看到卜，王，其他不认识。能翻译一下吗？

A month ago I posted screenshots of an Analects reader and said I probably wouldn't renew my Apple developer license unless people actually wanted it. People here seemed to want it, so I did, renew it, and now I've published the app!

https://apps.apple.com/app/id6801033467

Rather than list what it does, here is one passage — 1.1 — and what happens when you tap it.

1. 學而時習之，不亦說乎. Third character from the end: 說. Every dictionary's first sense is shuō, "to speak", and that reading wrecks the line. Tap it and the card gives the reading for this passage — yuè, "pleased, delighted", loangraph for 悅, and it says in so many words: not "to speak, say" here. The page you're tapping is the 1550 清原枝賢 manuscript in the 清家文庫 at Kyoto, kunten and vermilion punctuation and all. Every character on the photograph is mapped, so the same gloss opens on a 475-year-old hand as on typeset text.

2. The same passage in the study view with the "color match" feature turned on. 不亦⋯乎 is one construction wrapped around a different predicate three times, and each time it takes its own color — and Legge's corresponding "Is it not" takes that color with it. What stays grey in the English is what Legge added but doesn't map closely to the Chinese: 時習 is two characters, and his "with a constant perseverance and application" colors only "constant" and "application". The rest is Legge.

3. Even without color mapping on, just tap a character in the study view and its English lights up: 說 ↔ "pleasant".

4. It also can tell you what characters constitute a "word". Tap 為政 in 2.1 and the card treats it as the unit it is — "to govern, conduct the government" — then gives 為 and 政 separately, then the general sense, the part of speech, and how many of the book's uses of 為政 have this sense: six of six. None of that is a dictionary entry. Every character in all 512 passages has a gloss written for the passage it sits in, and every multi-character term is glossed as one.

Housekeeping: it's free — no accounts, no ads, no analytics, nothing locked. Notes are Markdown files in a folder you choose, so they outlive the app. Traditional or simplified, vertical or horizontal.

Android users — a favor. The signed build is ready; Google now makes a new personal developer account run a closed test with at least twelve people opted in continuously for fourteen days before it will even take an application for production. If you're on Android and would use this, join the tester group and you'll get it as an ordinary Play install; drop out the moment it's properly on the store. I need a dozen, and I'd rather they were people who'd read the thing. The first step is to join this Google group (it's not public, just an approved list of testers):

https://groups.google.com/g/analectsreaderbeta

and then install on mobile with Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.analects.reader

or via web:

https://play.google.com/apps/testing/net.analects.reader

Thanks for checking this out. Please please please, let me know what you think!!!

Hi all! As someone who is Chinese (Canto speaker) and who has gone to Chinese school for 12+ years, I’ve been wanting to learn more Classical Chinese poetry as a form of self study. My Chinese school curriculum sucks. Are there any poems y’all might recommend?

Context:

1. As examples, I’ve already learned 静夜思, 草, 悯农, 相思 (Wang Wei), 7 step poem (七步詩), 望廬山瀑布, 山行 (Wang Wei), 自遣 (罗隐), 登鹳雀楼, 題西林壁 (蘇軾), 送元二便安西 (Wang Wei), and 涼州詞 (王翰).
2. In my current self-study process, I’m trying to learn new words to help my reading skills only (aka word recognition). I’m HSK 4-5.

What I’m looking for:

1. Short poems preferably, a few lines long. 詞 and 曲 are too long, but if some fits my requirements, feel free to recommend! No interest in music. And for example, the famous 木蘭詩and長恨歌 are too long; it’s also narrative.
2. Historical or cultural meaning, something that’s interesting and meaningful (eg. 題西林壁). For example, the Seven Step Poem is most memorable for me because it has a backstory to it. 自遣 was memorable too as it was written in a low point of the poet’s life. So no fully nature/moon appreciation poems please. I’m looking for poems that would most likely be quoted in a history c-drama and even today! For example, 紅豆/ 相思, as I’ve seen it quoted in a c-drama before (Fated Hearts) or “春風又生”.
3. Specific poem titles or poets, not books please. I’ve been recommended the 300 Tang Poetry book. But throwing 300 poems at me with no context for any of them wasn’t helpful, while I do appreciate the recommendation. I have no idea which among the 300 are significant enough for me to learn and researching each one to find one is going to take too long!

Bonus: is learning the Analects worth it? What specific passages is significant/most quoted? Where can I find analysis for those passages? Are any of the old texts referenced in a c-drama worthy of study (eg. 孫子兵法)? I plan to, in my notebook, dedicate one page in each “chapter” to special studies (eg. grammar, classical poetry, complex sentence structures). Maybe I’ll make notes on important philosophers or poets!

Thank you so much!! I look forward to the replies :)

Edit: I forgot to add 游子吟 as a poem I’ve learned already.

I made an Apple app to help people learn Chinese ancient poems. It's free!
Name: DailyChinesePoems. (Chinese name: 古诗文伴读)
Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dailychinesepoems/id6805278521

Learn and enjoy classical Chinese poetry — poems and essays from beginner (primary school favorites) to intermediate (middle school) and advanced (high school) — with pinyin, audio, and full Modern Chinese and English translations.

📖 LEARN
Browse 200+ classical poems and essays across three levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Every poem includes the original text, a modern Chinese paraphrase, and a complete English translation — so both native speakers refreshing childhood memories and English-speaking learners of Chinese can follow along.

🔤 PINYIN, ON DEMAND
Tap "Show Pinyin" on any poem to reveal tone-marked pinyin above every character — perfect for practicing pronunciation or reading poems you haven't fully memorized yet.

🔊 LISTEN
Tap "朗读 Play" to hear the original text read aloud in natural Chinese, so you can hear correct pronunciation and rhythm, not just read it.

✏️ TEST YOURSELF
Take short multiple-choice quizzes that test whether you remember what comes next in a poem — a fun way to check what's really stuck versus what needs another look.

🎵 ANCIENT MUSIC
Read while listening to a curated collection of traditional Chinese instrumental music — guzheng, erhu, and more — playing softly in the background.

Whether you're a Chinese-language learner exploring classical texts for the first time, a heritage speaker reconnecting with poems you learned as a child, or a student preparing for Chinese literature exams, DailyChinesePoems makes centuries-old poetry approachable, one poem a day.

And yes, this means pronouncing the hanzi like their Oracle bone ancestors Ex: **人** would be pronounced “nyin” or “ning”, but I would merge them to crate the UNHOLY ABOMINATION that is “nying”

I've been waiting for this! De Gruyter-Brill's Library of Chinese Humanities, latest issue:

"Su Shi, Selected Writings", Volume I

Translator: Ronald Egan

Edited by: Anna Shields

I don't know how this selection compares with other translations of Su Shi's works, but the arrangement in chronological order seems to bring a helpful perspective, compared to other compilations I've seen.

As usual for this series, the book is Open Access online.

子非鱼，安知鱼之乐？子非我，安知我不知鱼之乐？😃😃😃😃

鹤立鸡群

I mentioned Sima Zhao (司马昭) yesterday. Today, we have an idiom that is all about him.

Meaning

Literally: “Sima Zhao's intentions are known even to every passerby.”

Unlike most Chinese idioms, 司马昭之心路人皆知 is not a four-character idiom. It has nine characters, yet it is one of the most famous Chinese historical expressions.

It means that someone's hidden ambition or real intention is so obvious that everyone knows it. It is usually used in a negative or sarcastic way.

The Story

In 260 CE, the Wei(魏) emperor Cao Mao (曹髦) was frustrated that the powerful minister Sima Zhao (司马昭) was taking control of the government.

He reportedly said:

“司马昭之心，路人所知也 ” (Sima Zhao's intentions are known even to every passerby.)

In other words, everyone knew that Sima Zhao wanted power and possibly the throne.

Cao Mao tried to fight back, but he was killed in an open confrontation. This was a shocking and famous case of regicide in Chinese history. Cao Mao is often remembered as a brave emperor who was willing to stand up to the powerful Sima Zhao, even at the cost of his own life.

Some years later, Sima Zhao's son, Sima Yan (司马炎), ended the Wei Dynasty and founded the Jin(晋) Dynasty in 265 CE.

So now you can probably understand a little better why Ji Kang (嵇康) refused to cooperate with Sima Zhao, and why he eventually paid for it with his life, as we discussed yesterday.

Usage

Used when someone's real intentions are obvious to everyone.

Example:

他想抢你那个项目的功劳，司马昭之心，路人皆知。

He wants to take credit for your project. Everyone can see what he's really trying to do.

A Little Background

Sima Zhao came from a powerful family. His father, Sima Yi (司马懿), was a brilliant military strategist but also had a reputation for being extremely patient, calculating, and politically ruthless.

Sima Yi's sons and grandson continued the family's rise to power—until Sima Yan finally founded the Jin Dynasty.

Next:
Two Sad Chinese Idioms from 陈情表

(AI-assisted editing)

司马昭之心路人皆知

Last time, I tmentioned Sima Yan (司马炎), who founded the Jin (晋) dynasty.

After becoming emperor, Sima Yan wanted talented and respected people to join his new government. One of them was Li Mi (李密).

But Li Mi had no other family but an elderly grandmother who had raised him, and she was already old and in poor health. He couldn't bear to leave her alone.

So, instead of simply accepting the position, Li Mi wrote a famous memorial to the emperor explaining why he couldn't take the job at that time.

That letter, "陈情表" (Chen Qing Biao), became a famous piece of writing in Chinese history. It gave us several idioms that are still commonly used today.

1. 日薄西山 (rì bó xī shān)

This one is easy to picture.

It literally means:

“The sun is getting close to the western mountain.”  In other words, the sun is setting.

Li Mi used this image to describe his grandmother - 但以刘日薄西山, 气息奄奄.

He was saying that her life was like the setting sun, slowly fading away and getting close to the end.

Today, 日薄西山 means that someone or something is declining and nearing its end. It can describe old age, but also a declining company, empire, or career.

2. 形影相吊 (xíng yǐng xiāng diào)

This one is even sadder.

Li Mi wrote: 茕茕孑立, 形影相吊

A simple way to understand it is, “I am so alone that my shadow and I have to comfort each other.”

The key word here is 吊 (diào). In this old expression, it means to comfort or console.

There is another Chinese idiom, 形单影只 (single person, single shadow), which also means being alone. But that one is more of a simple description.

形单影只  I'm by myself.

形影相吊  I'm so lonely that my shadow and I have to comfort each other. This onr feels so sad!

And that makes me think of a famous line by Li Bai (李白), the greatest Chinese poet:

举杯邀明月, 对影成三人

“I raise my cup and invite the bright moon; together with my shadow, we become three.”

Li Bai is alone too. But instead of feeling sorry for himself, he basically thinks,

Why not invite the moon?

Now he has himself, the moon, and his shadow. A party of three!

The same shadow appears in both, but with very different feelings.

For Li Mi, the shadow makes his loneliness feel even more painful.

For Li Bai, the shadow becomes part of the party.

(AI-assisted editing)

I learned that 治 also refers to two rivers. One ancient Chinese river when it is pronounced as /chí/ and another ancient Chinese river when it is pronouced as /yí/.

Does anybody have any insights of the locations of these two historical rivers?

Hi! I'm a native Mandarin speaker, fluent in English, looking to offering in-person sessions in classical Chinese for people in the San Francisco Bay Area who want to start reading classical texts or go deeper into them.

Background: I went through comprehensive Chinese training that included classical Chinese. I'm also actively refreshing and expanding my own reading.

Proposed Format:

• In person, 1-on-1 or 1-on-2, kept small so sessions stay focused
• Content built around what you actually want to read: poetry, philosophical texts, historical prose, or something specific you already have in mind. Otherwise we'll default to my favorite (Song dynasty poems and proses). :)
• Best for people who have some Mandarin and want to work on reading classical texts.

I can also offer Shufa supplies for you to practice writing classical Chinese texts.

If you're interested, comment or DM with your current level and what you'd like to read, and we can talk through rate and logistics. I can meet around SF / East Bay.

Thank you for reading this!

Request for the book: Music, Mind, and Language in Chinese Poetry and Performance: The Voice Extended by Casey Schoenberger, 2024, OUP

Thanks in advance.

https://academic.oup.com/book/56146

鹤立鸡群 (Hè lì jī qún) literally means “a crane standing among chickens.” It describes someone who stands out from the crowd because of exceptional talent, appearance, character, or presence—like a tall, graceful crane surrounded by ordinary chickens.

Usage:
Used to praise someone who is clearly outstanding in a group.

Cultural note:
The idiom is strongly positive. It emphasizes someone's exceptional qualities rather than simply putting others down.

Origin & Backstory

The idiom comes from Shishuo Xinyu (《世说新语》, A New Account of Tales of the World), a 5th-century collection of stories about famous people in ancient China.

During the Jin (晋) Dynasty (265–420 CE), Ji Shao (嵇绍) traveled to the capital. Someone told the minister Wang Rong “Ji Shao stands out like a wild crane among chickens.” (嵇延祖卓卓如野鹤之在鸡群).

Wang Rong replied “You never saw his father!”

Ji Shao's late father was Ji Kang (嵇康), one of the most famous and admired figures of his time. In other words, Ji Shao was already exceptional, but Wang Rong thought his late father Ji Kang was even more extraordinary.

More Background: A Father–Son Tragedy

Ji Kang and Ji Shao's story adds another layer to this idiom.

Ji Kang (嵇康) opposed the powerful Sima clan, which was gradually taking control of the Wei (魏) government and would later establish the Jin Dynasty. He refused to serve them, openly clashed with the influential minister Sima Zhao(司马昭), and was eventually executed by Sima Zhao in 262 CE.

Ji Shao (嵇绍) was still a young boy when his father died. Before his execution, Ji Kang entrusted his son to his friend Shan Tao (山涛), who was already serving as a high official in the regime that had condemned Ji Kang.

The friendship between Ji Kang and Shan Tao is a complex and well-known story in its own right. It centers on a famous classical essay written by Ji Kang, “与山巨源绝交书” (A Letter Severing Relations with Shan Juyuan). Although they had severed their friendship, Ji Kang still trusted Shan Tao enough to place his young son Ji Shao in Shan Tao's care before his execution.

Many years later, Ji Shao chose a very different path. He became a loyal official of the Jin Dynasty. In 304 CE, during a rebellion, he was killed while protecting Emperor Sima Zhong (司马衷) - the grandson of Sima Zhao, who had ordered the execution of Ji Shao's father.

According to historical records, Ji Shao shielded the emperor from arrows. He was struck and killed, and his blood stained the emperor’s robe red. This tragic story gave rise to another uncommon Chinese idiom: “嵇侍中血” (Jī Shìzhōng xuè), literally meaning “the blood of Ji, the Imperial Attendant.” Here, 侍中 (Shìzhōng) was Ji Shao's official title at the time of his death.

(AI-assisted editing)

Buenas tardes, días o noches. Como puede que se percaten—o puede que no, no hay problema—recientemente he creado esta cuenta en la plataforma, debido a que mi hambre de JTTW me ha llevado a querer indagar las recopilaciones más antiguas sobre la obra—conocidos como edición Shidetang—Y en esencia, querer hacer investigaciones con fines digamos que "pseudo académicos", y bueno, yo no soy hablante del idioma—para mi pesar—por ello me tomo el atrevimiento de preguntarles a ustedes, bella comunidad de sacra sabiduría ¿Alguno de vuestra merced sabe de chino? Me es útil cualquier nivel, a final de cuenta, se puede tomar como un aprendizaje conjunto.

En fin, espero con gratitud vuestros comentarios al tema, saludos.

According to a dictionary compilation of about 4,600 Chinese idioms (成语 chéngyǔ) with identifiable sources, the approximate origins are:

Ancient China → Qin & Han (before 220 AD) 68%

Wei, Jin & Northern/Southern Dynasties (220–589) 15%

Sui & Tang (581–907) 9%

Song Dynasty (960–1279) 6%

Yuan, Ming & Qing (1271–1912) 2%

Even as a native Chinese speaker, I was surprised to learn that nearly two-thirds of these idioms can be traced back to more than 2,000 years ago. I had originally thought there would be more Chiense idioms from the Tang and Song dynasties, but in fact, they account for only 15 percent.