Tâi-oân Chè-chō

Birds of a feather flock together

oconnorme — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:02:16 +0000

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.

Can take a lot of crap; forbearing

oconnorme — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:08:14 +0000

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”)

The pot calling the kettle black

oconnorme — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:56:37 +0000

Ku chhiò pih bô bóe

Literally: “The turtle laughing at the terrapin for having no tail.”

Like father, like son

oconnorme — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:50:43 +0000

Iú kī hū, pit iú kî chú

Literally: You have the father, you must also have his son.

Related entry here.

Like a frog in a well

oconnorme — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:53:28 +0000

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.”)

In one ear, out the other

oconnorme — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:51:42 +0000

Má ní tong-hong

Literally: (Like the) east wind in a horse’s ear

Anyone; any Tom, Dick, or Harry

oconnorme — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:43:10 +0000

A-niau a-káu

Hiān-chú-sî a-niau a-káu lóng khó ē tio̍h tāi-ha̍k.

These days, anybody can get into college.

You can’t judge a book by its cover

oconnorme — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:47:33 +0000

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.

Just for show; just a pretty face

oconnorme — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:36:12 +0000

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.

Every rose has its thorn

oconnorme — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:38:43 +0000

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.