A not-too-bright fellow heads to the market to buy a pair of shoes. Includes a beginner’s introduction to classical Chinese. HSK 3.
Modern version: 从前有一个郑国人，想去买一双新鞋子，于是事先量了自己的脚的尺码，然后把量好的尺码放在自己的座位上。到了集市，却忘了带上尺码。挑好了鞋子，才发现：“我忘了带尺码。”就返回家中拿尺码。等到他返回集市的时候，集市已经散了，他最终没有买到鞋子。
有人问：“你为什么不直接用自己的脚去试鞋子？”
他回答说：“我宁可相信量好的尺码，也不相信自己的脚。”
Classical version: 郑人有欲买履者，先自度其足，而置之其坐。至之市，而忘操之。已得履，乃曰：“吾忘持度！”反归取之。及反，市罢，遂不得履。
人曰：“何不试之以足? ”
曰：“宁信度，无自信也。”
Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 从前 | cóng qián | previously; formerly; once upon a time |
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is; (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意[you3 yi4] intentional) |
| 一个 | yī ge | a; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc) |
| 郑 | zhěng | surname Zheng; (hist.) the Zheng state (a Zhou-dynasty vassal state) |
| 国人 | guó rén | compatriots (literary); fellow countrymen |
| 想 | xiǎng | to think (about); to think of; to devise; to think (that); to believe (that); to desire; to want (to); to miss (feel wistful about the absence of) |
| 去 | qù | to go; to go to (a place); (of a time etc) last; just passed; to send; to remove; to get rid of; to reduce; to be apart from in space or time; to die (euphemism); to play (a part);… |
| 买 | mǎi | to buy; to purchase |
| 一 | yī | one; single; a (article); as soon as; entire; whole; all; throughout; "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1); also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out … |
| 双 | shuāng | variant of 雙|双[shuang1]; surname Shuang |
| 新 | Xīn | abbr. for Xinjiang 新疆[Xin1 jiang1]; abbr. for Singapore 新加坡[Xin1 jia1 po1]; surname Xin |
| 鞋子 | xié zi | shoe |
| 于是 | yú shì | thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence |
| 事先 | shì xiān | in advance; before the event; beforehand; prior |
| 量 | liáng | to measure |
| 了 | le | (completed action marker); (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now); (modal particle intensifying preceding clause); (bound form) clear in one's mind; to understand clearly |
| 自己 | zì jǐ | oneself; (attributive) one's own |
| 的 | de | of; ~'s (possessive particle); (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun); (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis); (used after a noun, verb or adjective to… |
| 脚 | jiǎo | foot; leg (of an animal or an object); base (of an object); CL:雙|双[shuang1],隻|只[zhi1]; classifier for kicks |
| 尺码 | chǐ mǎ | size; fitting (of apparel) |
| 然 | rán | correct; right; so; thus; like this; -ly |
| 后 | Hòu | surname Hou; back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later; post- |
| 把 | bǎ | to hold; to grasp; to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate; handlebar; classifier: handful, bundle, bunch; classifier for things with handles; (used to put the ob… |
| 好 | hǎo | good; appropriate; proper; all right!; (before a verb) easy to; (before a verb) good to; (before an adjective for exclamatory effect) so; (verb complement indicating completion); (… |
| 放 | fàng | to put; to place; to release; to free; to let go; to let out; to set off (fireworks) |
| 在 | zài | to exist; to be alive; (of sb or sth) to be (located) at; (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) |
| 座位 | zuò wèi | seat; CL:個|个[ge4] |
| 上 | shǎng | used in 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1] |
| 到了 | dào liǎo | at last; finally; in the end |
| 集市 | jí shì | market; bazaar; fair |
| 却 | què | old variant of 卻|却[que4]; but; yet; however; while; to go back; to decline; to retreat; nevertheless; even though |
| 忘 | wàng | to forget; to overlook; to neglect |
| 带上 | dài shàng | to take along with one |
| 挑 | tiao | to carry on a shoulder pole; to pick |
| 才 | cái | ability; talent; sb of a certain type; a capable individual; then and only then; just now; (before an expression of quantity) only; (emphatic, esp. in contrast or correction) reall…; (variant of 才[cai2]) just now; (variant of 才[cai2]) (before an expression of quantity) only |
| 发现 | fā xiàn | to notice; to become aware of; to discover; to find; to detect; a discovery |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me; my |
| 带 | dài | band; belt; girdle; ribbon; tire; area; zone; region; CL:條|条[tiao2]; to wear; to carry; to take along; to bear (i.e. to have); to lead; to bring; to look after; to raise |
| 就 | jìu | (after a suppositional clause) in that case; then; (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after; (same as 就是[jiu4 shi4]) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precise… |
| 返 | fán | to return (to) |
| 回家 | huí jiā | to return home |
| 中 | Zhōng | (bound form) China; Chinese; surname Zhong |
| 拿 | ná | old variant of 拿[na2]; variant of 拿[na2]; to hold; to seize; to catch; to apprehend; to take; (used in the same way as 把[ba3]: to mark the following noun as a direct object) |
| 等到 | děng dào | to wait until; by the time when (sth is ready etc) |
| 他 | tā | (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his; (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日[ta1 ri4] and 他人[ta1 ren2]) |
| 回 | Huí | Hui ethnic group (Chinese Muslims); to curve; to return; to revolve; variant of 迴|回[hui2] |
| 时 | shí | old variant of 時|时[shi2]; surname Shi |
| 候 | hòu | to wait; to inquire after; to watch; season; climate; (old) period of five days |
| 已经 | yǐ jīng | already |
| 散 | sàn | variant of 散[san4]; scattered; loose; to come loose; to fall apart; leisurely; powdered medicine |
| 最 | zuì | variant of 最[zui4]; old variant of 最[zui4]; (before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est; (after 之[zhi1]) best or most extreme example (e.g. 世界之最[shi4 jie4 zhi1 zui4] "the greatest in the world") |
| 终 | zhong | end |
| 没有 | méi yǒu | haven't; hasn't; doesn't exist; to not have; to not be |
| 到 | dào | to reach; to arrive; to leave for; to go to; to (a place); until (a time); up to (a point); (verb complement indicating arriving at a place or reaching a point); considerate; thoug… |
| 有人 | yǒu rén | someone; people; anyone; there is someone there; occupied (as in restroom) |
| 问 | wèn | to ask; to inquire |
| 你 | nǐ | you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您[nin2]); you (Note: In Taiwan, 妳 is used to address females, but in mainland China, it is not commonly used. Instead, 你 is used to address both males and females.) |
| 为 | wéi | as (in the capacity of); to take sth as; to act as; to serve as; to behave as; to become; to be; to do; by (in the passive voice); variant of 為|为[wei2] |
| 什 | shén | what |
| 么 | má | exclamatory final particle; variant of 麼|么[me5] |
| 不 | bù | no; not so; (bound form) not; un- |
| 直接 | zhí jiē | direct (opposite: indirect 間接|间接[jian4 jie1]); immediate; straightforward |
| 用 | yòng | to use; to make use of; to employ; (coverb) with; using; to need; to have to (usu. used in the negative or in questions); usefulness; utility; (bound form) expense; outlay; (courte… |
| 试 | shì | to test; to try; experiment; examination; test |
| 回答 | huí dá | to reply; to answer; reply; answer |
| 说 | shuì | to persuade; variant of 說|说[shuo1] |
| 宁 | nīng | peaceful; tranquil |
| 可 | kě | (prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit; to suit; (particle used for emphasis) certainly; very; but; however |
| 相 | Xiāng | surname Xiang |
| 信 | xìn | letter; mail; CL:封[feng1]; to trust; to believe; to profess faith in; truthful; confidence; trust; at will; at random |
| 也 | Yě | surname Ye |
| 人 | rén | person; people; CL:個|个[ge4],位[wei4],名[ming2] |
| 欲 | yù | desire; appetite; passion; lust; greed; to wish for; to desire; variant of 慾|欲[yu4] |
| 履 | lv3 | shoe |
| 者 | zhě | (after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ...; (after a noun) person involved in ...; -er; -ist; (used after a number or 後|后[hou4] or 前[qian2] to refer to sth mentioned previously);… |
| 先 | xiān | beforehand; first; earlier; at first; originally; for the time being; for now; (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself) |
| 自 | zì | (bound form) self; oneself; from; since; naturally; as a matter of course |
| 度 | dù | to pass; to spend (time); measure; limit; extent; degree of intensity; degree (angles, temperature etc); kilowatt-hour; classifier for events and occurrences |
| 其 | qí | his; her; its; their; that; such; it (refers to sth preceding it) |
| 足 | jù | excessive |
| 而 | ér | and; as well as; and so; but (not); yet (not); (indicates causal relation); (indicates change of state); (indicates contrast) |
| 置 | zhì | to install; to place; to put; to buy |
| 之 | zhī | (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]); him; her; it |
| 坐 | Zuò | surname Zuo |
| 至 | zhì | to arrive; most; to; until |
| 市 | shì | market; city; municipality (administrative unit); (literary) to trade; to buy and sell goods |
| 操 | cāo | old variant of 操[cao1]; to grasp; to hold; to operate; to manage; to control; to steer; to exercise; to drill (practice); to play; to speak (a language) |
| 已 | yǐ | already; to stop; then; afterwards |
| 得 | dé | to obtain; to get; to gain; to catch (a disease); proper; suitable; proud; contented; to allow; to permit; ready; finished |
| 乃 | nǎi | to be; thus; so; therefore; then; only; thereupon; variant of 乃[nai3] |
| 曰 | yuē | to speak; to say |
| 吾 | Wú | surname Wu |
| 持 | chí | to hold; to grasp; to support; to maintain; to persevere; to manage; to run (i.e. administer); to control |
| 反 | fǎn | contrary; in reverse; inside out or upside down; to reverse; to return; to oppose; opposite; against; anti-; to rebel; to use analogy; instead; abbr. for 反切[fan3 qie4] phonetic sys… |
| 归 | Guī | surname Gui |
| 取 | qǔ | to take; to get; to choose; to fetch |
| 及 | jí | and; to reach; up to; in time for |
| 罢 | bà | to stop; to cease; to dismiss; to suspend; to quit; to finish |
| 遂 | ||
| 不得 | bù dé | must not; may not; not to be allowed; cannot |
| 何不 | hé bù | why not?; why not do (sth)? |
| 以 | yǐ | old variant of 以[yi3]; abbr. for Israel 以色列[Yi3 se4 lie4] |
| 无 | mó | used in 南無|南无[na1 mo2] |
Long ago there was a man from the State of Zheng, he wanted to go buy a pair of shoes, so first he measured the size of his own feet, then put the measurement on his chair. He got to the market, but he’d forgotten to bring the measurement. [After] he picked out the shoes [he wanted], he discovered: “I forgot to bring the measurement.” So he went back to his house to get it. When he returned to the market, the market was closed, and in the end he didn’t buy any shoes.
Someone asked him, “Why didn’t you simply use your own feet to try the shoes?”
He answered: “I’d rather trust the measurement, I don’t trust my own feet.”