* 肉(rņu)包(bāo)子(zi)打(dǎ)狗(gǒu) (meat+bun(2nd and 3rd)+hit+dog)
o Literally: to hit a dog with a meat-bun.
o Interpretation: the dog will not be driven off, but rather enjoy the meat-bun instead.
o Moral: using the wrong method to approach a problem.
While I appreciate your appreciation of Chinese proverbs, 肉包子打狗 describes a situation where you give something out without the possibility of getting it back. It's most commonly used like, "Lending money to untrustworthy people is like beating a dog with a meat bun." An approximate English phrase might be, "What's gone is gone."
Seems like a meat bun would effectively deal with the problem, and avoid violence. I guess you would need to go buy another meat bun if you were really hungry or had intended to give it to someone.
Worthy proverb. But what are you referring to Charles? Is this just a proverb mentioned for general edification? Or is there something at the root of this?
Comments
You're right. That's a great proverb.
I don't know...I kind of like "Even monkeys sometimes fall out of trees".
Just because you have a hammer doesn't mean that everything is a baby.
My favorite is "Kill a chicken to let the monkeys see the blood."
While I appreciate your appreciation of Chinese proverbs, 肉包子打狗 describes a situation where you give something out without the possibility of getting it back. It's most commonly used like, "Lending money to untrustworthy people is like beating a dog with a meat bun." An approximate English phrase might be, "What's gone is gone."
Your interpretation is interesting though.
@2, That's a Japanese proverb.
God, I love the straightforwardness of Chinese grammar, as I understand it. Good saying, too.
@ 5 私は知っている。
Seems like a meat bun would effectively deal with the problem, and avoid violence. I guess you would need to go buy another meat bun if you were really hungry or had intended to give it to someone.
I think it depends on how hard you throw it.
Isn't that a smart way to keep a good dog around?
Worthy proverb. But what are you referring to Charles? Is this just a proverb mentioned for general edification? Or is there something at the root of this?
Four-character proverbs annoy me. They're always practically impossible to figure out, and I look like a moron when I pronounce them wrong. Grr.
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