Chinese Idiom "指鹿為馬" (Zhiluweima; Point to a Deer, Call It a Horse)
Since I posted a 成語 (成语, chéngyǔ, idiom) about 馬(马, mǎ, horse), I'm going to post more 成語 related to 馬.I'm going to call them 馬系列成語 (马 系列 成语, Mǎ Xìliè Chéngyǔ, Horse Series Idioms). :D
CLICK HERE for 馬系列成語 1: 老馬識途 ( Lǎomǎshìtú, an old horse knows the way).
Here's 馬系列成語 2 for you: 指鹿為馬 (指鹿为马, Zhǐlùwéimǎ, point to a deer,call it a horse), means deliberately misrepresent, call a stag a horse, call white black, deliberate deception or distort facts. The script in the video is traditional Chinese.
Script in simplified characters, pinyin and translations, the translations are done by the Chinese characters order so the grammar may not be proper:
指鹿为马, Zhǐlùwéimǎ, Point to a Deer, Call It a Horse
秦 二 世 时, 丞相 赵高 独揽 大权,
Qín èr shì shí, chéngxiàng Zhào Gāo dúlǎn dàquán,
Qin second emperor period (210 BC - 207 BC), prime minister Zhao Gao monopolized power.
但 他的 野心 并 没有 满足, 一 心 想 登上 帝位。
Dàn tāde yěxīn bìng méiyǒu mǎnzú, yī xīn xiǎng dēngshàng dìwèi。
However his ambition at all not has satisfied, entire heart wanted ascend the throne.
"嗯! 我 想 当 皇帝, 有些 大臣 一定 会 反对 的。
"En! Wǒ xiǎng dāng huángdì, yǒuxiē dàchén yīdìng huì fǎnduì de。
Hum! I want to be the emperor, some ministers must will oppose.
嗯, 有 *了!
En ,yǒu le!
Ah, have! ( I have an idea!)
*了 le: completed action marker.
我 得 试试 他们, 然后 *把 他们 提前 铲除。"
Wǒ dě shìshì tāmen, ránhòu bǎ tāmen tíqián chǎnchú。"
I have to try them, then get them in advance eliminated (then get rid of them in advance).
*把 bǎ: particle marking the following noun as a direct object.
于是 赵高 牵 了 一 *头 鹿 来 上 早朝。
Yúshì Zhào Gāo qiān le yī tóu lù lái shàng zǎocháo。
Hence Zhao Gao pulled a dear came to the morning court.
*头 tóu: head or classifier for some animals.
大臣们 觉得 很 奇怪, 都 不 明白 赵高 想要 干 什么。
D�! �chénme n juédé hěn qíguài, dōu bù míngbái Zhào Gāo xiǎngyào gàn shíme。
Ministers felt very strange, all not understood Zhao Gao wanted to do what.
"*臣 有 一 *匹 千里马, 特 敬献 给 皇帝 陛下。"
"Chén yǒu yī pī qiānlǐmǎ, tè jìngxiàn gěi huángdì bìxià。"
"I have a fine steed, special offer to emperor Your Majesty."
*臣 chén: when talking to the emperor, the ministers say 臣 instead of 我 (wǒ, I).
*匹 pī: classifier for horses.
"哈 哈 哈! 丞相 你 说 错 了,
Hā hā hā! Chéngxiàng nǐ shuō cuò le,
"Hahaha! Prime minister you spoke wrong,
这 明明 是 鹿, 怎么 会 是 马 *呢?"
Zhè míngmíng shì lù, zěnme huì shì mǎ ne?"
This obviously is deer, how will be horse?"
*呢 ne: question particle.
"哼!
"Hèng!
"Humph!
众 大臣 你们 说说, 这 究竟 是 马 还是 鹿 呢? 你们 说!"
Zhòng dàchén nǐmen shuōshuō, zhè jiūjìng shì mǎ háishì lù ne? Nǐmen shuō!"
All ministers you say, this actually is a horse or a deer? You say!"
"阿, 这 是 马!"
"ā, zhè shì mǎ!"
"Ah, this is horse!"
赵高的 亲信 为了 讨好 赵高! , 睁著 眼睛 瞎说。
Zhào Gāode qīnxìn wèile tǎohǎo Zhào Gāo, zhēngzhe yǎnjīng xiāshuō。
Zhao Gao's trusted aides in order to fawn on Zhao Gao, opened eyes spoke nonsense.
"这 是 鹿, 这 不 是 马! 不 是 马!"
"Zhè shì lù, zhè bú shì mǎ ! Bú shì mǎ!"
"This is deer, this not is horse! Not is horse!"
耿直的 大臣 也 不 含糊。
Gěngzhíde dàchén yě bù hánhú。
Upright ministers also not vague.
"哼! 咱们 走著瞧!"
"Hèng! Zánmen zǒuzheqiáo!"
"Humph! Let's walk and see (Let's wait and see)!
赵高 暗暗 记下 了 这些 忠 臣 的 名字,
Zhào Gāo ànàn jìxià le zhèxiē zhōng chén de míngzì,
Zhao Gao inwardly recorded down these loyal ministers' names,
后来 藉 故 把 他们 都 杀 了。
Hòulái jiè gù bǎ tāmen dōu shā le。
Later found excuses them all killed (Later found some excuses and killed them all).
成语 指鹿为马 由此 而 来。
Chéngyǔ Zhǐlùwéimǎ yóucǐ ér lái。
Idiom Zhiluweima from this and come (The idiom Zhiluweima is from this story).
Example sentences:
1. 赵高 明明 是 指鹿! 为马� �你们 为什麽 要 附和 他？
Zhào Gāo míngmíng shì zhǐlùwéimǎ ，nǐmen wèishíme yào fùhè tā？
Zhao Gao obviously is zhiluweima, you why must parrot him?
2. 你 指鹿为马, 休想 我 会 支持 你！
Nǐ zhǐlùwéimǎ , xiūxiǎng wǒ huì zhīchí nǐ！
You zhiluweima, don't think I will support you!
Practice writing: CLICK HERE and hit the brushes next to each character to see the stroke orders. Grab a piece of paper and write them down.
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