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List of Chinese proverbs
[[fr:Proverbes chinois]]

These are the humble beginnings of a collection of [[China|Chinese]] [[Proverb|proverbs]] (&#27463;&#24460;&#35486; in [[pinyin]]: xie4 hou4 yu3; &#35578;&#35486; yan4 yu3) and idioms, given in (and sorted by) [[pinyin]] transcription. Formulaic saying/expression (&#25104;&#35486; cheng2 yu3) is the Chinese equivalent of the Japanese [[four-character idiom]].  

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:* Explanation: the dragon-king is a mystical creature that lives underwater and controls the natural bodies of water.  People visit the dragon-king temple to placate him and prevent floods, thus his temple being destroyed by the very forces which he controls is a situational [[irony]].

:&#30011;&#34503;&#28155;&#36275; (pinyin: hua4 she2 tian1 zu2) 
:* Literally: Adding legs when painting a snake.
:* Moral: Don't ruin your work by an unnecessary addition.

:* English: Guilding the Lily (a Lily having its own natural beauty would not be improved by gold-plating).
:&#31354;&#31348;&#26469;&#39118;&#26410;&#24517;&#26080;&#22240; (pinyin: kong1 xue4 lai2 feng2 wei4 bi4 wu2 yin1) 
:* Literally: if [[wind]] comes from an empty [[cave]], it's not without a reason.
:* Moral: Most seemingly strange events and actions have [[logic]]al explanations.

:&#32769;&#39589;&#20239;&#26533;&#65292;&#24535;&#22312;&#21315;&#37324; (pinyin: lao3 ji4 fu2 li4, zhi4 zai4 qian1 li3) 
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:* Note: 'eye sore' and 'boat' rhyme in Cantonese

:&#20804;&#24351;&#22914;&#25163;&#36275;&#65292;&#22827;&#23142;&#22914;&#34915;&#26381; (penkyamp: Henk1 day6 yeu4 saw2 zok1, fu1 fu5 yeu4 yi1 fok6)
:* Literally: Brothers are like arms and legs; husband and wife are like clothing 
:* Meaning: You're stuck with your family, but it's easy to change your spouse.
:* Note: 'leg' and 'clothes' rhyme in Cantonese
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==[[Hakka language |Hakka]] proverbs==
The [[Hakka language|Hakka]] proverbs are sorted by the number of strokes (few to many).  ''Please add Hakka pronunciations''

''Initial source: [http://raid.lcjh.tpc.edu.tw/&#23458;&#23478;&#35486;/guest5.htm &#23458;&#23478;&#35578;&#35486; (Hakka Proverbs)]''

:&#19968;&#19979;&#38647;&#40180;&#22825;&#19979;&#30693;
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:* Literally: walk don't visit prostitutes; sit don't gamble.
:* Moral: Be virtuous not just in public, but in private as well.

:&#20320;&#26377;&#21021;&#19968;&#65292;&#25105;&#26377;&#21313;&#20116;
:* Literally: You have the first day of the month, I the fifteenth.
:* Moral: Everyone has their own talent that will be useful one day or another.
:* comment: (Similar to the English proverb of "Every dog has his day".)

:* comment: Similar to (Everyone gets) 15 minutes of Fame ([[Andy Warholl]].
:&#22971;&#36066;&#23376;&#32918;&#29238;&#20043;&#23532;
:* Literally: Wife virtuous, son filial, father lenient.
:* Moral: The proper behavior of each family member to the others is determined by blood relationship.

:&#39135;&#20841;&#31890;&#40643;&#35910;&#20180;&#65292;&#23601;&#24819;&#35201;&#23416;&#20154;&#19978;&#35199;&#22825;
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:&#36023;&#40569;&#39770;&#25918;&#29983;
:* Literally: Buy a salted fish and set it free.
:* Usage: so ignorant that they can't tell dead from alive.

:&#36938;&#36938;&#37326;&#37326;
:* Literally: Wander, wander; wild, wild.
:* Usage: someone has nothing to do and wanders around.
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:* English: (perhaps) Footloose and fancy-free (without life commitments or lifestyle constraints).


:&#34277;&#26041;&#19977;&#25220;&#27602;&#27515;&#20154;
:* Literally: The medicine from a recipe that have been copied three times (one after another) can kill people. ''[http://www.1stblaze.com/search.phtml?srch=10666357481011207817&a_id=5977&creative_type=1&position=&kwd=recipe&sa_id=AA1VDw Link for more information about recipe]'' 
:* Moral: Excessive enthusiasm can be counterproductive despite its good intention.

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:* Usage: No matter how ferocious -- or untamed for an animal -- you are, there is always a match who excels you, and often, controls your life.

: &#19968;&#21477;&#27595;&#30693;&#65292;&#30334;&#38917;&#28961;&#20195;  (zit5 gu4 m3 zai1, ba4 hang6 vor6/3 dai6)
:* Literally: Ignorant of one phrase, and there won't be anything [wrong] with the hundreds of the matters
:* Usage: Some people thi
nks that by accepting no responsibility, they would not get into troubles with the [[law]].

: &#29238;&#27597;&#30140;&#22237;&#38263;&#27969;&#27700;&#65292;&#22237;&#24819;&#29238;&#27597;&#27193;&#23614;&#39080; (be3 vu4 tiann4 giann4 dng6 lau6 zui4, giann4 siunn3 be3 vu4 ciu3 vue1 hong1)
:* Literally: The parental love for children is lengthy like the stream, but the children only think of the parents like the [[wind]] on the edge of a [[tree]].
:* Usage: Filial piety is often not as reciprocal and as much as the parental love, especially when the children are young and unappreciative.
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:* English (similar): "How sharper than a serpent's tooth is an ungrateful child" - Shakespeare.


: &#25171;&#34382;&#35242;&#20804;&#24351; (pa4 ho4 cin6 hiann6 di6.)
:* Literally: To club a [[tiger]], it takes [[blood]] [[brother]]s.
:* Usage: With [[family]], one can accomplish even the most difficult task.
:* Note: [[Hero]]es defeating ferocious tigers that eat livestocks and even human beings is the theme to various Chinese literature, such as ''[[The Water Margin]]''.

: &#24806;&#24806;&#36611;&#20871;&#34427; (diam3 diam6 ka4 vr6 vang4)
:* Literally: Accompanied with silence is less [[mosquito]]es.
:* Usage: If what one wishes is little attention, talk little. To avoid getting into an unnecessary quarrels, do not speak more than you need to. Perseverance is productive.
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:* English: A closed mouth gathers no flies.
:* English: Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. (The Holy Bible: King James Version, The Proverbs 17:28)


: &#20570;&#30002;&#27969;&#27735; &#23244;&#30002;&#27969;&#28734; (zor4 ga4 lau6 guann6&#65292;hiam6 ga4 lau6 nuann6.)
:* Literally: It takes [[sweat]] to work on things, but it only takes [[saliva]] to criticize things.
:* Usage: Criticism of others' hard work should be considerate, constructive and limited, and not free-flowing, since by not physically doing it, one cannot appreciate the difficulty of a task.



See also:
* [[English proverbs]]
* [[French proverbs]]
* [[German proverbs]]
* [[Japanese proverbs]]
* [[Latin proverbs]]
* [[Polish proverbs]]
* [[Portuguese proverbs]]
* [[Spanish proverbs]]