Animal Proverbs: Can't get both fish and a bear's paw
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IN THIS LESSON
ID: 4265
Intermediate
Animal metaphors are prevalent in almost every language, but people from different cultures may regard the same animal differently. In Chinese proverbs, you will see a lot of animal metaphors to symbolize human actions.
In this lesson, we're showing you three common proverbs related to fish. They can be directly translated to "You cannot get both the fish and a bear's paw", "Either the fish dies or the net breaks", and "Fish helps water, and water helps fish". Do you know what they actually mean? Check out these proverbs and learn how to apply them to daily life!
Joshua,Joy
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| SIMPLIFIED | PINYIN | ENGLISH | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 靠...维生 | kào...wéishēng | to make a living (by) | |
| 鱼与熊掌不可兼得 | yúyǔxióngzhǎngbùkějiāndé | lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other; you can't always get everything you want | |
| 赶走 | gǎnzǒu | to drive out | |
| 同时 | tóngshí | at the same time |
在古代的中国有很多人靠捕鱼维生所以捕多一点的鱼代表多一点的财富
zài 在gǔdài 古代de 的Zhōngguó 中国yǒu 有hěnduō 很多rén 人kào 靠bǔyú 捕鱼wéishēng 维生suǒyǐ 所以bǔ 捕duō 多yìdiǎn 一点de 的yú 鱼dàibiǎo 代表duō 多yìdiǎn 一点de 的cáifù 财富
In ancient China, many people fish for a living. So, more fish represent more money.
鱼与熊掌不可兼得
yú 鱼yǔ 与xióng 熊zhǎng 掌bù 不kě 可jiān 兼dé 得
You cannot have it both ways.
一只熊在河边吃鱼猎人看到之后想要得到熊掌也想要得到鱼
yī 一zhī 只xióng 熊zài 在hébiān 河边chī 吃yú 鱼lièrén 猎人kàndào 看到zhīhòu 之后xiǎngyào 想要dédào 得到xióngzhǎng 熊掌yě 也xiǎngyào 想要dédào 得到yú 鱼
There’s a bear eating fish by the riverside. A hunter sees it. He wants both the bear’s paw and the fish.
可是抓熊的时候要在熊吃鱼的时候攻击它抓鱼的时候却要把熊赶走才抓得到鱼两件事情没办法同时做到
kěshì 可是zhuā 抓xióng 熊de 的shíhou 时候yào 要zài 在xióng 熊chī 吃yú 鱼de 的shíhou 时候gōngjī 攻击tā 它zhuā 抓yú 鱼de 的shíhou 时候què 却yào 要bǎ 把xióng 熊gǎnzǒu 赶走cái 才zhuā 抓de 得dào 到yú 鱼liǎng 两jiàn 件shìqing 事情méi 没bànfǎ 办法tóngshí 同时zuòdào 做到
When catching a bear, you should attack it when it’s eating a fish. But when catching a fish, you have to chase the bear away. These two things can’t be done at the same time.
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