Chinese allegories
歇后語
Two-part allegorical saying (of which the first part, always stated, is descriptive, while the second part, often unstated, carries the message)

tuó zi diē gēn tou – li?ng tóu bù zhuó (luò) shí
駝子跌跟頭 – 兩頭不著（落）實
Like a hunchback falling down with neither the head nor the feet touching the ground – fall between two stools

d?ng gōng jī xià dàn – méi zh? wang
等公雞下蛋 – 沒指望
Never expect a rooster to lay an egg. – There is no hope for something.

hán xìn jiàng bīng – duō duō yì shàn
韓信將兵 – 多多益善
Han Xin (strategist in the Qin and Han dynasties) commanding troops – The more, the better.

zhāng fēi chuān zhēn – cū zhōng y?u xì
張飛穿針 – 粗中有細
Zhang Fei (general of Shu of the Three Kingdoms, known for his sometimes rash bravery) threading a needle – There's subtlety in what seems to be crudeness.

sūn hóu zi de li?n – shuō biàn jiù biàn
孫猴子的臉 – 說變就變
The Monkey King's face – unpredictable changes

l?o hǔ dài fó zhū – ji? cí bēi
老虎戴佛珠 – 假慈悲
A tiger wearing a monk's beads – A vicious person pretending to be benevolent

luó bo qīng cài – gè y?u su? ài
蘿卜青菜 – 各有所愛
No dish suits all tastes; one man's meat is another man's poison; every Jack has his Jill.

c?o shang de lù shui – nán cháng jiǔ
草上的露水 – 難長久
Dew on the grass – can't last long

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