Chinese Zodiac rock – 十二生肖 Shi er sheng xiao 12 Zodiacs 王力宏 Leehom Wang Lihong: Mandarin lyrics, pinyin, English translation. Quotes of horoscope, astrology, Jackie Chan movie trailer


(Chinese lyrics)
王力宏 Wang Leehom 《十二生肖》 “12 Zodiacs” (feat. Jackie Chan)

(English subtitle)

If you like schoolhouse rock, grammar rock, American rock, money rock or science rock, then you might like this Chinese Zodiac rock:) In this song, the repetition of the Chinese Zodiac animals will help you memorize these 12 symbolic creatures / animal signs in an orderly and musical way.

王力宏演唱十二生肖主题曲MV,《十二生肖》由成龙执导, 是他的第101­部电影,也是韩国影星权相佑进军中国市场的第二部作品。《十二生肖》是部夺宝影片,外­景地包括巴黎、北京、台湾、香港、澳洲、拉脱维亚等地。
Wánglìhóng yǎnchàng shíèr shēngxiāo zhǔtíqǔ MV, [ shíèr shēngxiāo] yóu Chénglóng zhídǎo, shì tā de dì yīlíngyī ­bù diànyǐng , yě shì Hánguó yǐngxīng quán Xiāngyòu jìnjūn Zhōngguó shìchǎng de dì èr bù zuòpǐn . [ shíèr shēngxiāo] shì bù duó Bǎo Yǐngpiàn , wài ­jǐng dì bāokuò Bālí , Běijīng , Táiwān , Xiānggǎng , Aòzhōu , Lātuōwéiyà děngdi .
Wang Leehom sings Twelve Zodiac theme song (music video), “Twelve Zodiac” directed by Jackie Chan, is his 101st movie, and it also is South Korean actor Kwon Sang Woo’s second work that entered the Chinese market. “Twelve Zodiac” is a film about fighting for treasures. Its filming locations include Paris, Beijing, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia and Latvia.

十二生肖
Shi er sheng xiao
12 Zodiacs
Twelve animal signs
(note: Sheng xiao is the animals from the Chinese Zodiac. )

王力宏
Leehom Wang
Wang li hong

YO大家好 我是王力宏 这是我的新歌
YO da4 jia1 hao3, wo3 shi4 wang2 li4 hong2, zhe4 shi4 wo3 de5 xin1 ge1
Yo, hello everyone. I am Wang Lihong. This is my new song.

Lady and Gentleman
Lady and Gentleman

你们期待了很久 成龙大哥的电影
ni3 men2 qi2 dai4 le5 hen3 jiu3, cheng2 long2 da4 ge1 de5 dian4 ying3
You have been expecting for big brother Jackie Chan’s movie for a long time.

这就是十二个生肖
zhe4 jiu4 shi4 shi2 er4 ge5 sheng1 xiao4
This is twelve Zodiacs.

子鼠丑牛寅虎卯兔
zi3 shu3 chou3 niu2 yin2 hu3 mao3 tu4
Year 1, year of the Rat; year 2, year of the Ox; year 3, year of the Tiger, year 4, year of Rabbit.

(note: the 12 earthly branches 十二地枝 shíèr dìzhī -- 子, 丑, 寅, 卯, 辰, 巳, 午, 未, 申, 酉, 戌, 亥, zǐ , chǒu , yín , mǎo , chén , sì , wǔ , wèi , shēn , yǒu , xū , hài, is used cyclically in the Chinese lunar calendar and as ordinal numbers I, II etc..)

辰龙巳蛇午马未羊
chen2 long2 si4 she2 wu3 ma3 wei4 yang2
Year 5, year of the Dragon; year 6, year of the Snake; year 7, year of Horse, year 8, year of Ram.

申猴酉鸡戌狗亥猪
shen1 hou2 you3 ji1 xu1 gou3 hai4 zhu1
Year 9, year of the Monkey; year 8, year of the Rooster; year 9, year of the Dog; year 10, year of the Boar.

这就是十二个生肖
zhe4 jiu4 shi4 shi2 er4 ge5 sheng1 xiao4
These are 12 Zodiacs.

RAP:
RAP:

是你的还是他的
shi4 ni3 de5 huan2 shi4 ta1 de5
Is this yours or his?

是世界的是地球的
shi4 shi4 jie4 de5 shi4 di4 qiu2 de5
Is this the world’s or the Earth’s?

一个人能够活到一百岁已经算久的
yi2 ge5 ren2 neng2 gou4 huo2 dao4 yi4 bai3 sui4 yi3 jing1 suan4 jiu3 de5
(If) a person can lives up to 100 years old, that already is regarded as long enough.

还有什么好争的阿
huan2 you3 shi2 me5 hao3 zheng1 de5 a5
Still has what to fight over with?
(There is nothing to fight over.)

做一个好学生阿(Jackie Chan yo )
zuo4 yi2 ge5 hao3 xue2 sheng1 a5 (Jackie Chan yo)
Be a good student, ah.

不要烦恼不要打仗 咱们来唱首歌呀
bu2 yao4 fan2 nao3, bu2 yao4 da3 zhang4, zan3 men2 lai2 chang4 shou3 ge1 ya5
Don’t worry; don’t fight a battle. Let’s sing a song.

如果说人有十二种不同
ru2 guo3 shuo1 ren2 you3 shi2 er4 zhong3 bu4 tong2
If (we) say that people have twelve different kinds,

不如花点时间学习每个品种(haha)
bu4 ru2 hua1 dian3 shi2 jian1 xue2 xi2 mei3 ge5 pin3 zhong3 (haha)
Might as well spend some time to learn every kind and variety.

鼠牛卯兔 龙蛇马羊(羊叫) 猴鸡狗猪(猪叫)
shu3 niu2 mao3 tu4 long2 she2 ma3 yang2 ( yang2 jiao4 ) hou2 ji1 gou3 zhu1 ( zhu1 jiao4 )
Rat, Ox, year 4, year of the Rabbit. Dragon, snake, horse, ram ( ram baa), monkey, rooster, boar (boar oink).

大声的唱(Come on)
da4 sheng1 de5 chang4 (Come on)
Loudly sing.

子鼠丑牛寅虎卯兔
zi3 shu3 chou3 niu2 yin2 hu3 mao3 tu4
Year 1, year of the Rat; year 2, year of the Ox; year 3, year of the Tiger, year 4, year of Rabbit.

辰龙巳蛇午马未羊
chen2 long2 si4 she2 wu3 ma3 wei4 yang2
Year 5, year of the Dragon; year 6, year of the Snake; year 7, year of Horse, year 8, year of Ram.

申猴酉鸡戌狗亥猪
shen1 hou2 you3 ji1 xu1 gou3 hai4 zhu1
Year 9, year of the Monkey; year 8, year of the Rooster; year 9, year of the Dog; year 10, year of the Boar.

这就是十二个生肖
zhe4 jiu4 shi4 shi2 er4 ge5 sheng1 xiao4
These are 12 Zodiacs.

嘿~我们还年轻
hei4 ~ wo3 men2 huan2 nian2 qing1
Hey, we are still young.

Hey~we were so 年轻
Hey~we were so nian2 qing1
Hey, we were so young.

是你的还是他的
shi4 ni3 de5 huan2 shi4 ta1 de5
Is this yours or his?

是世界的是地球的
shi4 shi4 jie4 de5 shi4 di4 qiu2 de5
Is this the world’s or the Earth’s?

有人说世界和平很遥远(但我不觉得)
you3 ren2 shuo1 shi4 jie4 he2 ping2 hen3 yao2 yuan3, (dan4 wo3 bu4 jue2 de2)
Some people say that world peace is pretty far away (but, I don’t feel that way).

放眼这个目标呀
fang4 yan3 zhe4 ge5 mu4 biao1 ya5
Survey this goal.

无论什么生肖呀(Jackie Chan yo )
wu2 lun4 shi2 me5 sheng1 xiao4 ya5 (Jackie Chan yo)
No matter what kind of zodiacs.

关心一点 在乎一点
guan1 xin1 yi4 dian3, zai4 hu1 yi4 dian3
Concern a little bit, care a little bit.

铁定能办得到呀
tie3 ding4 neng2 ban4 de2 dao4 ya5
Surely (you) can get it.

如果说人有十二种不同
ru2 guo3 shuo1 ren2 you3 shi2 er4 zhong3 bu4 tong2
If (we) say that people have twelve different kinds,

不如花点时间学习每个品种(haha)
bu4 ru2 hua1 dian3 shi2 jian1 xue2 xi2 mei3 ge5 pin3 zhong3 (haha)
Might as well spend some time to learn every kind and variety.

鼠牛卯兔 龙蛇马羊(羊叫) 猴鸡狗猪(猪叫)
shu3 niu2 mao3 tu4 long2 she2 ma3 yang2 ( yang2 jiao4 ) hou2 ji1 gou3 zhu1 ( zhu1 jiao4 )
Rat, Ox, year 4, year of the Rabbit. Dragon, snake, horse, ram ( ram baa), monkey, rooster, boar (boar oink).

大声的唱(Come on)
da4 sheng1 de5 chang4 (Come on)
Loudly sing.

子鼠丑牛寅虎卯兔
zi3 shu3 chou3 niu2 yin2 hu3 mao3 tu4
Year 1, year of the Rat; year 2, year of the Ox; year 3, year of the Tiger, year 4, year of Rabbit.

辰龙巳蛇午马未羊
chen2 long2 si4 she2 wu3 ma3 wei4 yang2
Year 5, year of the Dragon; year 6, year of the Snake; year 7, year of Horse, year 8, year of Ram.

申猴酉鸡戌狗亥猪
shen1 hou2 you3 ji1 xu1 gou3 hai4 zhu1
Year 9, year of the Monkey; year 8, year of the Rooster; year 9, year of the Dog; year 10, year of the Boar.

这就是十二个生肖
zhe4 jiu4 shi4 shi2 er4 ge5 sheng1 xiao4
These are 12 Zodiacs.

喂~我们还年轻
wei4 ~ wo3 men2 huan2 nian2 qing1
Hey, we are still young.

Hey~we were so 年轻
Hey~we were so nian2 qing1
Hey, we were so young.

Hey~世界的和平
Hey~ shi4 jie4 de5 he2 ping2
Hey, the peace of the world.

无论什么生肖 你我和他 只要 愿意
wu2 lun4 shi2 me5 sheng1 xiao4, ni3 wo3 he2 ta1, zhi3 yao4 yuan4 yi4
No matter what kind of zodiac animal. You, I and he, as long as are willing

*** Chanting and music ***

大家一起NOW 以前我不会背
da4 jia1 yi4 qi3, NOW, yi3 qian2 wo3 bu2 hui4 bei4
Everyone together now, before I could not memorize (it)

但现在就会了 原来这么容易阿
dan4 xian4 zai4 jiu4 hui4 le5, yuan2 lai2 zhe4 me5 rong2 yi4 a1
But now I can. As it turns out, it is so easy.

这就是 十二个生肖
zhe4 jiu4 shi4 shi2 er4 ge5 sheng1 xiao4
This is 12 Zodiacs.

你会背吗
ni3 hui4 bei4 ma5
Can you memorize it?

子鼠丑牛寅虎卯兔
zi3 shu3 chou3 niu2 yin2 hu3 mao3 tu4
Year 1, year of the Rat; year 2, year of the Ox; year 3, year of the Tiger, year 4, year of Rabbit.

辰龙巳蛇午马未羊
chen2 long2 si4 she2 wu3 ma3 wei4 yang2
Year 5, year of the Dragon; year 6, year of the Snake; year 7, year of Horse, year 8, year of Ram.

申猴酉鸡戌狗亥猪
shen1 hou2 you3 ji1 xu1 gou3 hai4 zhu1
Year 9, year of the Monkey; year 8, year of the Rooster; year 9, year of the Dog; year 10, year of the Boar.

这就是十二个 十二个,十二个
zhe4 jiu4 shi4 shi2 er4 ge5 shi2 er4 ge5 shi2 er4 ge5
This is 12, 12, 12

二个 二个 二个 二个…十二个生肖!
er4 ge5 er2 ge5 er4 ge5 er4 ge5 … shi2 er4 ge5 sheng1 xiao4
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 12 Zodiacs.

子鼠丑牛寅虎卯兔
zi3 shu3 chou3 niu2 yin2 hu3 mao3 tu4
Year 1, year of the Rat; year 2, year of the Ox; year 3, year of the Tiger, year 4, year of Rabbit.

辰龙巳蛇午马未羊
chen2 long2 si4 she2 wu3 ma3 wei4 yang2
Year 5, year of the Dragon; year 6, year of the Snake; year 7, year of Horse, year 8, year of Ram.

申猴酉鸡戌狗亥猪
shen1 hou2 you3 ji1 xu1 gou3 hai4 zhu1
Year 9, year of the Monkey; year 8, year of the Rooster; year 9, year of the Dog; year 10, year of the Boar.

Hey~世界的和平
Hey~ shi4 jie4 de5 he2 ping2
Hey, the peace of the world

Hey~世界的和平(Jackie Chan yo )
Hey~ shi4 jie4 de5 he2 ping2 (Jackie Chan yo)
Hey, the peace of the world

Hey~世界的
Hey~ shi4 jie4 de5
Hey, the world’s

这就是 十二个生肖
zhe4 jiu4 shi4 shi2 er4 ge5 sheng1 xiao4
This is 12 Zodiacs.

Translated by Shu

Quotes about horoscope, astrology:

Who needs astrology? The wise man gets by on fortune cookies. ~Edward Abbey

We are born at a given moment, in a given place and, like vintage years of wine, we have the qualities of the year and of the season of which we are born. Astrology does not lay claim to anything more. ~Carl Gustav Jung

Astrology: do we make a hullabaloo among the stars, or do they make a hullabaloo down here? ~Mason Cooley

A wise man shall overrule his stars, and have a greater influence upon his own content than all the constellations and planets of the firmament. ~Jeremy Taylor

I don’t believe in astrology; I’m a Sagittarius and we’re skeptical. ~Arthur C. Clarke

About astrology and palmistry: they are good because they make people vivid and full of possibilities. They are communism at its best. Everybody has a birthday and almost everybody has a palm. ~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Astrology is just a finger pointing at reality. ~Steven Forrest

A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma. ~Sri Yukteswar

All anyone can see in a birthchart are tendencies that will become facts if he does not do something to alter them. ~Isabel Hickey

Astrology is one of the earliest attempts made by man to find the order hidden behind or within the confusing and apparent chaos that exists in the world. ~Karen Hamaker-Zondag

We need not feel ashamed of flirting with the zodiac. The zodiac is well worth flirting with. ~D.H. Lawrence

The signs of the zodiac are karmic patterns; the planets are the looms; the will is the weaver. ~Author Unknown

The starry vault of heaven is in truth the open book of cosmic projection… ~Carl Jung

There is no better boat than a horoscope to help a man cross over the sea of life. ~Varaha Mihira

I have been told that one of the reasons the astronomers of the world cooperate is the fact that there is no one nation from which the entire sphere of the sky can be seen. Perhaps there is in that fact a parable for national statesmen, whose political horizons are all too often limited by national horizons. ~Adlai Stevenson

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves; we are underlings. ~William Shakespeare

I find my zenith doth depend upon
A most auspicious star, whose influence
If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes
Will ever after droop.
~William Shakespeare

I don’t believe in astrology. The only stars I can blame for my failures are those that walk about the stage. ~Noel Coward

Figure-flingers and star-gazers pretend to foretell the fortunes of kingdoms, and have no foresight in what concerns themselves. ~Roger L’Estrange

No date prefixed directs me in the starry rubric set. ~John Milton

There’s some ill planet reigns:
I must be patient till the heavens look
With an aspect more favourable.
~William Shakespeare, Winter’s Tale, Act 2, Scene 1, spoken by Hermione

Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy: the mad daughter of a wise mother. ~Voltaire

[D]reams, and predictions of astrology…. ought to serve but for winter talk by the fireside. ~Francis Bacon, “Of Prophecies”

Before a war military science seems a real science, like astronomy; but after a war it seems more like astrology. ~Rebecca West

We are merely the stars’ tennis-balls, struck and banded
Which way please them.
~John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi

This is the excellent foppery of the world, that when we are sick in fortune (often the surfeits of our own behaviour) we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and stars: as if we were villains on necessity; fools by heavenly compulsion; knaves, thieves, and treacherous by spherical predominance; drunkards, liars, and adulterers by an enforced obedience of planetary influence; and all that we are evil in, by a divine thrusting on. An admirable evasion of whoremaster man, to lay his goatish disposition on the charge of a star! ~William Shakespeare

Anyone can be a millionaire, but to become a billionaire you need an astrologer. ~John Pierpont Morgan

The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. ~John Kenneth Galbraith

Before one accepts spirituality, astrology is very powerful, like a lion. Then when one enters into a deeper spiritual life, astrology becomes a tiny household cat. ~Sri Chinmoy

Astrology is a language. If you understand this language, the sky speaks to you. ~Dane Rudhyar

These quotes come from:
http://www.quotegarden.com/astrology.html

Jackie Chan’s CZ12 《十二生肖》Official Trailer

Posted in Chinese songs, Chinese Zodiac animals, Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2013 Lunar Chinese New Year – Year of the Snake — symbols or symbolic meanings of snake in Chinese culture, also famous Mandarin Chinese snake idioms, proverbs with pinyin and English translation

Dear readers: belated happy 2013 Lunar Chinese New Year to you.

In Chinese culture, 蛇 shé (snake) is a symbol of intelligence, charm, and even auspiciousness. You might wonder why horrible snakes have such positive symbolic meanings.

In Chinese mythology, 伏羲 Fuxi and 女娲 Nüwa are like the Chinese Adam and Eve: Nüwa was a goddess who is known for creating mankind and repairing the wall of heaven; her husband Fuxi was the first of the Three Sovereigns (三皇 sānhuáng) of ancient China as well as a culture pioneer who was praised to be the inventor of writing, fishing, and trapping. In an Eastern Han dynasty (206 – 220 A.D.) mural in Shandong province, Nüwa and Fuxi were pictured as having human face and upper body, yet with snake like tails interlocked.

Besides the mythology reason, maybe the positive symbolic meanings about snake are also related to the physical similarities between dragons and snakes. For some people, snakes are considered as little dragons. It is highly likely that originally, the images of dragons were developed from snakes starting from the ancient beginning. The relation of dragons and snakes is so close that even in Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Dragon is tightly followed by Year of the Snake.

According to Chinese astrology, the Year of the Snake and the people who are born in the year are associated with the traits of snake, so it is not hard to tell that: snake people will be thinking like a snake and act like a snake too. According to Chinese Zodiac, people born in the year of the snake, are believed to be intuitive, cunning, charming and stylish; they are thoughtful, intuitive, so they are not downright outspoken for they always think before they act, and have meticulous manners or even bewitching or beguiling appearances. Snake people have very complicated thinking and great patience, but once they set their mind, they will act quickly, just like snakes move at lightning speeds to strike their prey.

Let’s learn some Chinese idioms and proverbs about snakes. Chinese text, pinyin, English translation and MP3 recording are provided to help you better understand them.

[ca_audio url=”http://www.chinesetolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/snake-idiom.mp3″ width=”500″ height=”27″ css_class=”codeart-google-mp3-player” autoplay=”false”]

1. 画蛇添足
画 (verb, paint or draw) 蛇 (noun, snake) 添 (verb, add) 足 (noun, leg)
huà shé tiān zú
Literally: draw legs on a snake.
Moral: Don’t overdo something.

Chinese definition:
画蛇时添上脚。喻指徒劳无益;多此一举
huà shé shí tiān shàng jiǎo . yù zhǐ tú láo wú yì ;duō cǐ yī jǔ
When (a person) drew a snake, he or she added a leg to it. It is used metaphorically to refer ( a person) wasted a lot of effort on something while gained no benefits at all; to do more than it is required.

English equivalent: to gild the lily.

Sample usage of the Chinese proverb:
很多人做事时,不经思考,常常出现画蛇添足,多此一举的情形。
hěn duō rén zuòshì shí , bù jīng sīkǎo , chángcháng chūxiàn huàshétiānzú , duōcǐyījǔ de qíngxing .
Often, when many people did things, they tended to do it without thinking, thus, the situation of ending up overdoing things happened often.

2. 一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳
一(number, one) 朝 (noun, morning) 被 (passive tense marker = v+ed) 蛇 (noun, snake)咬 (verb, bite),十 (ten) 年 (year) 怕 (fear) 井 (noun, well) 绳 (noun, rope)
yī cháo bèi shé yǎo , shí nián pà jǐng shéng.
Literally:
Once a person got bitten by snake, for ten years (he or she) will be scared of the rope of wells. (For the shape of snake is like the rope of wells. Ancient Chinese people drank water from wells, they tied a thick rope to the wooden bucket and threw the bucket to the well to get water, then pull the rope up to get the bucket out of water.)

Chinese definition:
比喻在某件事情上吃过苦头,以后一碰到类似的事情就害怕。
bǐyù zài mǒu jiàn shìqing shàng chī guo kǔ tóu , yǐhòu yī pèngdào lèi shìde shìqing jiù hàipà .
The metaphor is used to refer to a person who suffered bitterness due to certain thing before, thus, afterwards, whenever he or she encountered similar things, he or she always was afraid of them.

English counterpart / equivalent:
Once bitten, twice shy.
A burnt child dreads the fire.

Sample usage of the Chinese proverb:
他投资股票失败。一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳 。从此他再也不敢从事股票交易了。
tā tóuzī gǔpiào shībài . yī cháo bèi shé yǎo , shí nián pà jǐng shéng . cóngcǐ tā zài yě bù gǎn cóngshì gǔpiào jiāoyì le .
He failed on investing in stocks. Once bitten, twice shy. From then on,he no longer dared to engage in stock trading.

3. 虎头蛇尾
虎 (noun, tiger) 头 (noun, head) 蛇 (noun, snake) 尾 (noun, tail)
hǔ tóu shé wěi
Literally: tiger’s head, snake’s tail.
Figuratively: a strong start but weak finish.

Chinese definition:
头大像老虎一样;尾巴像蛇一样细。比喻做事有始无终。
tóu dà xiàng lǎohǔ yīyàng ;wěiba xiàng shé yīyàng xì . bǐyù zuòshì yǒu shǐ wú zhōng .
The head is like a tiger’s, while the tail is like a snake’s. It is used metaphorically to refer to fail to carry things through.

English counterpart / equivalent: Peter out after a good start.

Sample usage of the Chinese proverb:
她的科展作品,虎头蛇尾,没拿到好名次。
tā de kē zhǎn zuòpǐn , hǔ tóu shé wěi , méi ná dào hǎo míngcì .
Her science fair project started magnificently but ended it lousily, thus, did not win any good places.

4. 不辨龙蛇
不 (negate word, not) 辨 (verb, distinguish) 龙 (noun, dragon) 蛇 (noun, snake)
bù biàn Lóng Shé
Literally: Can’t distinguish dragons from snake.
Figuratively: Can’t tell good from bad.

Chinese definition:
是龙是蛇不加分辨。形容不分优劣,不识好坏
shì lóng shì shé bù jiāfēnbiàn . xíngróng bù fēn yōuliè, bù shí hǎo huài
Can’t tell the differences between dragons and snakes. It is used to describe a person can’t tell excellence from mediocrity and doesn’t recognize good or bad.

Sample usage of the Chinese proverb:
那个法官,把好人当坏人,把好人抓进监狱,让坏人逍遥法外,真是是非不清,不辨龙蛇啊!
nà ge fǎguān , bǎ hǎorén dāng huàirén , bǎ hǎorén zhuā jìn jiānyù , ràng huàirén xiāoyáo fǎ wài , zhēnshì shìfēibùqīng , bù biàn lóng shé ā !
That judge treated good guys as bad guy, put good guys in jail, and let bad guys go unpunished — This really is not knowing right from wrong, not able to distinguish dragons from snakes!

5. 一蛇吞象
一 (number, one) 蛇 (noun, snake) 吞 (verb, swallow) 象 (noun, elephant)
yī shé tūn xiàng
Literally: A snake (wants to) swallow an elephant.
Figuratively: insatiable thinking or greedy desire.

The idiom 一蛇吞象 has a longer version — 人心不足蛇吞象 rénxīn bùzú shé tūn xiàng A man who is never content is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant.

Chinese definition:
一条蛇想吞吃一条大象。比喻人心不足,贪得无厌
yī tiáo shé xiǎng tūn chī yī tiáo dàxiàng . bǐyù rénxīn bùzú , tānděiwúyàn.
A snake wants to devour an elephant. It is metaphorically used to mean people’s hearts are too greedy, avaricious and insatiable.

Sample usage of the Chinese proverb:
他只有一个非常小的房子,可是他却妄想去偷一套巨大的家具。这种举止真可谓人心不足蛇吞象啊!
tā zhǐyǒu yī ge fēicháng xiǎo de fángzi , kěshì tā què wàngxiǎng qù tōu yī tào jùdà de jiājù . zhèzhǒng jǔzhǐ zhēn kěwèi rénxīn bùzú shé tūn xiàng ā !
He only has a very tiny house, however, he has delusional thinking about stealing a giant set of furniture. This kind of behavior really can be called as: A man who is never content is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant.

6. 蛇蝎心肠
蛇 (noun, snake) 蝎 (noun, scorpion) 心 (noun, heart) 肠 (noun, intestines)
shé xiē xīncháng
Literally: With a heart as venomous as snakes and scorpions.
Figuratively: evil heart.

Chinese definition:
蝎:一种毒虫。有蛇蝎一样狠毒的心肠。形容人心狠毒。
xiē : yī zhǒng dú chóng . yǒu shé xiē yīyàng hěndú de xīncháng. xíngróng rénxīn hěndú .
Scorpion: a poisonous bug. Have a heart as venomous as snakes and scorpions. (The idiom) is used to describe the viciousness of people’s hearts.

Sample usage of the Chinese proverb:
那个女人有着蛇蝎心肠。她总是想尽办法害人。你得提防她。
nà ge nǚrén yǒuzhe shé xiē xīncháng. tā zǒngshì xiǎngjìn bànfǎ hài rén . nǐ děi tífǎng tā .
That woman has a heart as venomous as snakes and scorpions. She always thinks all she can to harm people. You have to keep an eye on her and be cautious.

Sorry that most of the idioms or proverbs or sayings about snakes all have negative meanings. In the Year of the Snake, especially during the first lunar month, it would be good for you to say some nice words to wish people have a great year to come. The following are some lucky words you can say to wish your friend lucky or healthy.
祝你新年快乐,身体健康,万事如意,蛇年行大运!
Zhù nǐ Xīnnián kuàilè , shēntǐ jiànkāng , wàn shì rúyì , shé nián xíng dà yùn .
Wish you happy New Year, (have) a healthy body, all things will turn out as you wish, and have the best luck in the Year of the Snake!

In Chinese, there is a very famous folktale called : The Legend of the White Snake 白蛇传 Bai she zhuan . The Legend of the White Snake, also known as Madame White Snake, which existed in oral tradition long before any written compilation. The folktale has since been presented in a number of major Chinese operas, films and television series. The following is the ending song of one of the TV drama series about this legend. For more information about the Legend of White Snake, see
http://www.chinesetolearn.com/?p=1376

The legend of white snake

Posted in Chinese culture, Chinese idiom stories, Chinese proverbs, Chinese Zodiac animals, One Chinese sentence a day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments