矮子看戏

Ǎi Zǐ Kàn Xì

个子矮的人看不见戏,却跟着别人一起叫好。比喻没有自己的主见,跟着别人说好就说好。

A short person at the theater — can't see a thing, yet claps and cheers along with everyone else. Mocking those who just go along with the crowd without thinking for themselves.

从cóng前qián有yǒu一yí个gè小xiǎo个gè子zi的de人rén,特tè别bié喜xǐ欢huān凑còu热rè闹nào。听tīng说shuō城chéng里lǐ唱chàng大dà戏xì,他tā赶gǎn紧jǐn跑pǎo去qù看kàn。

戏xì台tái前qián早zǎo就jiù挤jǐ满mǎn了le人rén,他tā个gè子zi矮ǎi,被bèi挤jǐ在zài人rén群qún最zuì后hòu面miàn,根gēn本běn看kàn不bú见jiàn台tái上shàng。前qián面miàn的de人rén一yí会huì儿r笑xiào,他tā也yě跟gēn着zhe笑xiào;前qián面miàn的de人rén一yí会huì儿r拍pāi手shǒu叫jiào“好hǎo”,他tā也yě跟gēn着zhe拍pāi手shǒu喊hǎn“好hǎo”。

旁páng边biān的de人rén看kàn出chū来lái了le,忍rěn不bú住zhù问wèn他tā:“你nǐ看kàn见jiàn什shén么me了le,为wèi什shén么me一yì直zhí叫jiào好hǎo?”他tā不bù好hǎo意yì思sī地de笑xiào了le笑xiào,只zhǐ好hǎo老lǎo实shí说shuō:“我wǒ其qí实shí一yì点diǎn也yě看kàn不bú见jiàn,我wǒ只zhǐ是shì看kàn见jiàn别bié人rén叫jiào好hǎo,我wǒ也yě跟gēn着zhe叫jiào好hǎo罢bà了le。”

大dà家jiā听tīng了le都dōu笑xiào了le起qǐ来lái。后hòu来lái人rén们men就jiù用yòng“矮ǎi子zǐ看kàn戏xì”来lái形xíng容róng那nà些xiē没méi有yǒu自zì己jǐ的de看kàn法fǎ、别bié人rén说shuō什shén么me就jiù跟gēn着zhe说shuō什shén么me的de人rén。

Long ago there was a short man who loved a crowd. When he heard there was going to be an opera in town, he rushed over to watch.

The space in front of the stage was already packed with people. Because he was short, he ended up at the very back, unable to see the stage at all. When the people in front laughed, he laughed too. When they clapped and shouted “Bravo!” he clapped and shouted “Bravo!” as well.

Someone nearby noticed and asked, “What are you seeing, that you keep cheering like that?” A little embarrassed, he admitted, “I can't see a thing. I'm just cheering because everyone else is cheering.”

The crowd laughed. Ever since, people have used “a short man at the opera” to describe those who simply follow along with whatever others say, without any view of their own.