English Explanatory Dictionary

xiehouyu

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A kind of Chinese proverb consisting of two elements: the former segment presents a novel scenario while the latter provides the rationale thereof. One would often only state the first part, expecting the listener to know the second. Compare English "a stitch in time (saves nine)" or "a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush)".

Pronunciation

/ʃjɛ.hoʊ.(j)u/

Word forms

xiehouyu

Etymology

From the Hanyu Pinyin romanization of Mandarin 歇後語 /歇后语 (xiēhòuyǔ).

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