士别三日刮目相待

Shì Bié Sān Rì Guā Mù Xiāng Dài

分别三天，就要用新的眼光看他。比喻一个人进步很快，不能再用老眼光看待。

Part for three days and you must look at a person with new eyes — people can change fast.

三sān国guó时shí候hòu，吴wú国guó有yǒu一yī位wèi将jiāng军jūn，名míng叫jiào吕lǚ蒙méng。他tā很hěn能néng打dǎ仗zhàng，但dàn是shì从cóng小xiǎo没méi读dú过guò什shén么me书shū，写xiě字zì不bù多duō，说shuō话huà也yě比bǐ较jiào粗cū。

有yǒu一yī天tiān，吴wú国guó的de君jūn主zhǔ孙sūn权quán对duì他tā说shuō：“你nǐ现xiàn在zài掌zhǎng管guǎn大dà事shì，不bù能néng不bù读dú书shū。”吕lǚ蒙méng推tuī辞cí说shuō军jūn务wù太tài忙máng。孙sūn权quán笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“我wǒ不bù是shì要yào你nǐ做zuò学xué问wèn，只zhǐ是shì要yào你nǐ多duō看kàn点diǎn书shū，懂dǒng点diǎn道dào理lǐ。”从cóng那nà以yǐ后hòu，吕lǚ蒙méng一yī有yǒu空kōng就jiù读dú书shū，白bái天tiān黑hēi夜yè都dōu不bù停tíng。

过guò了le一yī段duàn时shí间jiān，大dà臣chén鲁lǔ肃sù路lù过guò吕lǚ蒙méng驻zhù地dì，两liǎng人rén谈tán起qǐ国guó家jiā大dà事shì。吕lǚ蒙méng说shuō得de头tóu头tóu是shì道dào，见jiàn解jiě深shēn远yuǎn，让ràng鲁lǔ肃sù又yòu惊jīng又yòu喜xǐ。鲁lǔ肃sù拍pāi着zhe他tā的de背bèi说shuō：“没méi想xiǎng到dào你nǐ今jīn天tiān已yǐ经jīng不bù是shì当dāng年nián的de吕lǚ蒙méng了le！”

吕lǚ蒙méng笑xiào着zhe回huí答dá：“士shì别bié三sān日rì，当dāng刮guā目mù相xiāng待dài。”意yì思sī是shì：读dú书shū人rén分fēn别bié几jǐ天tiān，就jiù该gāi用yòng新xīn的de眼yǎn光guāng来lái看kàn他tā。

后hòu来lái，人rén们men就jiù用yòng“士shì别bié三sān日rì，刮guā目mù相xiāng待dài”，提tí醒xǐng自zì己jǐ：不bù要yào用yòng老lǎo眼yǎn光guāng看kàn人rén，每měi个gè人rén都dōu可kě能néng在zài默mò默mò地dì进jìn步bù。

In the Three Kingdoms period there was a general of the Wu state named Lü Meng. He was a brave warrior, but he had read very little as a boy, could barely write, and his speech was rough.

One day Sun Quan, the ruler of Wu, said to him, “Now that you hold great responsibility, you must read.” Lü Meng protested that he was too busy with military matters. Sun Quan smiled, “I'm not asking you to become a scholar — just read a bit, and understand more.” After that, Lü Meng studied whenever he could spare a moment, day and night.

Some time later, the minister Lu Su passed through Lü Meng's post, and the two talked about affairs of state. Lü Meng spoke clearly, with deep insight. Lu Su was astonished. He slapped his back and exclaimed, “I never imagined you could become so different!”

Lü Meng answered with a smile, “When a gentleman has been apart for three days, you must look at him with new eyes.”

Today “parted three days, look with new eyes” reminds us not to judge people by what they used to be — everyone may be quietly growing.