Embrace the Wisdom of Chinese Sayings with Corpus Chinese

Welcome to the world of Corpus Mandarin, where language learning meets cultural enlightenment. In this article, we explore ten fascinating Chinese sayings that not only enrich your vocabulary but also provide valuable insights into Chinese culture and philosophy. Each saying comes with example dialogues to illustrate their practical application in everyday life. Let’s dive in!

1. 一举两得 (yī jǔ liǎng dé) – Kill Two Birds with One Stone

Dialogue:
A: 我需要学习中文，但我也想锻炼身体。
(Wǒ xūyào xuéxí zhōngwén, dàn wǒ yě xiǎng duànliàn shēntǐ.)
I need to learn Chinese, but I also want to exercise.

B: 你可以边跑步边听中文课，一举两得。
(Nǐ kěyǐ biān pǎobù biān tīng zhōngwén kè, yī jǔ liǎng dé.)
You can listen to Chinese lessons while running, killing two birds with one stone.

2. 爱屋及乌 (ài wū jí wū) – Love Me, Love My Dog

Dialogue:
A: 我女朋友有一只猫，我对猫过敏。
(Wǒ nǚpéngyǒu yǒu yī zhī māo, wǒ duì māo guòmǐn.)
My girlfriend has a cat, but I’m allergic to cats.

B: 爱屋及乌嘛，既然爱你女朋友，也要接受她的爱宠。
(Ài wū jí wū ma, jìrán ài nǐ nǚpéngyǒu, yě yào jiēshòu tā de ài chǒng.)
Love me, love my dog. Since you love your girlfriend, you should also accept her beloved pet.

3. 画龙点睛 (huà lóng diǎn jīng) – The Final Touch to Make It Perfect

Dialogue:
A: 这幅画还差点什么，看起来还不够生动。
(Zhè fú huà hái chà diǎn shénme, kàn qǐlái hái bùgòu shēngdòng.)
What’s missing from this painting? It doesn’t look lively enough.

B: 你需要在画中画龙点睛，加入一只飞鸟或者一片花。
(Nǐ xūyào zài huà zhōng huà lóng diǎn jīng, jiārù yī zhī fēiniǎo huòzhě yī piàn huā.)
You need to add the final touch to the painting, like a flying bird or a blooming flower.

4. 一日千里 (yī rì qiān lǐ) – Rapid Progress

Dialogue:
A: 我最近在学习弹吉他，希望能快速进步。
(Wǒ zuìjìn zài xuéxí tán jítā, xīwàng néng kuàisù jìnbù.)
I’ve been learning to play the guitar recently, hoping to make rapid progress.

B: 只要你每天坚持练习，你的进步一定会一日千里的。
(Zhǐyào nǐ měitiān jiānchí liànxí, nǐ de jìnbù yīdìng huì yī rì qiān lǐ de.)
As long as you practice every day, your progress will surely be rapid.

5. 狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) – To Use Borrowed Power to Bully Others

Dialogue:
A: 那个新来的同事总是对我发号施令，可是他地位并不高。
(Nàgè xīn lái de tóngshì zǒng shì duì wǒ fāhàoshīlìng, kěshì tā dìwèi bìng bù gāo.)
That new colleague always gives me orders, but he doesn’t hold a high position.

B: 他是狐假虎威，借助其他人的权势来欺负你。
(Tā shì hú jiǎ hǔ wēi, jièzhù qítā rén de quánshì lái qīfu nǐ.)
He’s using borrowed power to bully you, taking advantage of someone else’s authority.

6. 亡羊补牢 (wáng yáng bǔ láo) – To Mend the Fold After a Sheep Is Lost

Dialogue:
A: 我刚丢了钱包，里面有很重要的证件。
(Wǒ gāng diū le qiánbāo, lǐmiàn yǒu hěn zhòngyào de zhèngjiàn.)
I just lost my wallet, and it had important documents inside.

B: 亡羊补牢，现在立刻去挂失并补办证件。
(Wáng yáng bǔ láo, xiànzài lìkè qù guàshī bìng bǔbàn zhèngjiàn.)
Mend the fold after a sheep is lost. Go and report the loss and get the documents replaced immediately.

7. 欲速则不达 (yù sù zé bù dá) – Haste Makes Waste

Dialogue:
A: 我觉得我可以在两个星期内完成这个项目。
(Wǒ juédé wǒ kěyǐ zài liǎng gè xīngqí nèi wánchéng zhè gè xiàngmù.)
I think I can complete this project within two weeks.

B: 欲速则不达，不要太急，先做好详细的计划。
(Yù sù zé bù dá, bùyào tài jí, xiān zuòhǎo xiángxì de jìhuà.)
Haste makes waste. Don’t be too hasty, first make a detailed plan.

8. 饮水思源 (yǐn shuǐ sī yuán) – When Drinking Water, Remember Its Source

Dialogue:
A: 我们现在已经取得了成功，但我们不应忘记帮助我们的人。
(Wǒmen xiànzài yǐjīng qǔdé le chénggōng, dàn wǒmen bù yīng wàngjì bāngzhù wǒmen de rén.)
We have achieved success now, but we should not forget the people who helped us.

B: 饮水思源，我们要记得感恩和回报那些支持过我们的人。
(Yǐn shuǐ sī yuán, wǒmen yào jìdé gǎn’ēn hé huíbào nàxiē zhīchí guò wǒmen de rén.)
When drinking water, remember its source. We should remember to be grateful and repay those who supported us.

9. 活到老，学到老 (huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo) – One Is Never Too Old to Learn

Dialogue:
A: 我已经退休了，是否还值得继续学习？
(Wǒ yǐjīng tuìxiū le, shìfǒu hái zhíde jìxù xuéxí?)
I have retired. Is it still worth continuing to learn?

B: 活到老，学到老。学习是一辈子的事情，年龄并不是问题。
(Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo. Xuéxí shì yībèizi de shìqíng, niánlíng bìng bù shì wèntí.)
One is never too old to learn. Learning is a lifelong pursuit, and age is not a problem.

10. 时光荏苒 (shí guāng rěn rǎn) – Time Flies

Dialogue:
A: 我们已经认识了十年了，感觉时间过得好快。
(Wǒmen yǐjīng rènshi le shí nián le, gǎnjué shíjiān guò de hǎo kuài.)
We have known each other for ten years now. It feels like time has flown by.

B: 是啊，时光荏苒，我们要珍惜每一天。
(Shì a, shí guāng rěn rǎn, wǒmen yào zhēnxī měi yītiān.)
Yes, time flies. We should cherish every day we have.

Embrace the wisdom of these Chinese sayings as you embark on your Corpus Mandarin learning journey. Not only will you master the language but you will also gain a deeper appreciation for Chinese culture and philosophy. Happy learning!

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