曹冲称象(Cáo Chōng Chēng Xiàng) Cao Chong Weighed an Elephant
大象(dàxiàng): n. elephant
称(chēng): v. to weigh
Sānguó de shíhou, yǒurén sònggěi CáoCāo yìtóu jùxiàng.
三国 的 时候， 有人 送给 曹操 一头 巨象。
One day during the Three Kingdoms period, someone sent a giant elephant to Cao Cao.
CáoCāo ràng dàchénmen xiǎng bànfǎ chēngcheng tāde zhòngliàng.
曹操 让 大臣们 想 办法 称称 它的 重量。
He ordered his ministers to figure out how to weigh it.
Kěshì dàjiā dōu yìchóumòzhǎn.
可是 大家 都 一筹莫展。
However, all of his ministers had no idea how to do it.
Zhèshí Cáocāo dē érzi CáoChōng shuō, “Shǒuxiān,
这时 曹操 的 儿子 曹冲 说： “首先，
bǎ dàxiàng gǎndào hélǐ de dàchuán shàng,
把 大象 赶到 河里 的 大船 上，
zài shuǐmiàn suǒ dádào de dìfāng zuòshàng jìhào;
在 水面 所 达到 的 地方 做上 记号；
zàiyòng shíkuài dàitì dàxiàng, bùtíng de wǎng chuánshàng duī shíkuài,
再用 石块 代替 大象， 不停 的 往 船上 堆 石块，
zhídào shuǐmiàn dàodá zuò jìhào de wèizhì;
直到 水面 到达 做 记号 的 位置；
ránhòu chēng yíxià zhèxiē shìkuài. Dàxiàng de
然后 称 一下 这些 石块。 大象 的
zhòngliàng jiù děngyú suǒyǒu shíkuài zhòngliàng de zǒnghé.”
重量 就 等于 所有 石块 重量 的 总和。”
At that moment, Cao Chong, Cao Cao’s son, said, “First, drive the elephant into a big ship in the river and mark the level of the water on the side of the ship. Then, substitute the elephant with stones and keep piling them on until the water reaches the marked level. Finally, weigh the stones. The weight of the elephant will be equal to that of all the stones.”
Zhòng dàchén tīngle liánshēng chēngzàn, “Hǎo bànfǎ! Hǎo bànfǎ!”
众 大臣 听了 连声 称赞： “好 办法！好 办法！”
After hearing Cao Chong’s idea, all the ministers praised him repeatedly, “Good idea! Good idea!”
Nàshí CáoChōng zhíyǒu liùsuì.
那时 曹冲 只有 六岁。
Cao Chongwas only six years old at the time.
三国: Three Kingdoms. It refers to the three most powerful kingdoms during 220.A.D and 280 A.D. in ancient China. They are the State of Wei, the State of Shu and the State of Wu. Later, that period of Chinese history was named the Three Kingdoms period.
曹操: The man who was in power in the State of Wei
大象 (dàxiàng): n. elephant
Wǒ xǐhuān shīzi, dàxiàng hé hóuzi.
我 喜欢 狮子，大象 和 猴子。
I like lions, elephants and monkeys.
称 (chēng): v. to weigh
Néng bāngwǒ chēng yíxià zhòngliàng mā?
能 帮我 称 一下 重量 吗?
Can you weigh this for me?
◆ 狼来了 (Láng Lái Le) The Wolf Is Coming
◆ A Chinese story— The Fox and the Grapes
◆ 白雪公主 Snow White (Beginner)