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（Play All）Songs and sayings: Sayings
This page contains a selection of poems and traditional proverbs.
Contents
6.3.1: Poem
6.3.2: Ditty
6.3.3: Proverbs
6.3.4: Two-Part Sayings
6.3.5: Maxims
6.3.1: Poem
Tian Xintao, Daba Township, Yongshun County
recorded on 05 August 2002
| 01 |
qing1ming1
si3jie3
me2
ce3
ze3, la4qiu1
luo4die1
bu1ce3
bie4.
During the Qingming Festival the rain falls, Passers-by are bowed down with sadness. |
| 02 |
re2
tu2
luo4die1
kei2-bo3
zu2, wu2
ka4
luo4bi3
a2re1
xing2hua1cun1
xie2.
Where are the people who serve wine? "Xinghua Village," the young cowherd replies. |
6.3.2: Ditty
Peng Wanjiao, Pojiao Rural Township, Longshan County
recorded on 03 April 2002
| 01 |
ang2ni1
da4ha3
bi2zi1ka3,
a4se3
pa1
li3
nga2
nie4-ca2; nga2
guo2
zong1gang1
la2
ze2
li3,
a4se3
pa1
li3
pa1
kuo3ha3.
We are all Tujia, if anyone speaks Chinese I want to laugh; I say something as a middleman, someone who speaks Chinese is like a beggar [borrowing a language]. |
6.3.3: Proverbs
Tian Jinggui, Dianfang Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 June 2002
| 01 |
ka3
wu2
me3
tong1-duo3,
luo4
ri1
me3
zi2-duo3.
Unless the heart of a fire is open [to draw in air], wood will not burn; unless your heart is honest you cannot be a man. |
| 02 |
ni2
ca2
nga2
ye1
ca2,
ra3lie3
la2
bu2
ga2-ji2-da2.
If you are good friends, then you will share even your last egg. |
| 03 |
la4
hhi2-duo3-da2
song1kuo1-de1xi3,
sa3li3-duo3-da2
song1kuo1-ta1ti1.
Wrongly taken steps can be retraced, but wrongly spoken words cannot be recalled. |
| 04 |
pa3pu1
ka3mong3
se1,
re4-die1
me2lu1
ye4.
The grandfather plants the tree, and his grandchildren benefit from its shade. |
| 05 |
jie2ri1
long1
ca2-duo3,
pe2ti1
se3
tu2-duo3.
He who would see a harvest from his toil must also put manure on his fields. |
| 06 |
la2bu1
gu1ce3-zu2,
lao2zi1
me2ze3-hu3.
When salt weeps, rain is on the way. |
| 07 |
sa3li3-hu3
die2-li1la1di3,
ong3-bo3-hu3
mie2-li1la1di3.
Think before you speak; and blow your seat clean before you sit on it. |
| 08 |
luo4
li2a4
ru1ga3-da2,
ra3
li2a4
luo4
ge4-ta1.
A hungry man will do anything for food; a hungry chicken will not avoid people. |
6.3.4: Two-Part Sayings
Tian Jinggui, Dianfang Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 June 2002
| 01 |
kuo3ha3
ye3
wo4-hi1ce1:
guo2duo3
guo2-bo3-xi2.
A beggar unable to shoulder the fruits of his begging - just deserts. |
| 02 |
ji3la1pi3
se3si2
za4:
ra2-lu3.
Oiling the soles of your feet - slipping off quietly. |
| 03 |
zuo2ku1,
guo2
ra3
ba4:
me3
cai2
tai2.
A wildcat eyeing a chicken - bad intentions. |
| 04 |
re3
qi4
ga3
gu3:
guo2duo3
qi4.
A rat on a steelyard - measuring oneself. |
| 05 |
ka3mong3
ta1nie1
ye4-bo3
ze4ga3
ha3:
ta1nie1
ye4-bo3
a1ye3
ri1.
Hiding behind a tree to catch squirrels - making trouble behind the scenes. |
6.3.5: Maxims
Tian Jinggui, Dianfang Township, Longshan County
recorded on 19 June 2002
| 01 |
a3ti3ke3
peng2peng1-bo3
ji3ti3ke1
ha3.
Moving a rock and banging your knee - asking for trouble. |
| 02 |
ra3lie3
huo3lie3
a3ba3
ha3.
Using an egg to break rocks - an impossible task. |
| 03 |
me2
ong3-xi2
ci4,
me2ze3
ze3
suan4.
Loud thunder but little rain - all words and no action. |
pn: Qingming (grave-sweeping) festival n: period of time n: sky n: water vt: (to rain) expr: by the roadside pron: (other) people n: tears vt: to leave, fall, shed n: wine, spirits vt: to pour pron: where nsuff: [towards] vi: to go out n: cow vt: to guard n: son n: sound, voice pn: (name of a village) vt: to have pron: we advm: all, together n: Tujia minority pron: who(ever) n: Chinese language vt: to say pron: I, me vi: to smile, laugh vsuff: [want to] pron: he n: middle num: one cl: mouthful, sentence n: beggar n: firewood vt: to burn n: belly vt: to pass through vsuff: [want] n: person vt: to work, do vi: to be upright pron: you vi: to be good advm: also n: hen's egg cl: (for compact round items such as eggs, stones, millet, firecrackers, and for events of brief duration) vt: to eat, bite vsuff: [end] vsuff: [not] n: road vt: to go vsuff: [reach] vi: to return vsuff: [can] n+vt: to speak vsuff: [can't] n: grandfather n: tree vt: to sow n: grandchild nsuff: [plural] n: shade (of a tree) vt: to hide from vi: to labour cl: year n: field (non-irrigated) n: excrement, waste n: salt n: sweat suff: [then] advt: tomorrow vi: to rain vsuff: [imminent] vt: to think of vsuff: [a little] vi: to sit vsuff: [stative] vt: to blow vi: to be hungry vi: to be shy n: hen vt: to fear vsuff: [won't] n: thing vt: to carry on the back vsuff: [not manage] pron: (him)self vt: to beg vsuff: [that which] n: sole of foot n: oil vt: to rub vi: to fly vsuff: [go] n: wild cat vt: to look at n: good (one) vi: to not have n: rat n: steelyard balance n: on vt: to go up vt: to weigh n: back n: squirrel vt: to hit n: ghost n: stone vt: to collide n: kneecap vt: to use n: stone vi: to sound vi: to be large n: rain vi: to be small