Playing the Lute to a Cow – Chinese Idioms (Chengyu)
For those studying the Chinese language, after mastering the grammar, intonation, and good amount of vocabulary there remains one final test: The ‘Chengyu’ 成语 (literally ‘set phrase’ – but better translated as ‘proverbs’ or ‘idioms’).They are not only difficult due to their close links to the classical form of the Chinese language (as most are drawn from ancient literature), but also for the need to understand the history and myths preceding them. Each idiom carries its own story, some going back more than two thousand years. The stories behind them should ideally be studied in conjunction with the idiom in order to truly understand the meaning of each chengyu (which can be rather ambiguous when just read alone). Their ancient origins are expressed by each story opening with a reference to a specific time in Chinese history with many taking place in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-467 BC) The Warring States Period (475–221 BC) and the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280). Typically chengyu are 4 characters long and tend to reflect the moral behind the story rather than the story itself, unlike the 8 to 10-character-long truncated witticisms - 歇后语 Xiehouyu- which incorporate both the condition and resulting situation e.g:
山中无老虎 – 猴子成大王 (shan zhong wu laohu – houzi cheng dawang) – ‘When the tiger is out of the mountains, the monkey is king’, used when students misbehave due to the absence of the teacher or workers slacking due to their boss’s absence.
There are at least 5000 chengyu used in modern Chinese today and mastering a good few of these will not only help the individual to sound more native by speaking idiomatic Chinese, but will also widen his/her vocabulary give him/her a greater comprehension of Chinese culture. Here are a few of the better know ones:
Playing the lute to a cow - 对牛弹琴 (dui niu tan qin)
In ancient times there was a man who played the zither very well. One day he played a tune in front of a cow hoping that the cow would appreciate it. The tune was melodious but the cow showed no reaction and just kept on eating grass. The man sighed and went away.
The idiom is used to indicate reasoning with stubborn people or talking to the wrong audience
Drawing a snake and adding feet - 画蛇添足 (hua she tian zu)
In the Warring States Period, a man in the state of Chu was offering a sacrifice to his ancestors. After the ceremony the man gave a beaker of wine to his servants. The servants thought that there was not enough wine for them all and decided to each draw a picture of a snake; the one who finished the picture first would get the wine. One of them drew very rapidly. Seeing that the others were still busy drawing, he added feet to the snake. At the moment another man finished, snatched the beaker and drank the wine saying “A snake doesn’t have feet. How can you add feet to a snake?”
This idiom refers to ruining a venture by doing unnecessary and surplus things.
Smashing the cauldrons and sinking the boats – 破釜沉舟 (po fu chen zhou)
During the late years of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), General Xiang Yu led a rebellion. After crossing the Zhang River, Xiang Yu ordered his men to sink all their boats and break their cooking pots. He issued each soldier three days’ rations and warned them that there was no way to retreat; the only thing they could do to survive was to advance and fight. After nine fierce battles, the Qin army was finally defeated.
This idiom is used to indicate one’s firm determination to achieve one’s goals at any cost.
