Confirm Chinese Proverb?

[WWTID]

hi there,

I was looking for a nice chinese proverb on the internet and I found : 不見棺材不掉淚, literally: not shed a tear until one sees the coffin, or at least thats what the website says.

traditional chinese: 不見棺材不掉淚

simplified: 不见棺材不掉泪

mandarin? :不見棺材不掉淚

so I was wondering if somebody on this forum could confirm this proverb as correct chinese?

here's the link of the original website: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%8D%E8%A6%8B%E6%A3%BA%E6%9D%90%E4%B8%8D%E6%8E%89%E6%B7%9A

Thanks in advance!

[skylee]

It is, AFAIK. In Cantonese it is 唔見棺材唔流眼淚.

But PLEASE don't make it your tattoo (as people would want to beat you up to see if you really wouldn't shed a tear before you see your coffin).

[jbradfor]

skylee, I don't follow. I thought the translation is more along the lines of "have to see it to believe it", rather than "so tough I will die before crying"?

[skylee]

If it is a tattoo, it would mean "I am a tough guy and I will not shed a tear unless I am faced with death."

[WWTID]

so is 1 of the 3 proverbs spelled in correct chinese or is the only right translation your cantonese translation?

[renzhe]

Your number 1 and 3 are exactly the same, and number 2 is exactly the same thing, using the simplified character set. They all mean what you think they mean, the difference is between HK/Taiwan/traditional writing and modern Mainland/Singapore/Malaysian writing.

[Kenny同志]

If it is a tattoo, it would mean "I am a tough guy and I will not shed a tear unless I am faced with death."

The set phrase is supposed to be used on others rather than on oneself. No one would say 我是不见棺材不掉(落)泪. You use the phrase when someone is so tough or headstrong that he will not give in.

[skylee]

The set phrase is supposed to be used on others rather than on oneself. No one would say 我是不见棺材不掉(落)泪. You use the phrase when someone is so tough or headstrong that he will not give in.

I agree. But what if a foreigner thinks it is cool and make it his tattoo? What would you think of that tattoo?

[Kenny同志]

What would you think of that tattoo?

Funny thing.

[jbradfor]

@kenny2006woo, but would you beat him up like skylee would? <_<

[Kenny同志]

@kenny2006woo, but would you beat him up like skylee would? <_<

I might beat the hell out of him till he begs for my mercy, because he asks to see the "coffin".

[skylee]

好樣的！！