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.

cóngqiányǒuxiǎoziderénbiéhuāncòunàotīngshuōchéngchànggǎnjǐnpǎokàn

táiqiánzǎojiùmǎnlerénziǎibèizàirénqúnzuìhòumiàngēnběnkànjiàntáishàngqiánmiànderénhuìrxiàogēnzhexiàoqiánmiànderénhuìrpāishǒujiàohǎo”,gēnzhepāishǒuhǎnhǎo”。

pángbiānderénkànchūláilerěnzhùwèn:“kànjiànshénmelewèishénmezhíjiàohǎo?”hǎodexiàolexiàozhǐhǎolǎoshíshuō:“shídiǎnkànjiànzhǐshìkànjiànbiérénjiàohǎogēnzhejiàohǎole。”

jiātīngledōuxiàoleláihòuláirénmenjiùyòngǎikànláixíngróngxiēméiyǒudekànbiérénshuōshénmejiùgēnzheshuōshénmederén

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.