Communication and transportation

By / 08-24-2017 / (Chinese Social Sciences Today)

一传十,十传百
One person told ten; ten told a hundred.
The phrase is a description of how news can spread quickly.

 

好事不出门,坏事传千里
News of good behavior never gets past the door, but a scandal is heard a thousand li away.
Li is a unit of distance equal to 0.5 kilometers. The phrase is used to indicate that bad news travels much faster than good news.

 

一窍通,百窍通
By knowing one method you will know a hundred.
This phrase indicates that learning the basics allows you to master many more specific techniques.

 

法不传六耳
Deceptive schemes should not be passed to six ears.
The proverb is used to indicate that a secret cannot be shared by more than two people.

 

山重水复疑无路,柳暗花明又一村
Mountains multiply; streams double back---I doubt there’s even a road; willows cluster darkly’ blossoms shine---another village ahead!
The phrase indicates that an awkward situation cannot continue forever; things will soon improve.

 

山高自有客行路,水深自有渡船人
No matter how high the mountain is there will be a way across; no matter how deep the river is there will be people who ferry across it.
This is used to indicate that however difficult the journey may be, there is bound to be a way to complete it.

 

山径之蹊间,介然用之而成路;为间不用,则茅塞之矣
The trail on the mountain slope is very narrow, and constant passage will make it a road; but if not traveled for a while it will be clogged with weeds.
The phrase is used to mean that if one perseveres in his search for something, he will definitely need to use great effort.