6. (Jīng gōng zhī niǎo)

A Bird Startled by the Mere Twang of a Bow String

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Nowadays, "(jīng gōng zhī niǎo)" is used to describe people who are so frightened from past experience that they become extremely nervous when encountering similar situations again.

Zhànguó shí, Wèiguó yǒu yí gè jiào Gēng Léi de shèjiàn néngshǒu.

During the Warring States Period, there was an expert archer from the Wei State named Geng Lei.

Yǒu yì tiān, Gēng Léi kànjiàn yì zhī dàyàn cóng tóudǐng shàng fēi guò.

One day, Geng Lei saw a goose flying overhead.

Tā biàn duì Wèiwáng shuō: "Dàwáng, wǒ kěyǐ bú yòng jiàn, zhǐ lā yí xià gōng, zhè zhī dàyàn jiù néng diào xiàlai.”

He said to the Wei Emperor: "Your Majesty, I can shoot the goose without an arrow."

"Shèjiàn néng dádào zhèyàng de shuǐpíng?" Wèiwáng wèn.

"Can archery achieve this level?" the Wei Emperor said.

Gēng Léi biàn jǔqǐ gōng, zhǐ lā le yí xià xián, nà zhī dàyàn jiù cóng bàn kōng zhōng diào le xià lai.

Geng Lei raised his bow, pulled just the bowstring and the goose fell down.

Wèiwáng kàn dào hòu dà chī yì jīng, shuō: "Zhēn yǒu zhèyàng de shìqing!"

The Wei Emperor was startled by this and said: "It really happened!"

Gēng Léi duì Wèiwáng jiǎng: "Yīnwéi zhè zhī dàyàn shēnshàng yǒu jiàn shāng, suǒyǐ fēi de hěn màn.

Geng Lei said to the Wei Emperor: "The goose was flying slowly because it had been wounded by an arrow.

Érqiě dāng tā tīngdào gōngxián shēngxiǎng hòu, hàipà zàicì bèi jiàn shè zhòng, yúshì jiù pīnmìng wǎng gāo fēi.

And when it heard the sound of the bow string, it was afraid of being hurt again, so it tried its best to soar.

Dàn shāngkǒu yòu lièkāi le, téngtòng nán rěn, jiù cóng kōngzhōng diào le xià lai."

But its wound opened again and hurt the goose, so it fell from the sky."

Key Learning Points

1. (màn): adj. Slow.

Dialogue:

A: Māma, jīntiān de fàn kě zhēn hǎo chī.

A:

A: Mum, today's meal is so delicious.

B: Màn diǎn chī, bié láng tūn hǔ yàn de.

B:

B: Eat slowly and don't gobble.

2. (hàipà): v. To be afraid of.

Dialogue:

A: Nǐ xiànzài zuì hàipà shénme?

A:

A: What are you most afraid of?

B: Wǒ zuì hàipà méi kǎo hǎo, rě bàba shēngqì.

B:

B: I'm most afraid of not doing well on the test and angering my father.

1. (kànjiàn): v. To see.

2. (shāngkǒu): n. Wound.

3. (shēngqì): v. To anger.