Friday, 19 April 2013

Chinese Proverbs -- 五十步笑百步

五十步笑百步
Wǔ shí bù xiào bǎi bù 

Its literal translation is "those who retreat fifty steps laugh at those who retreat one hundred steps". The English idiom “The pot calling the kettle black.” is the precise translation. It is used to claim that a person is guilty of the very thing of which they accuse another.

Example:
不(bú)要(yào)说(shuō)我(wǒ)慢(màn),你(nǐ)不(bú)是(shì)也(yě)没(méi)做(zuò)完(wán)吗(ma)。这(zhè)叫(jiào)五(wǔ)十(shí)步(bù)笑(xiào)百(bǎi)步(bù)。

Don’t say I am slow. You haven't finished it either. You are not even better.


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