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HSK 2 Chinese reading practice

井底之蛙

jǐng dǐ zhī wā

The Frog in the Well

A frog who thinks the sky is tiny finally jumps beyond the rim of its well.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 2
READ3 min
HANZI80
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文化
CULTURE

What does 井底之蛙 mean?

井底之蛙, literally ‘a frog at the bottom of a well,’ describes someone whose limited experience makes the world seem smaller than it is. The image appears in the Daoist classic Zhuangzi.

Key vocabulary4 words from this story
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Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01青蛙住在哪里？
02鸟说外面的天怎么样？
03青蛙从井里出来以后看见了什么？
0 / 3questions answered
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Chinese idiom guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about 井底之蛙

What does 井底之蛙 mean in English?

井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā) literally means “a frog at the bottom of a well.” It describes a person with a narrow outlook caused by limited experience.

When is 井底之蛙 used?

Use 井底之蛙 when someone assumes that the small world they know is the whole world. For example: He had never left his hometown but believed every other city was worse; his friend called him a 井底之蛙.

What is the pinyin for 井底之蛙?

The pinyin pronunciation for 井底之蛙 is “jǐng dǐ zhī wā.”