A young Taiwanese friend recently shared this Chinese parable with me. It all starts with being asked to take a snail for a walk… but first, some useful vocabulary:
????? ???(shàng dì)God ????(shén)deity, spirit, God ????? ???? or ??? ????(gu? niú) or (gu? niú)snail ????? ??(rèn wù)mission, assignment, task ????(qi?n)to lead, to pull along ?????? ???(jìn lì)to strive, to spare no effort ?????(nuó)to shift, to move ????(cu?)to urge, to hasten ????(h?)a tiger's roar, to scare ????? ???(zé bèi)to blame ????? ????(bào qiàn)to be sorry ????? ???(y?n gu?ng)insight, way of looking at things ????? ???(f?ng fú)seems ???????? ??? ???? ???(jìn le. quán lì)to use up all one's strength ???(l?)to pull, to drag ????(ch?)to pull, to tear ???(t?)to kick ?(?)????(???)??(shòu [le.] sh?ng)got injured ?(?)?????(???)???(liú [zhe.] hàn)sweating, perspiring ?(?)?????(???)???(chu?n [zhe.] qì)gasping for air ????? ???(wén dào)smelled ????? ??(wéi f?ng)breeze, light wind ????? ???(yè l?)during the night ???? ???(w?n róu)gentle, tender ????? ???(màn zhe.)slow down ????? ???(t?ng dào)heard ?????? ????(ni?o jiào)bird call/singing ?????? ????(chóng míng)insect sound/cry ????? ???(yuán lái)original, to realize ????? ???(kàn dào)saw ??(?)????? ??? (???) ??? ???(m?n ti?n [de.] x?ng d?u)star filled sky ??????? ???? ???(dúo liàng lì)how bright and beautiful ????? ????(t? huì)to learn from experience ?? or ???? ??? or ?????(h? rán) or (t? rán)suddenly, sudden ????? ??(mò f?i)could it be, can it be possible ????? ???(nán dào)don't tell me..., could it be that... ??(?)???? ???? (???)(nòng cuò [le.])to err, to miscalculate ??(?)??? ???? (???)(g?o cuò [le.])to make a mistake Now, what can you learn from a snail?
???????????????????? (??)(?)(?)(??)(??)?
(??? ???)(???)(???)(? ???)(??? ??),
(shàng dì)(g?i)(w?)(y? ge.)(rèn wù),
(God)(to give)(me)(one + general MW)(mission, assignment)
…..(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(??)(?)(??)
…..(????)(???)(???)(??)(?)(??? ????)(???)(??? ???)
…..(jiào)(w?)(qi?n)(yì)(zh?)(gu? niú)(qù)(sàn bù)
…..(to call, to ask, to order)(me)(to lead)(one)(MW for snail)(snail)(to go)(to walk)
God gave me a mission – he told me to take a snail for a walk.
??????????????????????????? (?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)(?)?
(???)(???)(???)(???)(???)(???)(????),
(w?)(bù)(néng)(z?u)(de.)(tài)(kuài),
(I)(not)(able)(to walk)(particle used after verb to link to adverb)(too, very)(fast),
…..(??)(??)(??)(?)?
…..(??? ????)(?? ???)(???? ???)(???),
…..(gu? niú)(y? j?ng)(jìn lì)(pá),
…..(snail)(already)(to spare no effort)(to crawl, to climb)
………..(?)(?)(??)(?)(??)(???)
……….(???)(??)(???? ??)(????)(??? ???)(?? ???? ????)
……….(m?i)(cì)(z?ng shì)(nuó)(nà me.)(yì di?n di?n)
……….(every)(time)(always)(to move, to shift)(like that, about)(a little bit)
I could not walk very fast, the snail was already crawling as fast as he could, every time he moved just a little bit.
????????????????????????????? (?)(?)(?)?(?)(?)(?)?
(???)(???)(??), (???)(???)(??),
(w?)(cu?)(t?), (w?)(h?)(t?),
(I)(to urge)(it), (I)(to roar at, to scare)(it),
…..(?)(??)(?)?(??)(?)(??)(?)
…..(???)(??? ???)(??), (??? ????)(???)(??? ????)(???)
…..(w?)(zé bèi)(t?), (gu? niú)(yòng)(bào qiàn)(de.)
…..(I)(to blame, to reproach)(t?), (snail)(to use, to have to)(to be sorry)(adjective marker)
……….(??)(?)(?)(?)?(??)(?)?
……….(??? ???)(???)(???)(???), (??? ???)(???):
……….(y?n gu?ng)(kàn)(zhe.)(w?), (f?ng fú)(shu?)
……….(gaze)(to look)(particle indicating action in progress)(me), (seems)(to say):
I urged it, I yelled at it, I reprimanded it, (and) the snail, while looking at me apologetically, seemed to say:
??????????? (??)(??)(????)
(??? ???)(?? ???)(???? ??? ???? ???)
(rén ji?)(y? j?ng)(jìn le. quán lì)
(I or me as referring to “oneself”)(already)(exhausted, to use up all one’s strength)
“I, for one, am already exhausted!”
???????? (?)(?)(?)?(?)(?)(?)?
(???)(??)(??), (???)(???)(??),
(w?)(l?)(t?), (w?)(ch?)(t?)
(I)(to pull, to drag)(it), (I)(to pull, to tear)(it)
I pulled it, I tore at it,
??????? (?)(??)(?)(?)(?)?
(???)(??? ??)(????)(??)(??)
(w?)(shèn zhì)(xi?ng)(t?)(t?)
(I)(even)(to think)(to kick)(it)
I even thought about kicking it,
?????? (??)[(?)(?)(?)]?
(??? ????)[(???)(???)(??)],
(gu? niú)[(shòu)(le.)(sh?ng)]
(snail)[(to receive)(intensifies)(wound, injury)]
The snail was injured.
????????????? (?)[(?)(?)(?)]?[(?)(?)(?)]?(?)(?)(?)
(??)[(????)(???)(???)], [(????)(???)(???)], (??? ????)(???)
(t?)([(liú)(zhe.)(hàn)], [(chu?n)(zhe.)(qì)], (w?ng qián)(pá)
(it)[(to flow)(indicates in progress)(perspiration)], [(to gasp)(indicates in progress)(air)], (to move forward)(to climb, to crawl)
Sweating and gasping for air, it kept crawling.
???????????????????? (?)(??)?(???)(??)(?)(?)
(???)(??? ????), (??? ??? ???)(??? ???)(????)(???)
(zhèn)(qí guài), (wèi shén me.)(shàng dì)(jiào)(w?)
(really)(strange), (why)(God)(to ask, to order)(me)
…..(?)(?)(?)(??)(?)(??)?
…..(???)(??)(?)(??????? )(???)(??? ???)
…..(qi?n)(yì)(zh?)(gu? niú)(qù)(sàn bù)
…..(to lead)(one)(MW for animal)(snail)(to go)(to take a walk)
It is very strange – why did God tell me to take the snail for a walk?
????????????????? ?(??)(?)?(???)??(??)(?)(?)(??)
?(??? ???)(?) ! (??? ??? ???)??(??? ???)(?)(????)(? ????)
?(shàng dì)(?)! (wèi shén me.)?? (ti?n shàng)(y?)(piàn)(?n jìng)
?(God)(conversational sound)! (why)?? (heavenly)(one)(piece)(peaceful, quiet)
“God! Why?” The heavens were quiet.
???????????????? ?(?)?(??)(??)(?)(?)?(??)(?)??
(??)! (??? ???)(??? ???)(???)(???)(??? ????)(???)
(ai.)! (y? x?)(shàng dì)(qù)(zhu?)(gu? niú)(le.)
(sound of exasperation)! (perhaps)(God)(to go)(to catch)(snail)(emphasis)
Aye ya! Perhaps God has gone to catch snails!
??????? (?)(?)?(??)(?)?
(???)(???)! (??? ???)(??)!
(h?o)(ba.)! (s?ng sh?u)(ba.)
(good)(particle indicating surmise)! (to let go)(particle indicating surmise)
Fine! I will let go!?
?????????????? (??)(??)(?)(?)(?)?
(??? ???)(??? ???)(???)(????)(???),
(f?n zhèng)(shàng dì)(bù)(gu?n)(le.)
(in any case)(God)(not)(to care about)(emphasize)
…..(?)(?)(?)(??)
…..(???)(???)(????)(??? ???)
…..(w?)(hái)(gu?n)(shén me.)
…..(I)(still)(to care about)(anything/something)
In any case, (if) God doesn’t care, why should I still care?
??????????????? (?)(??)(??)(?)?
(???)(??? ????)(??? ????)(???),
(rèn)(gu? niú)(w?ng qián)(pá)
(to let)(snail)(to move forward)(to crawl, to climb)
…..(?)(?)(??)(???)
…..(???)(???)(??? ????)(?? ??? ???)
…..(w?)(zài)(hòu miàn)(sh?ng mèn qì)
…..(I)(at)(rear, behind)(seething)
I let the snail proceed to crawl forward while I walked behind it seething.
????????????????? (?)?(?)(??)(??)?
(??)? (???)(??? ???)(??? ??? ),
(yí), (w?)(wén dào)(hu? xi?ng),
(expression of surprise), (I)(smelled)(flower fragrance)
…..(??)(??)(?)(?)(??)
…..(??? ???)(??? ???)(???)(???)(??? ???)
…..(yuán lái)(zhè bi?n)(y?u)(ge.)(hu? yuán)
…..(realize)(here, this side)(to have)(a)(flower garden)
Huh? I smelled the fragrance of flowers, and I realized right here was a flower garden.
??????????????????? (?)(??)(??)(??)?
(???)(??? ???)(?? ??)(??? ???)
(w?)(g?n dào)(w?i f?ng)(ch?i lái)
(I)(felt)(breeze)(blowing on me)
…..(??)(??)(?)(?)(??)(??)
…..(??? ???)(??? ???)(???)(??)(??? ???)(?? ???)
…..(yuán lái)(yè l?)(de.)(f?ng)(zhè me.)(w?n róu)
…..(realize)(during the night)(adjective marker)(wind)(this)(gentle)
I felt the breeze blowing and realized how gentle the night wind is.
????????? (??)?(?)(??)(??)?
(??? ??)! (???)(??? ???)(???? ????)
(màn zhe.)! (w?)(t?ng dào)(ni?o jiào)
(slow down)! (I)(heard)(bird song)
Slow down! I heard birds singing,
??????????????????? (?)(??)(??)?
(???)(??? ???)(???? ????),
(w?)(t?ng dào)(chóng míng)
(I)(heard)(insect sounds)
…..(?)(??)[(??)(?)(??)]??
…..(???)(??? ???)[(??? ???)(???)(??? ???)]
…..(w?)(kàn dào)[(m?n ti?n)(de.)(x?ng d?u)]
…..(I)(saw)[(to fill the whole sky)(adjective marker)(stars)]
……….(?)?(??)
……….(????)(???? ???)
……….(duó)(liàng lì)
……….(“how” in an exclamatory sense)(bright and beautiful)
I heard the crickets chirping, I saw the star filled sky, how bright and beautiful!
????????????? (?)?(??)(??)(??)(??)(??)
(??)? (?? ????)(??? ???)(??? ???)(??? ???)(??? ????)
(yí)? (y? qián)(z?n me.)(méi y?u)(zhè xi?)(t? huì)
(exclamation of surprise)? (before)(how, what, why)(not to have)(those)(experience, to learn from experience)
Huh? Why have I not before had those experiences?
??????????????? (?)(??)(???)?
(???)(?? ???)(???? ??? ???)
(w?)(h? rán)(xi?ng q? lái)
(I)(suddenly)(recalled)
…..(??)?(?)(?)(???)?
…..(??? ??)(??)(???)(???? ???? ???)
…..(mò f?i)(shì)(w?)(nòng cuò le.)
…..(don’t tell me, could it be)(I)(to be, am)(to err, to miscalculate)
I suddenly recall, don’t tell me I was in error!
????????????? (??)(??)(?)(??)(?)(?)(?)(??)
(??? ???)(??? ???)(????)(??? ????)(???)(???)(???)(??? ???)
(yuán lái)(shàng dì)(jiào)(gu? niú)(qi?n)(w?)(qù)(sàn bù)
(realize)(God)(to tell)(snail)(to lead)(me)(to go)(to walk)
I realized God told the snail to lead me out for a walk.
Notes:
? This sarcastic sentence could be made a little clearer by adding the word for “other” as noted below:
?(?)?(??)(??)(?)(?) (??) (??)(?)??
(??? ??) (qí t?) other
? This could have a double meaning. The first, obviously, to let go of the snail. However, metaphorically it could also mean to give up on the endeavor.
? This is frequently expressed as a 4 words idiom ????, without the ?, and means the same thing.
? When ? is used with the second tone in this context it is an exclamatory such as how or what are sometimes used in English. How amazing! What a find!
? ?? is the original language of the story, but it is a more ancient wording. Such phrases are more common in literature than everyday speech. What you will be most likely to hear in conversation with the same meaning of “could it be, don’t tell me” is ?? ??? ??? (nán dào).
? Another way this might be commonly phrased is ??? ??? ???? ??? (g?o cuò le.) Both ? and ? can be translated “to do,” so adding ? to either of them means “to do wrong.”
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