Kids Chinese Story: A Bird Startled by the Twang of a Bow String

惊弓之鸟 (Jīnggōngzhīniǎo) A Bird Startled by the Mere Twang of a Bow String (Intermediate)

Key Learning Points (Preview):

慢 (màn): adj. slow

害怕 (hàipà): v. to be afraid of

Nowadays, “惊弓之鸟 (jīnggōngzhīniǎo)” 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.
战国         时，魏国     有  一 个  叫     更    羸 的   射箭      能手。
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 fēiguò.
有    一天， 更      羸   看见    一只 大雁     从     头顶        上     飞过。
One day, Geng Lei saw a goose flying overhead.

Tā biàn duì Wèiwáng shuō: “Dàiwáng, wǒ kěyǐ bú yòng jiàn, zhǐ lā yí xià gōng,
他 便     对    魏王        说：“ 大王，  我 可以 不 用     箭，只 拉一下   弓，
zhè zhī dàyàn jiù néng diào xiàlai.”
这    只 大雁   就   能     掉   下来。”
He said to the Wei Emperor: “Your Majesty, I can shoot the goose without an arrow.”

“Shèjiàn néng dádào zhè yàng de shuǐpíng?” Wèiwáng wèn.
“射箭      能     达到   这    样   的   水平？”    魏王        问。
“Can archery achieve this level?” the Wei Emperor said.

Gēng Léi biàn jǔqǐ gōng, zhǐ   lāle  yí xià xián,
更       羸   便   举起 弓， 只   拉了一 下   弦，
nà zhī dàyàn jiù cóng bàn kōng zhōng diàole xiàlai.
那  只 大雁   就   从     半    空      中     掉了    下来。
Geng Lei raised his bow, pulled just the bowstring and the goose fell down.

Wèiwáng kàndào hòu dàchīyìjīng, shuō: “Zhēn yǒu zhè yàng de shìqing!”
魏王          看到     后    大吃一惊，说：“ 真      有   这    样    的   事情！”
The Wei Emperor was startled by this and said: “It really happened!”

Gēng Léi duì Wèiwáng jiǎng: “Yīnwéi zhè zhī dàyàn shēn shàng yǒu jiàn shāng,
更       羸   对   魏王        讲：“因为    这 只  大雁     身     上      有    箭    伤，
suǒyǐ fēi de hěn màn.
所以 飞 得  很 慢。
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,
而且    当    它  听到      弓弦           声响        后， 害怕  再次 被  箭    射   中，
yúshì jiù pīnmìng wǎng gāo fēi.
于是  就   拼命       往    高   飞。
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 diàole xiàlai.”
但      伤口        又   裂开 了，疼痛      难    忍，就 从       空中         掉了   下来。”
But its wound opened again and hurt the goose, so it fell from the sky.”

Key Learning Points:
慢 (màn): adj. slow

Māma, jīntiān de fàn kě zhēn hǎochī.
A: 妈妈，今天     的 饭  可  真     好吃。
Mum, today’s meal is so delicious.

Màn diǎn chī,  bié lángtūn hǔyàn de.
B: 慢     点    吃，别   狼吞      虎咽   的。
Eat slowly and don’t gobble.

害怕 (hàipà): v. to be afraid of

Nǐ xiànzài zuì hàipà shénme?
A: 你 现在    最   害怕   什么？
What are you most afraid of?

Wǒ zuì hàipà méi kǎo hǎo, rě  bàba shēngqì.
B: 我   最   害怕   没   考   好，惹 爸爸   生气。
I’m most afraid of not doing well on the test and angering my father.

生词 (shēngcí) Vocabulary:

看见 (kànjiàn): v. to see

伤口 (shāngkǒu): n. wound

生气 (shēngqì): v. to anger

Learn more Chinese for children:

Chinese story for children:盲人摸象 (Mángrén mō xiàng) Blind Men and an Elephant
Chinese songfor children: 两只老虎(Liǎng zhī lǎohŭ) Two Tigers
Chinese Nursery Rhyme for children: 宝宝睡觉(Bǎobao shuìjiào) The Baby is Sleeping
Take a Free 1-on-1 live online business Chinese lesson with our professional teachers from China.
Chinese Idiom
HSK Test
General Chinese (Beginner Level)
General Chinese (Intermediate Level)