山
海Shanhai StoryChinese stories for learners
Saved words
Menu
Stories/Chinese folklore/Buy the Box and Return the Pearl
HSK 3 Chinese reading practice

买椟还珠

mǎi dú huán zhū

Buy the Box and Return the Pearl

A merchant makes such an elaborate box for a pearl that a buyer keeps the box and gives the pearl back.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 3
READ3 min
HANZI222
Reading tools
Text size
文化
CULTURE

What does 椟 mean?

椟 is an old word for a wooden box or case. The Han Feizi describes a Chu seller who decorated and scented a box so richly that a buyer from Zheng kept the box and returned the pearl.

Key vocabulary10 words from this story
Open vocabulary →
阅读理解 · COMPREHENSION

Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01商人为什么做了一个漂亮的盒子？
02郑国人最后带走了什么？
03商人最后真正卖出去的是什么？
0 / 3questions answered
阅读练习完成

You finished the story.

Keep reading at the same level to build speed and confidence.

Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 买椟还珠

What does 买椟还珠 mean in English?

买椟还珠 (mǎi dú huán zhū) literally means “buy the wooden box and return the pearl.” It describes valuing attractive packaging or superficial form while missing the essential content.

When is 买椟还珠 used?

Use 买椟还珠 when someone focuses on an attractive detail but discards or overlooks what is genuinely valuable. For example: Buying the book only for its cover and never reading it would be 买椟还珠.

What is the pinyin for 买椟还珠?

The pinyin pronunciation for 买椟还珠 is “mǎi dú huán zhū.”