ABC Dictionary of Chinese Proverbs

John D. Rohsenow. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press, 2002. xxvi+239 pp.

This Chinese-English dictionary of proverbs (yan4yu3) consists of approximately 4,000 proverbs alphabetically arranged by the first words (ci2) of the proverbs according to Hanyu pinyin transcription and Chinese characters (both standard and simplified), followed by a literal (and, when necessary, also a figurative) English translation. Additional data such as brief usage notes, sources, parallel expressions, cross-references, and famous instances of use are provided where available. The proverbs are supplemented by an index of key words (both in Chinese and English) found in all entries and all topics addressed. The author has provided a scholarly introduction analyzing the definition, structure, usage, and history of these yan4yu3 in traditional and contemporary China as well as a bibliography of collections and relevant scholarly studies of yan4yu3.

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