Do you know your share of Chinese proverbs? They are often not the easiest to translate or – even after translation – to understand. Let’s test your wits with a short quiz…

1. Proverb One: 滴(dī)水(shǔi)之(zhī)恩(ēn)当(dāng)以(yǐ)涌(yǒng)泉(quán)相(xiāng)报(bào)
   Literally: A drop of water shall be returned with a burst of spring.
   • A. You may have humble beginnings, but hard work always brings abundance
     B. Even if it was just a little help from others, you should return the favor with all you can when others are in need.
     C. Those that sow the seeds will harvest the benefits.
2. Proverb two: 一(yī)人(rén)吃(chī)饱(bǎo)，全(quán)家(jiā)不(bù)饥(jī)
   Literally: A single member of a family eats; the whole family will not be hungry.
   • A. If one person in the family is happy, the whole family is happy.
     B. The whole family consists of only one person, usually referring to the one not yet married
     C. If one family member gains, he will always share this with his whole family.
3. Proverb three: 冰(bÄ«ng)冻(dòng)三(sān)å°º(chǐ)，非(fÄ“i)一(yÄ«)æ—¥(rì)之(zhÄ«)寒(hán)(ice+freeze+three+units(~feet),not+one+day’s(7th and 8th)+chill)
   Literally: Three feet of ice not result from one day of freezing weather.

   A. A predicament is not formed without a period of events creating it.
   B. Rome was not built in a day.
   C. Praiseworthy results are built step by step.

Think your Chinese understanding is up to scratch? Read the comments to see the answers…

Originally posted 2008-11-24 20:30:42. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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