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Touching the Elephant

↶ HSK 3 reading practice

Touching the Elephant

从前cóng qián,有yǒu四sì个人gè rén,眼睛yǎn jing都dōu看不见kàn bù jiàn。

Long ago, there were four men whose eyes could not see.

他们tā men想xiǎng知道zhī dào大象dà xiàng是shì什么shén me样子yàng zi。

They wanted to know what an elephant looks like.

他们tā men只能zhǐ néng用手yòng shǒu摸mō。

They could only touch it with their hands.

第dì一个人yī gè rén摸到mō dào牙齿yá chǐ:“大象dà xiàng像xiàng萝卜luó bo!”

The first man touched a tusk: "An elephant is like a radish!"

第二个人dì èr ge rén摸到mō dào耳朵ěr duo:“大象dà xiàng像xiàng扇子shàn zi!”

The second man touched an ear: "An elephant is like a fan!"

第三个dì sān gè人rén摸到mō dào腿tuǐ:“大象dà xiàng像xiàng大树dà shù!”

The third man touched a leg: "An elephant is like a big tree!"

第四个dì sì gè人rén摸到mō dào尾巴wěi ba:“大象dà xiàng像xiàng绳子shéng zi!”

The fourth man touched the tail: "An elephant is like a rope!"

四sì个人gè rén都dōu说shuō自己zì jǐ对duì,吵chǎo了le起来qǐ lai。

All four said they were right and started to argue.

其实qí shí,他们tā men都dōu错了cuò le。

In fact, they were all wrong.

每个人měi ge rén只zhǐ摸到了mō dào le一点点yī diǎn diǎn。

Each of them had only touched one little part.

这个zhè ge成语chéng yǔ是shì“盲人摸象máng rén mō xiàng”。

This idiom is "blind men touching an elephant."

意思yì si是shì:只zhǐ看到kàn dào一点yī diǎn,就jiù觉得jué de都dōu知道了zhī dào le。

It means: you see only a little, but think you know it all.

小明xiǎo míng只zhǐ看了kàn le一yī页yè书shū,就jiù说shuō这zhè本běn书shū不好bù hǎo,真是zhēn shi盲人摸象máng rén mō xiàng。

Xiao Ming read only one page and said the book was bad — truly blind men touching an elephant.

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

Vocabulary 63 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
从前 cóng qiánin the past; once upon a time
有 yǒuto have; there is, there are
四 sìfour
个人 gè rénindividual; personal
眼睛 yǎn jingeye
都 dōuall; both
看不见 kàn bù jiàncannot see; cannot be seen; invisible
他们 tā menthey
想 xiǎngto think; to want
知道 zhī dàoto know; to be aware
大象 dà xiàngelephant
是 shìto be; correct
什么 shén mewhat
样子 yàng ziappearance; look
只能 zhǐ néngcan only; must
用手 yòng shǒuto use one’s hands
摸 mōto touch; to feel
第 dìprefix for ordinal numbers
一个人 yī gè rénby oneself (without assistance); alone (without company)
摸到 mō dàoto touch; to feel
牙齿 yá chǐtooth; dental
像 xiàngto resemble; like
萝卜 luó boradish (esp. white radish)
第二个人 dì èr ge rénthe second person; (fig.) someone else; third party
耳朵 ěr duoear (also used for a cup’s handle)
扇子 shàn zia fan
第三个 dì sān gèthe third one
人 rénperson; people
腿 tuǐleg
大树 dà shùBig tree
第四个 dì sì gèthe fourth one
尾巴 wěi batail
绳子 shéng zicord; string; rope
说 shuōto speak; to say
自己 zì jǐoneself; one's own
对 duìright; correct
吵 chǎonoisy; to quarrel
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
起来 qǐ laito rise; to get up
其实 qí shíactually
错了 cuò leto be wrong
每个人 měi ge réneverybody; everyone
只 zhǐonly; just
摸到了 mō dào leto have touched; to feel (successfully by touch)
一点点 yī diǎn diǎna little bit
这个 zhè ge(pronoun) this; (adjective) this
成语 chéng yǔidiom; set expression
盲人摸象 máng rén mō xiàngblind people touch an elephant (idiom, from Nirvana sutra 大般涅槃經|大般涅盘经[da4 ban1 Nie4 pan2 jing1])
意思 yì simeaning; idea
看到 kàn dàoto see
一点 yī diǎna bit; a little; (in negative sentences) not at all; one o'clock
就 jiùthen; just; precisely
觉得 jué deto think; to feel
知道了 zhī dào leOK!; Got it!
小明 xiǎo míngA common Chinese name for a boy
看了 kàn lelooked at; watched; read (completed action)
一 yīone
页 yèpage
书 shūbook
这 zhèthis
本 běnclassifier for books; this; original
不好 bù hǎono good
真是 zhēn shiindeed; truly; (coll.) (used to express disapproval, annoyance etc)