Liông kau liông, hōng kau hōng, ún-ku ê kau tòng-gōng
Usually negative. Literally: The dragons pairs with a dragon, the phoenix with a phoenix, the hunchback with the idiot.
Liông kau liông, hōng kau hōng, ún-ku ê kau tòng-gōng
Usually negative. Literally: The dragons pairs with a dragon, the phoenix with a phoenix, the hunchback with the idiot.
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Pak-tn̂g chin khoa (“Have a broad stomach/guts”)
As in other East Asian languages, pak-tn̂g is used in a number of expressions about a person’s character:
Pak-tn̂g sè (“have a narrow/small stomach or guts” = whiny, can’t take much hardship or discomfort)
Pak-tn̂g chhián (“shallow stomach or guts” = superficial, shallow), and its opposite
Pak-tn̂g chhim (“deep stomach or guts”)
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Ku chhiò pih bô bóe
Literally: “The turtle laughing at the terrapin for having no tail.”
Related post here.
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Iú kī hū, pit iú kî chú
Literally: You have the father, you must also have his son.
Related entry here.
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Kó͘-chéⁿ chúi-ke, m̄ chai thiⁿ lōa tōa
Literally: a frog in a well doesn’t know how big the sky is.
(i.e., “ignorant of the wider world or bigger picture.”)
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Má ní tong-hong
Literally: (Like the) east wind in a horse’s ear
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A-niau a-káu
Hiān-chú-sî a-niau a-káu lóng khó ē tio̍h tāi-ha̍k.
These days, anybody can get into college.
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Lâng put khó māu-siòng, hái-chúi put khó táu-liông
Literally: You can’t judge a person by his appearance, (like) you can’t measure the sea by liters.
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Hó-khòaⁿ-thâu
Bîn-chìn-tóng ê hāu-pó͘ chí put kò sī hó-khòaⁿ-thâu, bô chèng-tī ê keng-giām.
The DPP’s candidate is just a pretty face, and has no political experience.
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Múi chi̍t lúi môe-kùi-hoe lóng ū chhì
This is from English, not Taiwanese. Which, of course, brings us to:
Múi chi̍t lúi môe-kùi-hoe lóng ū chhì, chiū chhin-chhiūⁿ sī múi chi̍t ê khāu-bò͘·-ì lóng chhiùⁿ chi̍t-tè pi-siong ê koa.
Every rose has its thorn, just like every cowboy sings a sad, sad song.
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