Chinese Tuesdays: Tigers and Rabbits

 

虎毒不食子 (hǔdúbùshízǐ) – As vicious as a tiger is, it doesn’t eat its own cubs. This is used to talk about parents who harm their own children. It suggests that those who do are worse than beasts, always a big smackdown in Chinese.

兔子不吃窝边草 (tùzibùchīwōbiāncǎo) – A rabbit doesn’t eat the grass close to its burrow. Don’t make trouble close to home. That means being good to your neighbours, but it can also be used about dating classmates or colleagues.

This Chinese Tuesdays post originally appeared on Sam Duncan's blog

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