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Mending the Sheep Pen

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Mending the Sheep Pen

从前cóng qián,有yǒu一个人yī gè rén养yǎng了le很多hěn duō羊yáng。

Long ago, a man kept many sheep.

他的tā de羊yáng圈juàn上shàng有yǒu一个yī ge洞dòng。

His sheep pen had a hole in it.

晚上wǎn shang,狼láng从cóng洞dòng里lǐ进来jìn lái了le。

At night, a wolf came in through the hole.

狼láng吃chī了le一只yī zhī羊yáng。

The wolf ate one sheep.

邻居lín jū说shuō:“快kuài把bǎ洞dòng补bǔ上shàng吧ba!”

A neighbor said, "Hurry and mend that hole!"

他说tā shuō:“羊yáng已经yǐ jīng没了méi le,补bǔ它tā做zuò什么shén me?”

He said, "The sheep is already gone. Why mend it?"

第二天dì èr tiān,狼láng又yòu吃chī了le一只yī zhī羊yáng。

The next day, the wolf ate another sheep.

他tā很hěn后悔hòu huǐ,马上mǎ shàng把bǎ洞dòng补bǔ好了hǎo le。

He was very sorry and mended the hole right away.

从那以后cóng nà yǐ hòu,他tā再也zài yě没有méi yǒu丢diū过guò羊yáng。

From then on, he never lost a sheep again.

这个zhè ge成语chéng yǔ是shì“亡羊补牢wáng yáng bǔ láo”。

This idiom is "mend the pen after losing a sheep."

意思yì si是shì:出chū了le问题wèn tí,马上mǎ shàng改gǎi还hái不bù晚wǎn。

It means: when something goes wrong, it is not too late to fix it right away.

例句lì jù:你nǐ现在xiàn zài开始kāi shǐ学习xué xí,亡羊补牢wáng yáng bǔ láo,还hái来得及lái de jí。

Example: Start studying now — better late than never, there is still time.

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

Vocabulary 60 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
从前 cóng qiánin the past; once upon a time
有 yǒuto have; there is, there are
一个人 yī gè rénby oneself (without assistance); alone (without company)
养 yǎngto raise; to keep
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
很多 hěn duōMany; a lot
羊 yángsheep; goat; (surname) Yang
他的 tā deHis
圈 juànlivestock enclosure; pen; fold; sty
上 shàngup; on
一个 yī gea; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
洞 dòngcave; hole; (used when spelling out numbers)
晚上 wǎn shangevening
狼 lángwolf
从 cóngfrom
里 lǐinside; interior; within
进来 jìn láito come in
吃 chīto eat
一只 yī zhīA measure word for animals, meaning 'one' or 'a single'
邻居 lín jūneighbor
说 shuōto speak; to say
快 kuàifast; quick; soon
把 bǎto hold; (structural particle indicating the object before the verb)
补 bǔto mend; to repair; to supplement
吧 bamodal particle indicating suggestion
他说 tā shuōhe says
已经 yǐ jīngalready
没了 méi leto be dead; not to be, or cease to exist
它 tāit
做 zuòto do; to make
什么 shén mewhat
第二天 dì èr tiānnext day; the morrow
又 yòuagain; also
他 tāhe; him
很 hěnvery
后悔 hòu huǐto regret; to feel remorse
马上 mǎ shàngright away; immediately
好了 hǎo ledone; ready; all right then; okay (signaling something is finished or ending a discussion)
从那以后 cóng nà yǐ hòusince then
再也 zài yěno longer; not anymore
没有 méi yǒudon't have; haven't
丢 diūto lose; to throw (away)
过 guòto pass; past experience
这个 zhè ge(pronoun) this; (adjective) this
成语 chéng yǔidiom; set expression
是 shìto be; correct
亡羊补牢 wáng yáng bǔ láolit. to mend the pen after sheep are lost (idiom); fig. to act belatedly; better late than never
意思 yì simeaning; idea
出 chūto go out
问题 wèn tíquestion; problem
改 gǎito change; to correct
还 háistill; yet
不 bùno; not
晚 wǎnlate
例句 lì jùexample sentence
你 nǐyou
现在 xiàn zàinow
开始 kāi shǐto begin; to start
学习 xué xíto study
来得及 lái de jíto have enough time; to be in time