************留得青山在，不怕没柴烧*************
Chinese proverb – wise proverbs – How to say “While there’s life, there’s hope” or “Where there’s life, there’s hope” in Chinese: 留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。Liu2 de2 qing1 shan1 zai4, bu2 pa4 mei2 chai2 shao1. Liu2 ( 留 verb, to preserve, to keep, to remain) de2 (得 a particle, usually follows a verb) qing1 shan1 (青山 adjective + noun, blue mountain), zai4 (在 used as a complement word for liu to indicate the continuing status – keep *＊青山 qing1 shan1** remaining), bu2 (不 negative prefix for verbs) pa4 (怕 verb, fear) mei2 (没 mei2, here is mei2 you3 for short, don’t have) chai2 （柴 noun, wood) shao1 (烧 verb, to burn).
Literally, this proverb means: As long as you keep the blue mountain remaining, you don’t have to worry about that you will be running out of burning wood. Sometimes, we encountered some setbacks, but, as long as we are still alive with a healthy body, then we will be able to achieve what we want to achieve. So, this proverb conveys the meanings : While there’s life, there’s hope.
Some people might say 青山 qing1 shan1 means green mountain, however, I would like to say it is blue mountain. Mountains are green in spring in summer, but, when autumn or winter come, and when you see the mountains from far away, they can be a deep shade of blue or a bit of black and gray. When I was in school, in my middle school years, my Chinese teacher told me that 青 qing1 is the color between green and blue. There is a Chinese phrase called 青山绿水 qing1 shan1 lu4 shui3 (blue mountain green water), but neither those are the exact color though. Next time when you go out to the nature, pay attention to the hues, the colors of mountains and rivers, and tell me what color they are:) Those answers might differ depend on what season you go or what time of the day too.
Besides using as a complement word with 留 liu2 to signify the continuing status of something, 在 zai4 has some other usages and functions:
1. Preposition word — When 在 zai4 is put in front of a place, it is used as a preposition word.
Wo3 –zai4– fang2 jian1 kan4 shu1. 我在房间看书。 I am in the room reading.
Ta1 –zai4 — jia1. 他在家。 He is at home.
To negate, just put bu2 不 in front of zai4 在.
Wo3 — bu2 zai4– fang2 jian1 kan4 shu1. 我不在房间看书。 I am not in the room reading.
Ta1 — bu2 zai4 — jia1. 他不在家。 He is not at home.
To change the statement into a question, just add a 吗 ma1 at the end of sentence.
Wo3 –zai4– fang2 jian1 kan4 shu1 –ma1–. 我在房间看书吗？ Am I in the room reading?
Ta1 –zai4 — jia1 –ma1–. 他在家吗？ Is he at home?
2.Continuing Action – Zài 在 is to show that an action is occurring at the present moment. Zài is placed before the verb it modifies:
Yi1 sheng1 zai4 kan4 ping4 ren2. 医生在看病人。The doctor is examining the patient.
Lao3 shi1 zai4 gai3 kao3 juan4. 老师在改考卷。 The teacher is correcting (scoring) the test sheets.
The following video — how many times the sunset turns red— is a theme song from a Taiwanese TV drama, my mom and I used to watch long ago. The lyrics are poetic and meaningful, and the melody is very exquisite too. If you want to learn how to sing it, you will find the English translation along with lyrics and pinyin under Chinese songs category. In the song, it goes: 青山依旧在，几度夕阳红 the blue mountains remain, and how many times the sunset turns red?
Enjoy!
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*****************旁观者清，当局者迷***************
Chinese proverb, wise proverbs — How to say ” Lookers-on see most of the game” in Chinese: 旁观者清，当局者迷。Pang2 guan1 zhe5 qing1, dang1 ju2 zhe5 mi2. Pang2 (旁 adverb, from the side) guan1 (观 verb, to look) zhe5 (者 pronoun, the person who) qing1 (清 adjective, clear), dang1 (当adverb, at the middle of, or during) ju2 (局 noun, match, as in a Chinese Chess game) zhe5 (者 pronoun, the person who) mi2 (迷 adjective, confused).
The proverb originally means “Whose who watch from the side of a chess game are clear, while whose who are at the middle of the game are confused. So, the proverb is generally applied to ” If one is personally involved in something, it is easy to blind oneself to the truth. However, for people are not involved in it, it is naturally for onlookers to see things more clearly.”
Let’s learn the usage of subject, predicate structure. In this sentence, the structure is:
subject + predicate, subject + predicate
旁观者 + 清 ，当局者 +迷
Those who look from the side + clear, those who are in games + confused
Subject and predicate are the two main parts of a sentence, predicate modifies subject. In English, you must have a verb in the predicate. Unlike English, the Chinese predicate doesn’t necessarily need to have a verb. Like this sentence, we don’t see verbs, but adjectives.
In Chinese sentence structure, sometimes, subject is a topic and the predicate is a comment on it.
清 Qing1 and 迷 mi2 are antonyms. There is a common colloquial phrase called mi2 mi2 hu2 hu2 （迷迷糊糊， in a daze or bewildered), and the opposite of it, we have qing1 qing1 chu3 chu3 (清清楚楚 , very clear）. Isn’t it nice that we can always pair phrases or things up?
If you are a regular visitor, you know that I like to end my post with a song:) if I could find one. If you like Jackie Chan, then, surely you will love this song. It is called Ming2 ming2 bai2 bai2 wo3 de5 xin1 明明白白我的心 (so clear is my heart)。Ming2 ming2 bai2 bai2 is synonym of qing1 qing1 chu3 chu3 (清清楚楚 , very clear). See the English translation and info about Jackie Chan under Chinese songs category.
- A single spark can set a prairie on fire.
- Water can both sustain and sink a ship.
- Count not what is lost, but what is left.
- If there is a strong general there will be no weak soldiers.
- To extend your life by a year take one less bite each meal.
- Peace only comes when reason rules.
- Even the tallest tower started form the ground.
- Eloquence provides only persuasion, but truth buys loyalty.
- Wisdom is attained by learning when to hold one’s tongue.
- A single tree cannot make a forest
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- If one eats less one will taste more.
- One hand alone cannot clap, it takes two to quarrel.
- It does not matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.
- Cowards have dreams, brave men have visions
- Learning is like the horizon; there is no limit.
- The old horse will know the way
- A good friend shields you from the storm
- Change the skin, wash the heart
- Sow melon, reap melon; sow beans, reap beans.
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Here is a delightful collection of Chinese proverbs which gives us a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Chinese people. Their wise sayings are drawn from experience of their daily lives, observation on subjects ranging from friendship to common sense and folk wisdom. The value of Chinese proverbs has increased with the passing of the ages because they ring as true today as they were thousands of years ago.
Read more wise and witty Chinese quotes at: http://mmdelrosario.hubpages.com/hub/Witty_and_Wise_Chinese_Proverbs