Chinese Fable

草船借箭🔊

Cǎo Chuán Jiè Jiàn
📚 Fables⏱ 3 min read🎧 Audio

This fable tells of using clever strategy to obtain resources from the enemy.

The Story 🔊

Sānguó shíqī Zhōu Yú jídù Zhūgě Liàng de cáinéng
三国Sānguó🔊时期shíqī🔊周瑜Zhōu Yú🔊嫉妒jídù🔊诸葛亮Zhūgě Liàng🔊de🔊才能cáinéng🔊
Tā yāoqiú Zhūgě Liàng zài sān tiān nèi zàochū shíwàn zhī jiàn
🔊要求yāoqiú🔊诸葛亮Zhūgě Liàng🔊zài🔊三天sān tiān🔊nèi🔊造出zàochū🔊十万支shíwàn zhī🔊jiàn🔊
Zhūgě Liàng zài dàwù de yèwǎn yòng cǎochuán kàojìn Cáo jūn shuǐzhài
诸葛亮Zhūgě Liàng🔊在大雾zài dàwù🔊de🔊夜晚yèwǎn🔊yòng🔊草船cǎochuán🔊靠近kàojìn🔊曹军Cáo jūn🔊水寨shuǐzhài🔊
Cáo jūn kàn bù qīng pīnmiàn shèjiàn
曹军Cáo jūn🔊看不清kàn bù qīng🔊拼命pīnmiàn🔊射箭shèjiàn🔊
Zhūgě Liàng qīngsōng dédào le shíwàn zhī jiàn wánchéng le rènwu
诸葛亮Zhūgě Liàng🔊轻松qīngsōng🔊得到dédào🔊le🔊十万支shíwàn zhī🔊jiàn🔊完成了wánchéng le🔊任务rènwu🔊
English Translation:
During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhou Yu was jealous of Zhuge Liang's talent. He demanded that Zhuge Liang produce 100,000 arrows within three days. On a foggy night, Zhuge Liang used straw boats to approach Cao's water camp. Unable to see clearly, Cao's army shot arrows wildly. Zhuge Liang easily obtained 100,000 arrows and completed the task.

Key Vocabulary

草船借箭
cǎo chuán jiè jiàn
borrow arrows with straw boats
嫉妒
jídù
jealous
大雾
dàwù
heavy fog
射箭
shèjiàn
shoot arrows
水寨
shuǐzhài
water camp
轻松
qīngsōng
easily

The Moral

Use wisdom to turn enemies strength against them! This idiom means cleverly using the opponents resources for your own benefit.

Cultural Insight

草船借箭 comes from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" (三国演义).