山
海Shanhai StoryChinese stories for learners
Saved words
Menu
Stories/Chinese folklore/Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant
HSK 3 Chinese reading practice

曹冲称象

cáo chōng chēng xiàng

Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant

A clever child uses a boat, a waterline, and stones to weigh an elephant.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 3
READ4 min
HANZI113
Reading tools
Text size
文化
CULTURE

Measuring something too large for the scale

This childhood anecdote about Cao Chong belongs to Three Kingdoms-era lore. By comparing water displacement from an elephant with the weight of stones, he finds an indirect way to solve an apparently impossible measurement.

Key vocabulary8 words from this story
Open vocabulary →
阅读理解 · COMPREHENSION

Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01大家为什么不能直接称大象？
02大象走上船以后，曹冲做了什么？
03为什么石头的重量就是大象的重量？
0 / 3questions answered
阅读练习完成

You finished the story.

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

Story guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant

How did Cao Chong weigh an elephant?

Cao Chong put the elephant on a boat and marked the waterline. After the elephant left, he loaded stones until the boat sank to the same line. The stones displaced the same amount of water, so weighing those stones gave the elephant’s weight.

What does 曹冲称象 mean?

曹冲称象 (Cáo Chōng chēng xiàng) literally means “Cao Chong weighs the elephant.” The story shows how an indirect comparison can solve a problem when the thing itself is too difficult to measure.

What is the pinyin for 曹冲称象?

The pinyin is Cáo Chōng chēng xiàng. In this title, 称 is pronounced chēng and means “to weigh.”