S1E01 | Take Care in That Melon Field | 瓜田李下
Saying: “In the melon field, under a plum tree”
Pinyin: Guā Tián Lǐ Xià
Chinese: 瓜田李下
In the inaugural episode of the Chinese Sayings Podcast Laszlo introduces one of his favorites from his earliest days: Guā Tián Li Xià. 瓜田李下. This one goes all the way back to the early days of the Three Kingdoms Period. The lesson it teaches us is to watch yourself when you’re in circumstances that might possibly be misunderstood and show you in a suspicious light.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Guā Tián Lǐ Xià | 瓜田李下 | In the melon field, under a plum tree (listen to the episode for the meaning) |
| Chéngyǔ | 成语 | Chinese saying or idiomatic expression |
| Guā | 瓜 | A melon |
| Tián | 田 | A field |
| Lǐ | 李 | A plum or plum tree, also the surname Li (Lee) |
| Xià | 下 | Underneath, below |
| Jūnzǐ fáng wèirán, bù chù xiányí, guātián bù nà lǚ, lǐ xià bùzhěng guān | 君子防未然, 不处嫌疑间，瓜田不纳履，李下不整冠 | A gentleman, in order to prevent suspicion, never ties his laces in a melon field and never adjusts his hat under a plum tree |
| Cáo Cāo | 曹操 | Chancellor from the late Eastern Han |
| Cáo Zhí | 曹植 | Son of Cao Cao |
| Cáo Pī | 曹丕 | Son of Cao Cao and founder of the Wei Kingdom |
