Happy Chinese New Year and Gōngxǐ Fācái
by Frank YU The Spring Festival is China’s biggest holiday, beloved of the Chinese people. It is a day for
Tie one’s hair on the house beam and prick one’s thigh with an awl (悬梁刺股)|悬梁刺股
悬梁刺股 Xuán liáng cì gǔ Translation: Tie one’s hair on the house beam and prick one’s thigh with an
To get up when the rooster crows and practice sword fighting (闻鸡起舞)|闻鸡起舞
闻鸡起舞 Wén jī qǐ wǔ Translation: To rise up upon hearing the crow of a rooster and practice with the
Read by the light of fireflies and reflecting snow (囊萤映雪)|囊萤映雪
囊萤映雪 Náng yíng yìng xuě Translation: Read by the light of fireflies entrapped in a pouch of thin silk and
When two dogs strive for one bone, a third runs away with it (鹬蚌相争, 渔翁得利)|鹬蚌相争, 渔翁得利
鹬蚌相争, 渔翁得利 Yù bàng xiāng zhēng, yú wēng dé lì Translation: A grapple between a snipe and a clamp benefits
A man from Handan learns how to walk (邯郸学步)|邯郸学步
邯郸学步 Hán dān xué bù Translation: A man from Handan learns how to walk. Meaning: By imitating others, one can
Pulling up rice shoots to help them grow (揠苗助长)|揠苗助长
揠苗助长 Yà miáo zhù zhǎng Translation: Pulling up rice shoots to help them grow. Meaning: Spoil a thing by being
To cut the threads on a loom to encourage learning (断织劝学)|断织劝学
断织劝学 Duàn zhī quàn xué Translation: To cut the threads on a loom to encourage learning. Meaning: To encourage
Looking for the donkey you are riding on (骑驴找驴)|骑驴找驴
骑驴找驴 Qí lǘ zhǎo lǘ Translation: Looking for the donkey on which one is riding. Meaning: Originally it means that
Cutting a wall to steal light (凿壁偷光)|凿壁偷光
凿壁偷光 Záo bì tōu guāng Translation: Cutting a wall to steal light. Meaning: Study hard in difficult conditions. Story This