Accumulation 日积月累

I always think that foreigners who would like to pick some Chinese should pay close attention to learning materials for Chinese kids. These learning materials have certain rhymes and can be easily recited. So here we are! I plan to finish 三字经 (sān zì jīng, the Three Character Primer), 百家姓 (bǎi jiā xìng, the Book of Chinese Family Names), and 千字文 (qiān zì wén, the One Thousand Character Primer) here. Please feel free to correct whenever you notice a mistake. And, if you have any suggestion, please do let me know. Thanks in advance^^

We will witness how far I can go:D

--idea comes from the movie, Julie & Julia

Bon appetit!!!

人之初，性本善。(rén zhī chū, xìng běn shàn) 性相近，习相远。(xìng xiāng jìn, xí xiāng yuǎn)

注释：Note 人：泛指所有的人 (general term for all human beings) 初：人生之初 (beginning of life journey,at birth) 性：道德，禀性/天性，(morals, natural instincts, ) 本：根本，本来，原来 (root, original) 相近：相距不远 (not too much difference) 习：性格，习惯 (characteristics, habit) 相远：相距太远 (too much difference)

译文：Translation 人生之初，禀性都是善良的。天性也都相差不多，只是后天所处的环境不同和所受教育程度不同，彼此的性格才形成了差别。 At the beginning of every human being's life journey, their natural instincts are good. And the natural instincts are similar; it is just the different postnatal surroundings and different education backgrounds that lead to the different characteristics.

苟不教，性乃迁。(gǒu bú jiào, xìng nǎ qiān) 教之道，贵以专。(jiào zhī dào, guì yǐ zhuān)

注释：Note 苟：如果，假如 (if, supposing) 教：教育，教诲 (educate, teach) 迁：改变，变迁 (change, alter) 道：方法，道理 (method, principle) 贵：贵在 (attach importance, what really counts) 专：专心致志 (devote oneself heart and soul to, be thoroughly engrossed in)

译文：translation 如果对幼儿不严加教育，幼儿善良的禀性将随环境改变。教育一个人按照本性发展的方法，贵在使他专心致志。 If there is no proper education for kids, the good natural instincts of a child will change (esp. to a bad direction) along with his/her surroundings. The method to teach a child to follow his/her natural instincts should attach importance to make him/her be thoroughly engrossed in doing things)

I hope you can understand well^^

For learning Chinese (Mandarin) Category General Level A1: Beginner Second language English Created Oct 09, 2010 11:19 Views 1137 Share:

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  Yixuan 6 month(s) ago

  从基本的学起才是最重要的 孔子的话想学深了 还是很难的 这仅仅是三字经 是古时候儿童学的 你懂吗？

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  Jeff 6 month(s) ago

  还是先学普通话吧~

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  Yu Qun Teacher 6 month(s) ago

  养不教1，父之过。(yǎng bú jiào, fù zhī guò)
  教2不严，师之惰。(jiào bù yón, shī zhīduò)
  注释Note:
  养：生养 (give birth to and bring up children)
  教1：指家庭教育(family education)
  过：过错，罪过(fault, mistake)
  教2：老师的教育(education by teachers)
  严：严格，严厉 (strict)
  惰：懒惰 (lazy)
  
  译文 translation:
  生养了子女却不加以教诲，这是做父亲的过错。教育学生不严格，这是老师的懒惰。
  Give birth to children and raise them without family education, this is a father’s fault; Teach students without strictness, this is a teacher’s fault.
  
  子不学，非所宜。(zǐ bù xué, fēi suǒ yí)
  幼不学，老何为。(yòu bù xué, lǎo hé wéi)
  子：少年(children)
  不学：不肯学习 (do not want to study)
  宜：适当，应该的 (proper, right)
  幼：幼年，小时候(childhood)
  何为：有什么作为 (have what achievement)
  译文 translation：
  少年儿童不努力学习，这是很不应该的。如果一个人在年少的时候不读书不学习，那么到老的时候能有什么作为呢？
  Children do not want to study; this is so not proper. If someone does not want to study during his/her youth, then what he/she can do/achieve in his/her old?
  

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  Yu Qun Teacher 6 month(s) ago

  昔孟母，择邻处。(xī mèng mǔ, zé lín chǔ)
  子不学，断机杼。(zǐ bù xué, duàn jī zhù)
  
  注释：Note
  昔: 昔日，从前 ( in former days, in the past)
  孟母：孟子的母亲 (Mencius’ mother)
  择：选择（choose）
  不学：不学习，不读书 (do not study, do not learn)
  机：这里指织布机（here refers to the loom）
  杼：牵引纱线用的梭子（ shuttle that is used for drag yarns）
  
  译文：Translation
  从前，孟子的母亲为了使孟子能在一个良好的环境中学习，曾经三次搬迁。孟子不努力学习，他的母亲就生气地割断正在织布的纱线，以此告诫孟子只有日积月累地学习，才能有所进步。
  In former times, in order to have good neighbors (good surroundings) for Mencius to study and grow up, Mencius’ mother removed their house for three times (they finally stayed nearby a school). However, Mencius did not study; his mother was angry and cut the yarns which were used for weaving cloth on a loom. She did it to warn Mencius that only accumulative study can make an improvement.
  
  窦燕山，有义方。(dòu yān shān, yǒu yì fāng)
  教五子，名俱扬。(jiào wǔ zǐ, míng jù yóng)
  
  窦燕山：人名 (One person named “Dou Yanshan”)
  义方：良法，良好的家教 (good method, good family education)
  五子：五个儿子 (five sons)
  名：姓名，声名（name, fame）
  扬：扬名传世 (become famous)
  
  译文：Translation
  窦燕山教育儿子有良好的方法。他所教导的五个儿子都很有成就，美名远扬天下。
  Dou Yanshan had conducted good methods to educate his sons. All his five sons achieved great accomplishment and spread their good names far and wide, raising their family names.
  

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