Distant water won’t quench your immediate thirst

It’s been a while since we learned a new Chinese proved. So why not do it today? There is a Chinese proverb I would like to share, and this is how it goes:

远水解不了近渴
Yuǎn shuǐ jiě bù liǎo jìn kě
Distant water won’t quench your immediate thirst

远 (yuǎn): far; distant
近 (jìn): near; close

As it is pretty obvious, this proverb implies the need to come up with an immediate solution to a problem. Now let’s see how it can be used:

远水解不了近渴，我今天急需钱。
Yuǎn shuǐ jiě bù liǎo jìn kě, wǒ jīntiān jíxū qián.
Distant water won’t quench immediate thirst, I badly need the money today.

Speak of the Chinese devil

You must have heard the English saying “Speak of the devil”, but what is its Chinese equivalent?

说曹操曹操到

Shuō Cáo Cāo Cáo Cāo dào

Speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives

You don’t believe me? Check this comic below:

I got this comic from this website. Check it out for more Cao Cao and other Chinese comics.

So who exactly is Cao Cao? Here is the Wikipedia excerpt:

"Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled Emperor Wu of Wei. Although often portrayed as a cruel and merciless tyrant, Cao Cao has also been praised as a brilliant ruler and military genius who treated his subordinates like his family."

The fact that Cao Cao is portrayed as a cunning and deceitful man in the Chinese opera has also helped his negative image. Below is the Cao Cao mask used in Chinese opera:

Some Chinese proverbs

入乡随俗

rù xiāng suí sú

入 (rù) = enter

乡 (xiāng) = village

随 (suí) = follow

俗 (sú) = custom

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Meaning: When in a new place, follow the customs of the locals.

今朝有酒今朝醉

jīnzhāo yǒu jiǔ jīnzhāo zuì

今朝 (jīnzhāo) = today; the present; now

有 (yǒu) = have; possess

酒 (jiǔ) = alcohol; wine

醉 (zuì) = drunk

Get drunk while there is still wine

Meaning: indulge oneself for the moment without caring about the future

Chinese Proverb: Easier said than done

Below is the Chinese language version of the English proverb “Easier said than done”.

说起来容易，做起来难

(Shuō qǐlái róngyì, zuò qǐlái nán)

Here is the breakdown of individual characters:

说(shuō): to say

容易(róngyì): easy

做(zuò): to do

难(nán): difficult

As you might be able to tell by now, 起来 (qǐlái) is used to indicate impressions. Here are couple other examples:

看起来不错(kàn qǐlái bu cuò): Looks ok

听起来好玩儿(tīng qǐlái hǎowán er): Sounds fun

看(kàn): to see

听(tīng): to listen