曹操引諺
三國志魏書崔琰傳
生女耳。
Having women’s ears for listening to flatterers, referring to how unpredictable one’s superior’s reaction is to flatterers.
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冀州人稱邢顒語
三國志魏書邢顒傳
德行堂堂﹑邢子昂。
Xing Zi Ang is very righteous
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軍中為典韋語
三國志魏書典韋傳
帳下壯士有典君。提一雙戟八十斤。
There is such a soldier named Dian Wei who carries an unusually heavy weapon.
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陳思王植引諺
三國志魏書陳思王植傳
相門有相。將門有將。
Ministers come from a household of ministers, and generals come from a household of generals.
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王昶引諺
三國志魏書王昶傳
救寒莫如重裘。止謗莫如自修。
Heavy coats save people from chills, and self-cultivation saves one from the slander of others.
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襄陽鄉里為馬良諺
三國志蜀書馬良傳
馬氏五常。白眉最良。
Of the five Ma brothers, the one with the white eyebrow is the most outstanding.
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譙周引諺
三國志蜀書譙周傳
射幸數跌。不如審發。
To prevent arrows from missing the targets, one should caution to aim well when shooting the arrow. The key to winning a battle is to not burden the general population with military expenses.
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吳中童謠
三國志吳書吳主權傳
三國志吳書吳主權傳
黃金車。班蘭耳。闓昌門。出天子。
A children’s song referring to the enthronement of the Wu emperor.
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時人為周瑜謠
三國志吳書周瑜傳
曲有誤。周郎顧。
When the musical tune is going wrong, Zhou Yu will notice right away.
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諸葛恪引里語
三國志吳書孫權傳
明鏡所以照形。古事所以知今。
Just as mirrors reflect the shapes of things, ancient histories provide windows to knowing current affairs.
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陸凱引童謠
三國志吳書陸凱傳
寧飲建業水。不食武昌魚。寧還建業死。不止武昌居。
A children’s song explaining that choosing Wu Chang as the capital will be a bad choice, while choosing Jian Ye will be a good choice.
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吳人為諸葛恪謠
三國志吳書諸葛恪傳
諸葛恪。何若若。蘆葦單衣篾鉤落。於何相求成子閣。
A folk song referring to the way Zhu Ge Ke was buried. He was thrown off a cliff.
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優人青頭雞唱
三國志魏書齊王芳紀
青頭雞。青頭雞。
"Green-headed chicken" refers to ducks. This was the verse of a song sung by one emperor’s entertainer. The emperor was on the verge of losing his throne.
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京師為鄧颺語
三國志魏書曹爽傳注云
以官易富﹑鄧元茂。
Eng Yang sells government posts for money and gets rich.
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魏時為蔣濟謠言
三國志魏書夏侯玄傳注云
欲求牙門﹑當得千匹。百人督﹑五百匹。
A rumor referring to the material costs of obtaining certain positions.
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焦先羖【歷】歌
三國志魏書管甯傳注云
祝衄祝衄。非魚非肉。更相追逐。本心為當殺牂羊。
更殺其羖【歷】邪。
A hermit’s opaque string of words which were interpreted as the mistakes made by the Wei kingdom’s military strategy.
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時人為楊阿若號
三國志魏書閻溫傳注云
東市相斫﹑楊阿若。西市相斫﹑楊阿若。
Yang A Ruo goes around fighting with people as a means of revenge and mediation.
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魚豢引諺
三國志魏書任城陳蕭王傳評注云
貧不學儉。卑不學恭。
One is poor because of not knowing to be frugal, and one is in the lower class of society because of not learning to be humble.
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鴻臚中為韓暨韓宣語
三國志魏書裴潛傳注云
大鴻臚。小鴻臚。前後治行曷相如。
Words praising two good consecutive ministers.
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博昌鄉人為蔣任二姓語
三國志魏書王昶傳
蔣氏翁。任氏童。The people in the Jiang household became learned only when they reached old age, and the people in the Ren household were child prodigies.
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東郡謠諺
三國志魏書王凌傳
馬素羈。西南馳。其誰乘者朱虎騎。
A rumor referring to how Wang Ling and his nephew Ling Hu Yu wanted to support the enthronement of Prince Chu.
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渭濱民諺
三國志蜀書諸葛亮傳
死諸葛走生仲達。
Words referring to how the supreme military strategist Zhu Ge Liang might have died, not knowing that, the enemy camp was still retreating to avoid his army.
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襄陽擇婦諺
三國志蜀書諸葛亮傳注云
莫作孔明擇婦。止得阿承醜女。
Referring to how Zhu Ge Liang did not assume beauty to be a priority in a spouse.
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壽春童謠
三國志吳書孫皓傳
吳天子當上。
A children’s song referring to a rumor which says a certain warlord should become the emperor. The warlord believed that.
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公安童謠
三國志吳書諸葛瑾傳
白鼉鳴。龜背平。南郡城中可長生。守死不去義無成。
A children’s song referring to the wars between warlords.