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Dongshi Copies a Frown

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Dongshi Copies a Frown

从前cóng qián,有个yǒu gè女孩nǚ hái叫jiào西施xī shī。

Long ago, there was a girl named Xishi.

她tā很hěn美měi,大家dà jiā都dōu喜欢xǐ huan看kàn她tā。

She was very beautiful, and everyone liked to look at her.

一天yī tiān,西施xī shī病bìng了le,觉得jué de很hěn难受nán shòu。

One day, Xishi got sick and felt very bad.

她tā皱zhòu着zhe眉头méi tóu,慢慢地màn màn de走zǒu。

She frowned and walked slowly.

大家dà jiā说shuō:“她tā这样zhè yàng也yě很hěn美měi!”

Everyone said, "She is beautiful even like this!"

村cūn里lǐ还有hái yǒu一个yī ge女孩nǚ hái,叫jiào东dōng施shī。

In the village there was another girl, named Dongshi.

东dōng施shī长得zhǎng de不bù好看hǎo kàn。

Dongshi was not pretty.

她tā想xiǎng:“我wǒ也yě学xué西施xī shī吧ba!”

She thought, "I will copy Xishi!"

东dōng施shī也yě皱zhòu着zhe眉头méi tóu走路zǒu lù。

Dongshi also walked around frowning.

可是kě shì大家dà jiā一yī看到kàn dào她tā,都dōu跑开pǎo kāi了le。

But as soon as people saw her, they all ran away.

这个zhè ge成语chéng yǔ是shì“东施效颦dōng shī xiào pín”。

This idiom is "Dongshi copies the frown."

意思yì si是shì:只会zhǐ huì学xué别人bié ren的de样子yàng zi,结果jié guǒ更gèng不好bù hǎo。

It means: blindly copying someone else only makes things worse.

例句lì jù:不要bù yào东施效颦dōng shī xiào pín,做zuò你nǐ自己zì jǐ就jiù好hǎo。

Example: Don't copy others blindly — just be yourself.

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 62 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
从前 cóng qiánin the past; once upon a time
有个 yǒu gèThere is a; there exists one
女孩 nǚ háigirl
叫 jiàoto call; to be called
西施 xī shīXishi (c. 450 BC), famous Chinese beauty, foremost of the four legendary beauties 四大美女[si4 da4 mei3 nu:3]
她 tāshe
很 hěnvery
美 měibeautiful; (abbr. for America)
大家 dà jiāeveryone
都 dōuall; both
喜欢 xǐ huanto like
看 kànto look; to watch; to see
一天 yī tiānOne day
病 bìngillness; sick
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
觉得 jué deto think; to feel
难受 nán shòuto feel miserable; unwell
皱 zhòuto wrinkle; wrinkled; to crease
着 zhe(aspect particle) indicating ongoing action
眉头 méi tóubrows
慢慢地 màn màn deslowly
走 zǒuto walk; to go
说 shuōto speak; to say
这样 zhè yàngin this way; like this
也 yěalso
村 cūnvillage
里 lǐinside; interior; within
还有 hái yǒualso; in addition
一个 yī gea; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
东 dōngeast
施 shīsurname Shi
长得 zhǎng deto look (pretty, the same etc)
不 bùno; not
好看 hǎo kàngood-looking; beautiful
想 xiǎngto think; to want
我 wǒI; me
学 xuéto learn
吧 bamodal particle indicating suggestion
走路 zǒu lùto walk; to go on foot
可是 kě shìbut; however
一 yīone
看到 kàn dàoto see
跑开 pǎo kāiTo run away; to run off
这个 zhè ge(pronoun) this; (adjective) this
成语 chéng yǔidiom; set expression
是 shìto be; correct
东施效颦 dōng shī xiào pínlit. Dong Shi imitates Xi Shi's frown (idiom); fig. to mimick sb's idiosyncrasies but make a fool of oneself
意思 yì simeaning; idea
只会 zhǐ huìonly can
别人 bié renother people; others
的 depossessive particle
样子 yàng ziappearance; look
结果 jié guǒresult; outcome; consequence
更 gèngmore; even more; further; still; additionally
不好 bù hǎono good
例句 lì jùexample sentence
不要 bù yàodon't; must not
做 zuòto do; to make
你 nǐyou
自己 zì jǐoneself; one's own
就 jiùthen; just; precisely
好 hǎogood