profiteer from special skills ==
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.
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”.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 1,127: Line 1,273:
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|毛遂自薦／毛遂自荐
|奇貨可居／奇货可居
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
|毛遂自薦
|奇貨居くべし
|-
|Vietnamese
|kỳ hóa khả cư
|}
|}


== Refuse to adapt to changed conditions ==
== Prolonged high risk for a position ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 1,140: Line 1,289:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Arabic
|刻舟求劍／刻舟求剑
|<div style="text-align:right">سيف مسلت</div>
|-
|Armenian
|դամոկլյան սուր
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Bulgarian
|舟に刻みて剣を求む
|дамоклев меч
|-
|-
|Korean
|Catalan
|각주구검
|espasa de Dàmocles
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Chinese
|khắc chu cầu kiếm
|達摩克利斯之劍／达摩克利斯之剑
|}
|-
 
|Danish
== Share the same fate ==
|damoklessværd
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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Dutch
|脣亡齒寒／唇亡齿寒
|zwaard van Damocles
|-
|-
|Japanese
|English
|唇亡歯寒
|sword of Damocles
|-
|-
|Korean
|Esperanto
|순망치한
|glavo de Damoklo
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Finnish
|môi hở răng lạnh
|Damokleen miekka
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Czech
|rozetnout gordický uzel
|-
|English
|cut the Gordian knot
|-
|Finnish
|avata Gordionin solmu
|-
|-
|French
|French
|trancher le nœud gordien
|épée de Damoclès
|-
|-
|German
|German
|den gordischen Knoten durchhauen
|Damoklesschwert
|}
 
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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Hausa
|快刀斬亂麻／快刀斩乱麻
|takobin damokilis
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Hebrew
|快刀乱麻を断つ
|<div style="text-align:right">חרב דמוקלס‎</div>
|}
 
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Hungarian
|皇帝的新裝／皇帝的新装
|Damoklész kardja
|-
|-
|Danish
|Italian
|kejserens nye klæder
|cavar le castagne dal fuoco
|-
|-
|English
|Japanese
|the emperor's new clothes
|ダモクレスの剣
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Modern Greek
|keisarin uudet vaatteet
|Δαμόκλειος σπάθη
|-
|-
|French
|Norwegian
|Les habits neufs de l'empereur
|damoklessverd
|-
|Polish
|miecz Damoklesa
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Portuguese
|roupa nova do imperador
|espada de Dâmocles
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|Новое платье короля
|дамоклов меч
|-
|-
|Slovak
|Spanish
|cisárove nové šaty
|espada de Damocles
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Swedish
|kejsarens nya kläder
|damoklessvärd
|}
|}


== Source of unforeseen trouble ==
== Put on the finishing touches ==
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.
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.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 1,251: Line 1,369:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Albanian
|Chinese
|kutia e Pandorës
|畫龍點睛／画龙点睛
|-
|-
|Armenian
|Japanese
|Պանդորայի արկղ
|画竜点睛
|-
|-
|Bashkir
|Korean
|Пандора ҡумтаһы
|화룡점정
|-
|}
|Bulgarian
 
|кутията на Пандора
== 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.
|Catalan
 
|capsa de Pandora
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|潘多拉魔盒
|宋襄之仁
|-
|-
|Czech
|Japanese
|Pandořina skříňka
|宋襄の仁
|-
|-
|Danish
|Korean
|Pandoras æske
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Dutch
|Chinese
|doos van Pandora
|毛遂自薦／毛遂自荐
|-
|-
|Esperanto
|Japanese
|skatolo de Pandora
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|English
|Chinese
|Pandora's box
|刻舟求劍／刻舟求剑
|-
|-
|Faroese
|Japanese
|eskjan hjá Pandoru
|舟に刻みて剣を求む
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Korean
|Pandoran lipas
|각주구검
|-
|-
|French
|Vietnamese
|boîte de Pandore
|khắc chu cầu kiếm
|-
|}
|Georgian
 
|cპანდორას ყუთი
== 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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|German
|Chinese
|Pandorabüchse
|脣亡齒寒／唇亡齿寒
Büchse der Pandora
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Japanese
| style="text-align:right" |תיבת פנדורה‎
|唇亡歯寒
|-
|-
|Hindi
|Korean
|पैन्डोरा का बॉक्स
|순망치한
|-
|-
|Hungarian
|Vietnamese
|Pandóra szelencéje
|môi hở răng lạnh
|-
|}
|Indonesian
 
|kotak Pandora
== 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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Italian
|Czech
|vaso di Pandora
|rozetnout gordický uzel
|-
|-
|Japanese
|English
|パンドラの箱
|cut the Gordian knot
|-
|-
|Kazakh
|Finnish
|Пандора қалбыры
|avata Gordionin solmu
|-
|-
|Korean
|French
|판도라의 상자
|trancher le nœud gordien
|-
|-
|Latvian
|German
|Pandoras lāde
|den gordischen Knoten durchhauen
|-
|-
|Macedonian
|Modern Greek
|Пандорина кутија
|λύνω το Γόρδιο δεσμό
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Modern Greek
|κουτί της Πανδώρας
|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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Chinese
|pandoraeske
|快刀斬亂麻／快刀斩乱麻
|-
|-
|Occitan
|Japanese
|boita de Pandora
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Panjabi
|Chinese
|ਪੰਡੋਰਾ ਦਾ ਡੱਬਾ
|皇帝的新裝／皇帝的新装
|-
|-
|Polish
|Danish
|puszka Pandory
|kejserens nye klæder
|-
|English
|the emperor's new clothes
|-
|Finnish
|keisarin uudet vaatteet
|-
|French
|Les habits neufs de l'empereur
|-
|-
|Portuguese
|Portuguese
|caixa de Pandora
|roupa nova do imperador
|-
|Romanian
|cutia Pandorei
|-
|-
|Russian
|Russian
|ящик Пандоры
|Новое платье короля
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Slovak
|caja de Pandora
|cisárove nové šaty
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Swedish
|Pandoras ask
|kejsarens nya kläder
|-
|}
|Tamil
 
|பண்டோராவின் பெட்டி
== 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.
|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.”


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 1,383: Line 1,534:
!term
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Albanian
|膠柱鼓瑟／胶柱鼓瑟
|kutia e Pandorës
|-
|Armenian
|Պանդորայի արկղ
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Bashkir
|柱に膠して瑟を鼓す
|Пандора ҡумтаһы
|}
|-
 
|Bulgarian
== Take damage for others without getting proper rewards ==
|кутията на Пандора
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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Catalan
|treure les castanyes del foc
|capsa de Pandora
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Chinese
|火中取栗
|潘多拉魔盒
|-
|Czech
|Pandořina skříňka
|-
|-
|Danish
|Danish
|rage kastanjerne ud af ilden
|Pandoras æske
|-
|Dutch
|doos van Pandora
|-
|Esperanto
|skatolo de Pandora
|-
|-
|English
|English
|pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire
|Pandora's box
|-
|Faroese
|eskjan hjá Pandoru
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Finnish
|hoitaa jonkun homma
|Pandoran lipas
|-
|-
|French
|French
|tirer les marrons du feu
|boîte de Pandore
|-
|Georgian
|cპანდორას ყუთი
|-
|-
|German
|German
|die Kastanien aus dem Feuer holen
|Pandorabüchse
Büchse der Pandora
|-
|-
|Italian
|Hebrew
|cavar le castagne dal fuoco
|<div style="text-align:right">תיבת פנדורה‎</div>
|-
|-
|Modern Greek
|Hindi
|βγάζω τα κάστανα από τη φωτιά
|पैन्डोरा का बॉक्स
|-
|-
|Norwegian Bokmål
|Hungarian
|rake kastanjene ut av ilden
|Pandóra szelencéje
|-
|-
|Norwegian Nynorsk
|Indonesian
|rake kastanjane ut av elden
|kotak Pandora
|-
|-
|Polish
|Italian
|wyciągać kasztany z ognia
|vaso di Pandora
|-
|-
|Russian
|Japanese
|доставать каштаны из огня
|パンドラの箱
|-
|-
|Spanish
|Kazakh
|sacar las castañas del fuego
|Пандора қалбыры
|-
|-
|Swedish
|Korean
|kratsa kastanjerna ur elden
|판도라의 상자
|}
 
== 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 song Qīng Jué towards a cattle and the cattle continues to eat grass as before.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Latvian
|對牛彈琴／对牛弹琴
|Pandoras lāde
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Macedonian
|牛に対して琴を弾ず
|Пандорина кутија
|-
|-
|Korean
|Modern Greek
|대우탄금
|κουτί της Πανδώρας
|-
|-
|Thai
|Norwegian Bokmål
|สีซอให้ควายฟัง
|pandoraeske
|-
|-
|Vietnamese
|Occitan
|đối ngưu đàn cầm
|boita de Pandora
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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Panjabi
|錐處囊中／锥处囊中
|ਪੰਡੋਰਾ ਦਾ ਡੱਬਾ
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Polish
|嚢中の錐
|puszka Pandory
|}
 
== The most decent person ==
This comes from the ''Gospel of Matthew'' (Κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιον), where the Lord calls “salt of the earth”.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Arabic
|Portuguese
|<div style="text-align:right">ملح الأرض</div>
|caixa de Pandora
|-
|-
|Finnish
|Romanian
|maan suola
|cutia Pandorei
|-
|-
|French
|Russian
|sel de la Terre
|ящик Пандоры
|-
|-
|German
|Spanish
|Salz der Erde
|caja de Pandora
|-
|-
|Hebrew
|Swedish
|<div style="text-align:right">מלח הארץ‎</div>
|Pandoras ask
|-
|-
|Italian
|Tamil
|sale della terra
|பண்டோராவின் பெட்டி
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Turkish
|地の塩
|Pandora'nın kutusu
|-
|-
|Korean
|Ukrainian
|세상의 소금
|скринька Пандори
|-
|-
|Latin
|Uzbek
|sal terrae
|Pandora qutisi
|-
|-
|Old Armenian
|Vietnamese
|աղ երկրի
|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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|-
|Old English
|Chinese
|eorþan sealt
|膠柱鼓瑟／胶柱鼓瑟
|-
|-
|Polish
|Japanese
|sól ziemi
|柱に膠して瑟を鼓す
|-
|}
|Portuguese
 
|sal da terra
== 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.
|Romanian
 
|sarea pământului
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!language
|Russian
!term
|соль земли
|-
|-
|Catalan
|Spanish
|treure les castanyes del foc
|sal de la tierra
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Swedish
|火中取栗
|Jordens salt
|-
|-
|Danish
|Thai
|rage kastanjerne ud af ilden
|กลือแห่งโลก
|-
|-
|English
|Welsh
|pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire
|halen y ddaear
|-
|}
|Finnish
 
|hoitaa jonkun homma
== 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.”
|French
 
|tirer les marrons du feu
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!language
|German
!term
|die Kastanien aus dem Feuer holen
|-
|-
|Chinese
|Italian
|滄海桑田／沧海桑田
|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.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!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
|đối ngưu đàn cầm
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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!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”.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Arabic
|<div style="text-align:right">ملح الأرض</div>
|-
|Ancient Greek
|τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς
|-
|Finnish
|maan suola
|-
|French
|sel de la Terre
|-
|German
|Salz der Erde
|-
|Hebrew
|<div style="text-align:right">מלח הארץ‎</div>
|-
|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.
 
{| 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
|}
 
== 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.”
 
{| class="wikitable"
!language
!term
|-
|Chinese
|滄海桑田／沧海桑田
|-
|-
|Japanese
|Japanese
Line 1,613: Line 1,950:
|-
|-
|Iranian Persian
|Iranian Persian
| style="text-align:right" |رولت روسی‎
|<div style="text-align:right">رولت روسی‎</div>
|-
|-
|Italian
|Italian
Line 1,872: Line 2,209:
== 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"

Latest revision as of 01:40, 25 April 2024

Common-allusions-different-languages.png

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 五十歩百歩

Aspire for the throne[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

拔苗助長／拔苗助长

Japanese 助長抜苗

Be resolute in one's endeavor[edit | edit source]

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.

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

Be true to one's words[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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.

language term
Chinese 矛盾
Japanese 矛盾
Korean 모순
Vietnamese mâu thuẫn

Costly victory[edit | edit source]

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 de Pirro

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 朝三暮四
Korean 조삼모사

Device or person placed within the enemy[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 推敲
Korean 퇴고

Distinct difference between the good and the evil[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 酒池肉林
Korean 주지육림

Face hostilities from all sides[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 四面楚歌
Korean 사면초가

Flawless[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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 δέρμα προβάτου

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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 夜郎自大

Illusory good thing[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

nằm gai nếm mật

Improve something unnecessarily[edit | edit source]

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 hoạ xà thiêm túc

vẽ rắn thêm chân

Innocent and attractive girl[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 虎の威を借る狐
Vietnamese cáo mượn oai hùm

Invasive authority with mass surveillance[edit | edit source]

This comes from the novel 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
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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 三人虎を成す
Korean 삼인성호
Vietnamese tam nhân thành hổ

Lose the goal when facing too many choices[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 多岐亡羊

Lowly skills[edit | edit source]

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: he tries to ask King Zhāo of Qín's favourite lady for help; she asks for a white fox-fur coat; he has already presented such a coat to the King Zhāo of Qín as a gift and has no other coat; one of his retainers steals it from Qín treasury back so he can present it to that lady; King Zhāo of Qín is persuaded by the lady, allows Lord Mèngcháng to return; soon King Zhāo of Qín regrets it and sends men to find Lord Mèngcháng; in the midnight, Lord Mèngcháng and his men are stopped at the Hángǔ Pass, because the law does not allow exiting until morning when cocks cry; one of his retainers imitates cock's cry, the cocks nearby all start crying; Lord Mèngcháng and his men exit the Pass before the pursuers arrive.

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

Mature and attractive girl[edit | edit source]

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

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

Meaningless fighting[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

Other people's helpful opinion or experience[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 他山の石
Korean 타산지석

Panic and be overly sensitive[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
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 cabeza de turco

chivo expiatorio

Swedish syndabock
Thai แพะรับบาป
Turkish günah keçisi
Ukrainian козел відпущення
Welsh bwch dihangol

Prevent trouble from happening[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 曲突徙薪

Profiteer from special skills[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 宋襄の仁
Korean 송양지인

Recommend oneself[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

Solve a seemingly complex problem with a simple and decisive solution[edit | edit source]

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 λύνω το Γόρδιο δεσμό
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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
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

Büchse der Pandora

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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
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[edit | edit source]

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 đối ngưu đàn cầm

đàn gảy tai trâu

Talent will be discovered[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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

language term
Ancient Greek Νεφελοκοκκυγία
Czech Mrakoptakohrad

Kocourkov

English cloud-cuckoo-land
Finnish Pilvikukkula

Hölmölä

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
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
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[edit | edit source]

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
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[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 株を守もる
Korean 수주대토
Vietnamese thủ chu đãi thố

Work hard on studies[edit | edit source]

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
Japanese 韋編三絶
Korean 위편삼절
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