xiēhòuyǔ -- Chinese Folk Sayings

[bobneudecker]

I know that the short definition of xie hou yu is a two-part saying in which the first part gives a description of something and the second part gives the meaning.

I need to figure out a way to briefly talk about and give an example of xie hou yu to a clueless American audience. Can someone please help?

[chrix]

I've collected some examples here, but I have yet to fully understand exactly in what kind of situation they're used. Some of them seem to be used like a riddle, some of them more like a proverb...

[Daan]

I saw a pretty good book on this in Hong Kong, but I can't recall for the life of me what it was called!!!

There's a dictionary of xiēhòuyǔ called A Chinese-English Dictionary of Enigmatic Folk Similes by John S. Rohsenow, reviewed here (JSTOR access required).

Edited January 22, 2010 at 08:40 AM by Daan

[anonymoose]

If you're talking about 歇后语, then it's xiēhòuyǔ. Note the tone of the first syllable.

[Daan]

That's what you get for copying and pasting pinyin because you're too lazy to switch on pinyinput Corrected in my post above, thanks!

[tooironic]

To quote my ancient but useful little book An Introduction To Modern Chinese Vocabulary 《现代汉语词汇概论》:

"The xiehouyu is an allegorical saying consisting of two parts or phrases, the first of which is descriptive - a sort of riddle, while the second part reveals the underlying meaning or explains the first part - the solution to the riddle. Often only the first part is said, or after the first part is said there is a long pause allowing those listening to chew over the possible meaning. After this pause for thought, the second part is then said... Xiehouyu are characteristically lively and often very humourous and full of flavour."

You can also see the entry for it at Wiktionary here.

[chrix]

"The xiehouyu is an allegorical saying consisting of two parts or phrases, the first of which is descriptive - a sort of riddle, while the second part reveals the underlying meaning or explains the first part - the solution to the riddle. Often only the first part is said, or after the first part is said there is a long pause allowing those listening to chew over the possible meaning. After this pause for thought, the second part is then said... Xiehouyu are characteristically lively and often very humourous and full of flavour."

I know the general principle, my problems are more with understanding exactly how every xiehouyu is used in a given context...

[tooironic]

I guess you'd just have to wait until they pop up in a context naturally. But in my experience this is extremely rare... I guess they're not as popular as they seemingly once were. Chinese young people, in particular, seem to prefer internet memes and all that jazz.

[semantic nuance]

my problems are more with understanding exactly how every xiehouyu is used in a given context...

Generally, they're used in the context of "the second part [which] gives the meaning" as bobneudecker described. For example, from your blog, 肉包子打狗, 有去無回. You'll say this when you want to express the idea of 有去無回, like lending money to someone who won't pay you back. For example, 妳要借錢給那賭鬼, 就像肉包子打狗, 有去無回的啦!

Hope it helps!

[chrix]

Thank you semantic nuance, it does help. I guess I just need to see them in context more, but as tooironic has observed they're not used that frequently any more.

What confuses me especially is that sometimes only one half of a xiehouyu is used, though I can't come up with an example right now (for instance, you may be able to use the first half only to allude to the second half without saying it?).

Also, they often appear in a context of where you have to correctly guess the second half, but I suppose that is not the main function of them.

And of course there are some that confuse me as far as their meaning is concerned:

- 騎驢看唱本 ──走著瞧

- 兔子尾巴──長不了

- 好鬥的山羊──又頂又撞

- 豬八戒照鏡子(1) ── 裡外不是人 (2) ──當面給他難看: so this means "to be in an ugly/uncomfortable situation". But why? Being ugly was the least of Zhu Baijie's problems, no?

Also some of them seem to be puns, and that confuses me further:

- 孔夫子搬家──淨/盡是輸(書) : can this only be used in a situation where you're suffering loss after loss, or also when you actually move and have a lot books in boxes

I think I better stop here, there's still plenty of xiehouyu I don't get

[skylee]

- 豬八戒照鏡子(1) ── 裡外不是人 (2) ──當面給他難看: so this means "to be in an ugly/uncomfortable situation". But why? Being ugly was the least of Zhu Baijie's problems, no?

Usually I say 兩面不是人 instead of 裏外不是人. It is used to describe a situation which involves several parties and you must do something that displeases everyone, making everyone think that you are being nasty to them (you being a pig). I think it is also used in situations in which whatever you do you can't please everyone so there is going to be someone who thinks that you are being nasty (either way you look like a pig).

[chrix]

I see, skylee, thank you, that makes that one clearer for me...

EDIT: I changed the title of the thread as there was a mistake in the pinyin...

Edited January 23, 2010 at 02:03 PM by chrix

[trien27]

Here's another one: 泥菩隡過江. Figure out the "houyu".

泥菩隡過江--------自身难保。

Well, you are correct, but in Traditional Chinese it'd be: 泥菩隡過江--------自身難保。In Simplified Chinese, it'd be "泥菩萨过江--------自身难保。"

Edited February 2, 2010 at 03:18 AM by trien27
grammar correction

[Javer Chen]

泥菩隡過江--------自身难保。

[Gharial]

Perhaps the OP could compare xiehouyu to e.g. 'Speak of the devil (...)!' (the listener will be able to supply the second half)? A bit rough n ready maybe, but...