挂牛头卖马肉。春秋时期，齐国的国君齐灵公有一个独特的癖好：喜欢看妇女穿男人的衣服，他觉得女人穿上男人的衣服另有一番韵味，于是便下令：内宫里所有的嫔妃侍女都女扮男装。但是没有多长时间，这种女人穿男人衣服的风气便全国的范围内流传开来，并把它当作时髦来追赶。一时间，女扮男装的人与男人混杂在一起，让人们分不清谁是男，谁是女，全国上下一片混乱。灵公知道后很生气，认为这有伤风化，便命令各地官吏：凡有女扮男装的，一旦发现，一律撕裂衣服，扯断腰带。尽管如此，这股女扮男装的风气仍然禁止不了。一天，晏子去拜见齐灵公，齐灵公便问道：寡人已经命令各地官吏，采取了严厉的措施，可是女扮男装的人还是到处可见，为什么还禁止不了呢。晏子回答：不知道大王见过没有，有的肉铺门口挂着牛头，案上卖的却是马肉。大王让内宫女人穿男服，却想在外面禁止女扮男装，等于是挂牛头卖马肉，怎么禁得住呢。要让下不效，首先要上不行。齐灵公照办了，果然，一月后，女扮男装的风气就在全国刹住了。大道理：上有好者，下必有甚焉者矣，凡事只有身体力行，才能令行禁止。
挂牛头卖马肉。
Hanging a bull's head to sell horse meat.
挂牛头卖马肉。
guà niú tóu mài mǎ ròu
Hanging a bull's head to sell horse meat.
挂 (guà) to hang or suspend (from a hook etc)/to hang up (the phone)
牛头 (niú tóu) Ox-Head one of the two guardians of the underworld in
牛 (niú) ox/cow/bull/CL:條|条[tiao2]頭|头[tou2]/newton (abbr. for
头 (tóu) head/hair style/the top/end/beginning or end/a stub/remnant
卖 (mài) to sell/to betray/to spare no effort/to show off or flaunt
马 (mǎ) horse/CL:匹[pi3]/horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess
肉 (ròu) meat/flesh/pulp (of a fruit)/(coll.) (of a fruit) squashy
春秋时期，齐国的国君齐灵公有一个独特的癖好：喜欢看妇女穿男人的衣服，他觉得女人穿上男人的衣服另有一番韵味，于是便下令：内宫里所有的嫔妃侍女都女扮男装。
During the Spring and Autumn period, the ruler of Qi had a unique fetish: he liked to see women wearing men's clothes. He thought that women wearing men's clothes had a different flavor, so he ordered that all concubines and ladies in the inner palace should dress up as men.
春秋时期，
chūn qiū shí jī
Spring and Autumn Period.
春秋 (chūn qiū) Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC)/Spring and Autumn
春 (chūn) spring (season)/gay/joyful/youthful/love/lust/life
秋 (qiū) autumn/fall/harvest time
时期 (shí jī) period/phase/CL:個|个[ge4]
时 (shí) o'clock/time/when/hour/season/period
期 (jī) a period of time/phase/stage/classifier for issues of a
齐国的国君齐灵公有一个独特的癖好：
qí guó de guó jūn qí líng gōng yǒu yī gě dú tè de pǐ hǎo
The king of Qi, Duke Ling of Qi, had a unique fetish.
齐国 (qí guó) Qi state of Western Zhou and the Warring states (1122-265
齐 (qí) neat/even/level with/identical/simultaneous/all together/to
国 (guó) country/nation/state/national/CL:個|个[ge4]
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
国君 (guó jūn) monarch
国 (guó) country/nation/state/national/CL:個|个[ge4]
君 (jūn) monarch/lord/gentleman/ruler
齐 (qí) neat/even/level with/identical/simultaneous/all together/to
灵 (líng) quick/alert/efficacious/effective/to come true/spirit
公有 (gōng yǒu) publicly owned/communal/held in common
公 (gōng) public/collectively owned/common/international (e.g. high
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
个 (gě) individual/this/that/size/classifier for people or objects
独特 (dú tè) unique/distinct/having special characteristics
独 (dú) alone/independent/single/sole/only
特 (tè) special/unique/distinguished/especially/unusual/very/abbr.
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
癖好 (pǐ hǎo) an urge/a craving/an addiction
癖 (pǐ) habit/hobby
好 (hǎo) good/well/proper/good to/easy to/very/so/(suffix indicating
喜欢看妇女穿男人的衣服，
xǐ huān kān fù nǚ chuān nán rén de yī fú
like to see women in men's clothes.
喜欢 (xǐ huān) to like/to be fond of
喜 (xǐ) to be fond of/to like/to enjoy/to be happy/to feel pleased
欢 (huān) joyous/happy/pleased
看 (kān) to look after/to take care of/to watch/to guard/to see/to
妇女 (fù nǚ) woman
妇 (fù) woman
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
穿 (chuān) to wear/to put on/to dress/to bore through/to pierce/to
男人 (nán rén) a man/a male/men/CL:個|个[ge4]
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
衣服 (yī fú) clothes/CL:件[jian4]套[tao4]
衣 (yī) clothes/CL:件[jian4]/to dress/to wear/to put on (clothes)
服 (fú) clothes/dress/garment/to serve (in the military a prison
他觉得女人穿上男人的衣服另有一番韵味，
tā jiào dé nǚ rén chuān shǎng nán rén de yī fú lìng yǒu yī fān yùn wèi
He felt that women wearing men's clothes had a different flavor.
他 (tā) he or him/(used for either sex when the sex is unknown or
觉得 (jiào dé) to think/to feel
觉 (jiào) a nap/a sleep/CL:場|场[chang2]/to feel/to find that/thinking
得 (dé) to obtain/to get/to gain/to catch (a disease)/proper
女人 (nǚ rén) woman/wife
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
穿上 (chuān shǎng) to put on (clothes etc)
穿 (chuān) to wear/to put on/to dress/to bore through/to pierce/to
上 (shǎng) see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1]/on top/upon/above/upper/previous
男人 (nán rén) a man/a male/men/CL:個|个[ge4]
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
衣服 (yī fú) clothes/CL:件[jian4]套[tao4]
衣 (yī) clothes/CL:件[jian4]/to dress/to wear/to put on (clothes)
服 (fú) clothes/dress/garment/to serve (in the military a prison
另有 (lìng yǒu) to have some other (reason etc)
另 (lìng) other/another/separate/separately
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
番 (fān) foreign (non-Chinese)/barbarian/classifier for occurrences
韵味 (yùn wèi) implicit charm in rhyme or sound/hinted appeal/interest
韵 (yùn) beautiful sound/appeal/charm/vowel/rhyme/in Chinese
味 (wèi) taste/smell/classifier for drugs (in TCM)
于是便下令：
yú shì biàn xià líng
Then it was ordered.
于是 (yú shì) thereupon/as a result/consequently/thus/hence
于 (yú) in/at/to/from/by/than/out of
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
便 (biàn) plain/informal/suitable/convenient/opportune/to urinate or
下令 (xià líng) to give an order/to command
下 (xià) down/downwards/below/lower/later/next (week etc)/second (of
令 (líng) see 令狐[Ling2 hu2]/see 脊令[ji2 ling2]/classifier for a ream
内宫里所有的嫔妃侍女都女扮男装。
nèi gōng lǐ suǒ yǒu de pín fēi shì nǚ dōu nǚ bàn nán zhuāng
All the concubines and attendants in the inner palace were women dressed as men.
内 (nèi) inside/inner/internal/within/interior
宫 (gōng) palace/temple/castration (as corporal punishment)/first
里 (lǐ) li ancient measure of length approx. 500 m/neighborhood
所有 (suǒ yǒu) all/to have/to possess/to own
所 (suǒ) actually/place/classifier for houses small buildings
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
嫔妃 (pín fēi) imperial concubine
嫔 (pín) imperial concubine
妃 (fēi) imperial concubine
侍女 (shì nǚ) maid
侍 (shì) to serve/to attend upon
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
都 (dōu) all/both/entirely/(used for emphasis) even/already/(not) at
女扮男装 (nǚ bàn nán zhuāng) (of a woman) to dress as a man (idiom)
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
扮 (bàn) to disguise oneself as/to dress up/to play (a role)/to put
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
装 (zhuāng) adornment/to adorn/dress/clothing/costume (of an actor in a
但是没有多长时间，这种女人穿男人衣服的风气便全国的范围内流传开来，并把它当作时髦来追赶。
But it didn't take long for this trend of women wearing men's clothes to spread throughout the country and for it to catch on as fashionable.
但是没有多长时间，
dàn shì méi yǒu duō cháng shí jiān
But not for much longer.
但是 (dàn shì) but/however
但 (dàn) but/yet/however/only/merely/still
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
没有 (méi yǒu) haven't/hasn't/doesn't exist/to not have/to not be
没 (méi) (negative prefix for verbs)/have not/not/drowned/to end/to
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
多 (duō) many/much/often/a lot of/numerous/more/in excess/how (to
长 (cháng) length/long/forever/always/constantly/chief/head/elder/to
时间 (shí jiān) time/period/CL:段[duan4]
时 (shí) o'clock/time/when/hour/season/period
间 (jiān) between/among/within a definite time or space/room/section
这种女人穿男人衣服的风气便全国的范围内流传开来，
zhè chóng nǚ rén chuān nán rén yī fú de fēng qì biàn quán guó de fàn wéi nèi liú chuán kāi lái
This trend of women wearing men's clothes spread throughout the country.
这种 (zhè chóng) this/this kind of/this sort of/this type of
这 (zhè) this/these/(commonly pr. [zhei4] before a classifier esp.
种 (chóng) seed/species/kind/type/classifier for types kinds sorts/to
女人 (nǚ rén) woman/wife
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
穿 (chuān) to wear/to put on/to dress/to bore through/to pierce/to
男人 (nán rén) a man/a male/men/CL:個|个[ge4]
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
衣服 (yī fú) clothes/CL:件[jian4]套[tao4]
衣 (yī) clothes/CL:件[jian4]/to dress/to wear/to put on (clothes)
服 (fú) clothes/dress/garment/to serve (in the military a prison
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
风气 (fēng qì) general mood/atmosphere/common practice
风 (fēng) wind/news/style/custom/manner/CL:陣|阵[zhen4]絲|丝[si1]
气 (qì) gas/air/smell/weather/to make angry/to annoy/to get angry
便 (biàn) plain/informal/suitable/convenient/opportune/to urinate or
全国 (quán guó) whole nation/nationwide/countrywide/national
全 (quán) all/whole/entire/every/complete
国 (guó) country/nation/state/national/CL:個|个[ge4]
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
范围 (fàn wéi) range/scope/limit/extent/CL:個|个[ge4]
范 (fàn) pattern/model/example
围 (wéi) to encircle/to surround/all around/to wear by wrapping
内流 (nèi liú) inward flowing (of river)/flowing into desert
内 (nèi) inside/inner/internal/within/interior
流 (liú) to flow/to disseminate/to circulate or spread/to move or
传开 (chuán kāi) (of news) to spread/to get around
传 (chuán) to pass on/to spread/to transmit/to infect/to transfer/to
开 (kāi) to open/to start/to turn on/to boil/to write out (a
来 (lái) to come/to arrive/to come round/ever since/next
并把它当作时髦来追赶。
bīng bǎ tā dāng zuō shí máo lái zhuī gǎn
And catch up with it as a fashion.
并把 (bīng bǎ) to include
并 (bīng) and/furthermore/also/together with/(not) at all
把 (bǎ) to hold/to contain/to grasp/to take hold of/handle/particle
它 (tā) it
当作 (dāng zuō) to treat as/to regard as
当 (dāng) (onom.) dong/ding dong (bell)/to be/to act as/manage
作 (zuō) worker/workshop/(slang) troublesome/high-maintenance
时髦 (shí máo) in vogue/fashionable
时 (shí) o'clock/time/when/hour/season/period
髦 (máo) bang (hair)/fashionable/mane
来 (lái) to come/to arrive/to come round/ever since/next
追赶 (zhuī gǎn) to pursue/to chase after/to accelerate/to catch up with/to
追 (zhuī) to sculpt/to carve/musical instrument (old)/to chase after
赶 (gǎn) to overtake/to catch up with/to hurry/to rush/to try to
一时间，女扮男装的人与男人混杂在一起，让人们分不清谁是男，谁是女，全国上下一片混乱。
At one time, women dressed as men mixed with men, so that people could not tell who was male and who was female, and the whole country was in chaos.
一时间，
yī shí jiān
For a time, the
一时间 (yī shí jiān) for a moment/momentarily
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
时 (shí) o'clock/time/when/hour/season/period
间 (jiān) between/among/within a definite time or space/room/section
女扮男装的人与男人混杂在一起，
nǚ bàn nán zhuāng de rén yǔ nán rén hùn zá zài yī qǐ
Women dressed as men mixed with men.
女扮男装 (nǚ bàn nán zhuāng) (of a woman) to dress as a man (idiom)
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
扮 (bàn) to disguise oneself as/to dress up/to play (a role)/to put
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
装 (zhuāng) adornment/to adorn/dress/clothing/costume (of an actor in a
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
与 (yǔ) and/to give/together with/to take part in
男人 (nán rén) a man/a male/men/CL:個|个[ge4]
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
混杂 (hùn zá) to mix/to mingle
混 (hùn) to mix/to mingle/muddled/to drift along/to muddle along/to
杂 (zá) mixed/miscellaneous/various/to mix
在一起 (zài yī qǐ) together
在 (zài) (located) at/(to be) in/to exist/in the middle of doing sth
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
起 (qǐ) to rise/to raise/to get up/to set out/to start/to appear/to
让人们分不清谁是男，
ràng rén mén fēn bù qīng shéi shì nán
So that people can't tell who is the male.
让 (ràng) to yield/to permit/to let sb do sth/to have sb do sth/to
人们 (rén mén) people
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
们 (mén) plural marker for pronouns and nouns referring to
分 (fēn) to divide/to separate/to distribute/to allocate/to
不清 (bù qīng) unclear
不 (bù) (negative prefix)/not/no
清 (qīng) clear/distinct/quiet/just and honest/pure/to settle or
谁 (shéi) who/also pr. [shui2]
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
谁是女，
shéi shì nǚ
who is female.
谁 (shéi) who/also pr. [shui2]
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
全国上下一片混乱。
quán guó shǎng xià yī piān hùn luàn
The nation was in chaos.
全国 (quán guó) whole nation/nationwide/countrywide/national
全 (quán) all/whole/entire/every/complete
国 (guó) country/nation/state/national/CL:個|个[ge4]
上下 (shǎng xià) up and down/top and bottom/old and new/length/about
上 (shǎng) see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1]/on top/upon/above/upper/previous
下 (xià) down/downwards/below/lower/later/next (week etc)/second (of
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
片 (piān) disk/sheet/thin piece/flake/a slice/film/TV play/to slice
混乱 (hùn luàn) confusion/chaos/disorder
混 (hùn) to mix/to mingle/muddled/to drift along/to muddle along/to
乱 (luàn) in confusion or disorder/in a confused state of mind
灵公知道后很生气，认为这有伤风化，便命令各地官吏：凡有女扮男装的，一旦发现，一律撕裂衣服，扯断腰带。
When Lord Ling found out about this, he was very angry and thought that it was harmful to the morals of the people, so he ordered the officials everywhere: if any woman dressed as a man was found, all of them would tear their clothes and cut off their belts.
灵公知道后很生气，
líng gōng zhī dào hòu hěn shēng qì
When Lord Ling found out, he was very angry.
灵 (líng) quick/alert/efficacious/effective/to come true/spirit
公知 (gōng zhī) public intellectual (sometimes used derogatorily)/abbr. for
公 (gōng) public/collectively owned/common/international (e.g. high
知 (zhī) to know/to be aware
道 (dào) road/path/CL:條|条[tiao2]股[gu3]/principle/truth/morality
后 (hòu) empress/queen
很 (hěn) (adverb of degree)/quite/very/awfully
生气 (shēng qì) to get angry/to take offense/angry/vitality/liveliness
生 (shēng) to be born/to give birth/life/to grow/raw/uncooked/student
气 (qì) gas/air/smell/weather/to make angry/to annoy/to get angry
认为这有伤风化，
rèn wéi zhè yǒu shāng fēng huà
Considering that it is indecent.
认为 (rèn wéi) to believe/to think/to consider/to feel
认 (rèn) to recognize/to know/to admit
为 (wéi) as (in the capacity of)/to take sth as/to act as/to serve
这 (zhè) this/these/(commonly pr. [zhei4] before a classifier esp.
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
伤风 (shāng fēng) to catch cold
伤 (shāng) to injure/injury/wound
风 (fēng) wind/news/style/custom/manner/CL:陣|阵[zhen4]絲|丝[si1]
化 (huà) to make into/to change into/-ization/to ... -ize/to
便命令各地官吏：
biàn mìng líng gè de guān lì
Then they ordered the officials of each region to
便 (biàn) plain/informal/suitable/convenient/opportune/to urinate or
命令 (mìng líng) order/command/CL:道[dao4]個|个[ge4]
命 (mìng) life/fate/order or command/to assign a name title etc
令 (líng) see 令狐[Ling2 hu2]/see 脊令[ji2 ling2]/classifier for a ream
各地 (gè de) in all parts of (a country)/various regions
各 (gè) each/every
地 (de) -ly/structural particle: used before a verb or adjective
官吏 (guān lì) bureaucrat/official
官 (guān) government official/governmental/official/public/organ of
吏 (lì) minor government official or functionary (old)
凡有女扮男装的，
fán yǒu nǚ bàn nán zhuāng de
Where there are women dressed as men.
凡 (fán) ordinary/commonplace/mundane/temporal/of the material world
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
女扮男装 (nǚ bàn nán zhuāng) (of a woman) to dress as a man (idiom)
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
扮 (bàn) to disguise oneself as/to dress up/to play (a role)/to put
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
装 (zhuāng) adornment/to adorn/dress/clothing/costume (of an actor in a
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
一旦发现，
yī dàn fā xiàn
Once discovered, the
一旦 (yī dàn) in case (sth happens)/if/once (sth happens then...)/when/in
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
旦 (dàn) dawn/morning/daybreak/day/dan female roles in Chinese opera
发现 (fā xiàn) to find/to discover
发 (fā) to send out/to show (one's feeling)/to issue/to develop/to
现 (xiàn) to appear/present/now/existing/current
一律撕裂衣服，
yī lǜ sī liè yī fú
Tearing clothes at the same time.
一律 (yī lǜ) same/uniformly/all/without exception
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
律 (lǜ) law
撕裂 (sī liè) to rip apart/to tear/laceration/rent
撕 (sī) to tear
裂 (liè) to split/to crack/to break open/to rend
衣服 (yī fú) clothes/CL:件[jian4]套[tao4]
衣 (yī) clothes/CL:件[jian4]/to dress/to wear/to put on (clothes)
服 (fú) clothes/dress/garment/to serve (in the military a prison
扯断腰带。
chě duàn yāo dài
Tear off the belt.
扯 (chě) to pull/to tear/(of cloth thread etc) to buy/to chat/to
断 (duàn) to break/to snap/to cut off/to give up or abstain from sth
腰带 (yāo dài) belt
腰 (yāo) waist/lower back/pocket/middle/loins
带 (dài) band/belt/girdle/ribbon/tire/area/zone/region/CL:條|条[tiao2]
尽管如此，这股女扮男装的风气仍然禁止不了。
Nevertheless, this trend of women dressing up as men could not be prohibited.
尽管如此，
jǐn guǎn rú cǐ
Nevertheless
尽管 (jǐn guǎn) despite/although/even though/in spite of/unhesitatingly/do
尽 (jǐn) to the greatest extent/(when used before a noun of
管 (guǎn) to take care (of)/to control/to manage/to be in charge of
如此 (rú cǐ) in this way/so
如 (rú) as/as if/such as
此 (cǐ) this/these
这股女扮男装的风气仍然禁止不了。
zhè gǔ nǚ bàn nán zhuāng de fēng qì réng rán jīn zhǐ bù le
This trend of women dressing up as men is still not prohibited.
这 (zhè) this/these/(commonly pr. [zhei4] before a classifier esp.
股 (gǔ) thigh/part of a whole/portion of a sum/(stock) share/strand
女扮男装 (nǚ bàn nán zhuāng) (of a woman) to dress as a man (idiom)
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
扮 (bàn) to disguise oneself as/to dress up/to play (a role)/to put
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
装 (zhuāng) adornment/to adorn/dress/clothing/costume (of an actor in a
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
风气 (fēng qì) general mood/atmosphere/common practice
风 (fēng) wind/news/style/custom/manner/CL:陣|阵[zhen4]絲|丝[si1]
气 (qì) gas/air/smell/weather/to make angry/to annoy/to get angry
仍然 (réng rán) still/yet
仍 (réng) still/yet/to remain
然 (rán) correct/right/so/thus/like this/-ly
禁止 (jīn zhǐ) to prohibit/to forbid/to ban
禁 (jīn) to endure/to prohibit/to forbid
止 (zhǐ) to stop/to prohibit/until/only
不了 (bù le) unable to/without end
不 (bù) (negative prefix)/not/no
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
一天，晏子去拜见齐灵公，齐灵公便问道：寡人已经命令各地官吏，采取了严厉的措施，可是女扮男装的人还是到处可见，为什么还禁止不了呢。
One day, when Yan Zi went to see Duke Ling of Qi, he asked, "I have ordered officials everywhere to take strict measures, but women disguised as men are still seen everywhere, why can't they be banned?
一天，
yī tiān
One day.
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
晏子去拜见齐灵公，
yàn zǐ qù bái jiàn qí líng gōng
Yanzi went to pay a visit to Duke Ling of Qi.
晏子 (yàn zǐ) Yanzi (-c 500 BC) famous statesman from Qi of the Warring
晏 (yàn) late/quiet
子 (zǐ) son/child/seed/egg/small thing/1st earthly branch: 11
去 (qù) to go/to go to (a place)/(of a time etc) last/just passed
拜见 (bái jiàn) to pay a formal visit/to call to pay respects/to meet one's
拜 (bái) to pay respect/worship/visit/salute
见 (jiàn) to see/to meet/to appear (to be sth)/to interview/to appear
齐 (qí) neat/even/level with/identical/simultaneous/all together/to
灵 (líng) quick/alert/efficacious/effective/to come true/spirit
公 (gōng) public/collectively owned/common/international (e.g. high
齐灵公便问道：
qí líng gōng biàn wèn dào
Then Duke Qi Ling asked.
齐 (qí) neat/even/level with/identical/simultaneous/all together/to
灵 (líng) quick/alert/efficacious/effective/to come true/spirit
公 (gōng) public/collectively owned/common/international (e.g. high
便 (biàn) plain/informal/suitable/convenient/opportune/to urinate or
问道 (wèn dào) to ask the way/to ask
问 (wèn) to ask
道 (dào) road/path/CL:條|条[tiao2]股[gu3]/principle/truth/morality
寡人已经命令各地官吏，
guǎ rén yǐ jīng mìng líng gè de guān lì
The widow has ordered officials everywhere to
寡人 (guǎ rén) I (first person pronoun used by royalty or nobility)
寡 (guǎ) few/scant/widowed
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
已经 (yǐ jīng) already
已 (yǐ) already/to stop/then/afterwards
经 (jīng) classics/sacred book/scripture/to pass through/to undergo
命令 (mìng líng) order/command/CL:道[dao4]個|个[ge4]
命 (mìng) life/fate/order or command/to assign a name title etc
令 (líng) see 令狐[Ling2 hu2]/see 脊令[ji2 ling2]/classifier for a ream
各地 (gè de) in all parts of (a country)/various regions
各 (gè) each/every
地 (de) -ly/structural particle: used before a verb or adjective
官吏 (guān lì) bureaucrat/official
官 (guān) government official/governmental/official/public/organ of
吏 (lì) minor government official or functionary (old)
采取了严厉的措施，
cǎi qǔ le yán lì de cuò shī
Severe measures have been taken to
采取 (cǎi qǔ) to adopt or carry out (measures policies course of action)
采 (cǎi) allotment to a feudal noble
取 (qǔ) to take/to get/to choose/to fetch
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
严厉 (yán lì) severe/strict
严 (yán) tight (closely sealed)/stern/strict/rigorous/severe/father
厉 (lì) strict/severe
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
措施 (cuò shī) measure/step/CL:個|个[ge4]
措 (cuò) to handle/to manage/to put in order/to arrange/to
施 (shī) to grant/to give/to bestow/to act/to carry out
可是女扮男装的人还是到处可见，
kě shì nǚ bàn nán zhuāng de rén hái shì dào chǔ kě jiàn
But women dressed as men are still everywhere.
可是 (kě shì) but/however/(used for emphasis) indeed
可 (kě) can/may/able to/to approve/to permit/to suit/(particle used
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
女扮男装 (nǚ bàn nán zhuāng) (of a woman) to dress as a man (idiom)
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
扮 (bàn) to disguise oneself as/to dress up/to play (a role)/to put
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
装 (zhuāng) adornment/to adorn/dress/clothing/costume (of an actor in a
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
还是 (hái shì) or/still/nevertheless/had better
还 (hái) still/still in progress/still more/yet/even more/in
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
到处可见 (dào chǔ kě jiàn) ubiquitous/commonplace/found everywhere
到 (dào) to (a place)/until (a time)/up to/to go/to arrive/(verb
处 (chǔ) to reside/to live/to dwell/to be in/to be situated at/to
可 (kě) can/may/able to/to approve/to permit/to suit/(particle used
见 (jiàn) to see/to meet/to appear (to be sth)/to interview/to appear
为什么还禁止不了呢。
wéi shén me hái jīn zhǐ bù le ne
Why can't you ban it yet.
为什么 (wéi shén me) why?/for what reason?
为 (wéi) as (in the capacity of)/to take sth as/to act as/to serve
什 (shén) what/ten (used in fractions writing checks etc)/assorted
么 (me) exclamatory final particle/interrogative final particle
还 (hái) still/still in progress/still more/yet/even more/in
禁止 (jīn zhǐ) to prohibit/to forbid/to ban
禁 (jīn) to endure/to prohibit/to forbid
止 (zhǐ) to stop/to prohibit/until/only
不了 (bù le) unable to/without end
不 (bù) (negative prefix)/not/no
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
呢 (ne) particle indicating that a previously asked question is to
晏子回答：不知道大王见过没有，有的肉铺门口挂着牛头，案上卖的却是马肉。
Yanzi replied: I don't know if the king had ever seen a butcher's store with a cow's head hanging in front of the door, but selling horse meat on the case.
晏子回答：
yàn zǐ huí dā
Yanzi replied.
晏子 (yàn zǐ) Yanzi (-c 500 BC) famous statesman from Qi of the Warring
晏 (yàn) late/quiet
子 (zǐ) son/child/seed/egg/small thing/1st earthly branch: 11
回答 (huí dā) to reply/to answer/the answer/CL:個|个[ge4]
回 (huí) to circle/to go back/to turn around/to answer/to return/to
答 (dā) to answer/to agree/reply/answer/return/respond/echo
不知道大王见过没有，
bù zhī dào dà wáng jiàn guō méi yǒu
I wonder if the king has seen it.
不知 (bù zhī) not to know/unaware/unknowingly/fig. not to admit (defeat
不 (bù) (negative prefix)/not/no
知 (zhī) to know/to be aware
道 (dào) road/path/CL:條|条[tiao2]股[gu3]/principle/truth/morality
大王 (dà wáng) king/magnate/person having expert skill in something/robber
大 (dà) big/huge/large/major/great/wide/deep/older (than)/oldest
王 (wáng) king or monarch/best or strongest of its type/grand/great
见 (jiàn) to see/to meet/to appear (to be sth)/to interview/to appear
过 (guō) to cross/to go over/to pass (time)/to celebrate (a holiday)
没有 (méi yǒu) haven't/hasn't/doesn't exist/to not have/to not be
没 (méi) (negative prefix for verbs)/have not/not/drowned/to end/to
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
有的肉铺门口挂着牛头，
yǒu de ròu pū mén kǒu guà zhāo niú tóu
There are butcher stores with cow heads hanging in front of the door.
有的 (yǒu de) (there are) some (who are...)/some (exist)
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
肉铺 (ròu pū) butcher's shop
肉 (ròu) meat/flesh/pulp (of a fruit)/(coll.) (of a fruit) squashy
铺 (pū) to spread/to display/to set up/(old) holder for
门口 (mén kǒu) doorway/gate/CL:個|个[ge4]
门 (mén) gate/door/CL:扇[shan4]/gateway/doorway/CL:個|个[ge4]/opening
口 (kǒu) mouth/classifier for things with mouths (people domestic
挂 (guà) to hang or suspend (from a hook etc)/to hang up (the phone)
着 (zhāo) (chess) move/trick/all right!/(dialect) to add/to touch/to
牛头 (niú tóu) Ox-Head one of the two guardians of the underworld in
牛 (niú) ox/cow/bull/CL:條|条[tiao2]頭|头[tou2]/newton (abbr. for
头 (tóu) head/hair style/the top/end/beginning or end/a stub/remnant
案上卖的却是马肉。
àn shǎng mài de què shì mǎ ròu
The case is sold on the horse meat.
案 (àn) (legal) case/incident/record/file/table
上 (shǎng) see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1]/on top/upon/above/upper/previous
卖 (mài) to sell/to betray/to spare no effort/to show off or flaunt
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
却是 (què shì) nevertheless/actually/the fact is ...
却 (què) but/yet/however/while/to go back/to decline/to retreat
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
马 (mǎ) horse/CL:匹[pi3]/horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess
肉 (ròu) meat/flesh/pulp (of a fruit)/(coll.) (of a fruit) squashy
大王让内宫女人穿男服，却想在外面禁止女扮男装，等于是挂牛头卖马肉，怎么禁得住呢。
The king let the women in the inner palace wear men's clothes, but wanted to ban women dressed as men outside, which is like hanging a cow's head and selling horse meat, how can it be banned?
大王让内宫女人穿男服，
dà wáng ràng nèi gōng nǚ rén chuān nán fú
The king made the women of the inner court wear men's clothes.
大王 (dà wáng) king/magnate/person having expert skill in something/robber
大 (dà) big/huge/large/major/great/wide/deep/older (than)/oldest
王 (wáng) king or monarch/best or strongest of its type/grand/great
让 (ràng) to yield/to permit/to let sb do sth/to have sb do sth/to
内 (nèi) inside/inner/internal/within/interior
宫女 (gōng nǚ) palace maid/CL:個|个[ge4]名[ming2]位[wei4]
宫 (gōng) palace/temple/castration (as corporal punishment)/first
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
穿 (chuān) to wear/to put on/to dress/to bore through/to pierce/to
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
服 (fú) clothes/dress/garment/to serve (in the military a prison
却想在外面禁止女扮男装，
què xiǎng zài wài miàn jīn zhǐ nǚ bàn nán zhuāng
but wanted to ban cross-dressing outside.
却 (què) but/yet/however/while/to go back/to decline/to retreat
想 (xiǎng) to think/to believe/to suppose/to wish/to want/to miss
在外 (zài wài) outer/excluded
在 (zài) (located) at/(to be) in/to exist/in the middle of doing sth
外 (wài) outside/in addition/foreign/external
面 (miàn) face/side/surface/aspect/top/classifier for flat surfaces
禁止 (jīn zhǐ) to prohibit/to forbid/to ban
禁 (jīn) to endure/to prohibit/to forbid
止 (zhǐ) to stop/to prohibit/until/only
女扮男装 (nǚ bàn nán zhuāng) (of a woman) to dress as a man (idiom)
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
扮 (bàn) to disguise oneself as/to dress up/to play (a role)/to put
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
装 (zhuāng) adornment/to adorn/dress/clothing/costume (of an actor in a
等于是挂牛头卖马肉，
děng yú shì guà niú tóu mài mǎ ròu
It is the same as selling horse meat by hanging a cow's head.
等于 (děng yú) to equal/to be tantamount to
等 (děng) class/rank/grade/equal to/same as/to wait for/to await/et
于 (yú) in/at/to/from/by/than/out of
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
挂 (guà) to hang or suspend (from a hook etc)/to hang up (the phone)
牛头 (niú tóu) Ox-Head one of the two guardians of the underworld in
牛 (niú) ox/cow/bull/CL:條|条[tiao2]頭|头[tou2]/newton (abbr. for
头 (tóu) head/hair style/the top/end/beginning or end/a stub/remnant
卖 (mài) to sell/to betray/to spare no effort/to show off or flaunt
马 (mǎ) horse/CL:匹[pi3]/horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess
肉 (ròu) meat/flesh/pulp (of a fruit)/(coll.) (of a fruit) squashy
怎么禁得住呢。
zěn me jīn dé zhù ne
How can it be forbidden.
怎么 (zěn me) how?/what?/why?
怎 (zěn) how
么 (me) exclamatory final particle/interrogative final particle
禁 (jīn) to endure/to prohibit/to forbid
得 (dé) to obtain/to get/to gain/to catch (a disease)/proper
住 (zhù) to live/to dwell/to stay/to reside/to stop/(suffix
呢 (ne) particle indicating that a previously asked question is to
要让下不效，首先要上不行。
To make the lower ineffective, the first thing to do is to make the upper ineffective.
要让下不效，
yāo ràng xià bù xiào
To make under ineffective.
要 (yāo) to demand/to request/to coerce/important/vital/to want/to
让 (ràng) to yield/to permit/to let sb do sth/to have sb do sth/to
下 (xià) down/downwards/below/lower/later/next (week etc)/second (of
不 (bù) (negative prefix)/not/no
效 (xiào) effect/efficacy/to imitate
首先要上不行。
shǒu xiān yāo shǎng bù háng
The first thing to do is to get on no.
首先 (shǒu xiān) first (of all)/in the first place
首 (shǒu) head/chief/first (occasion thing etc)/classifier for poems
先 (xiān) early/prior/former/in advance/first
要 (yāo) to demand/to request/to coerce/important/vital/to want/to
上 (shǎng) see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1]/on top/upon/above/upper/previous
不行 (bù háng) won't do/be out of the question/be no good/not work/not be
不 (bù) (negative prefix)/not/no
行 (háng) row/line/commercial firm/line of business/profession/to
齐灵公照办了，果然，一月后，女扮男装的风气就在全国刹住了。
The Duke of Qi Ling did as he was told, and sure enough, after one month, the trend of women dressing as men was stopped in the whole country.
齐灵公照办了，
qí líng gōng zhào bàn le
The Duke of Qi Ling did as he was told.
齐 (qí) neat/even/level with/identical/simultaneous/all together/to
灵 (líng) quick/alert/efficacious/effective/to come true/spirit
公 (gōng) public/collectively owned/common/international (e.g. high
照办 (zhào bàn) to follow the rules/to do as instructed/to play by the book
照 (zhào) according to/in accordance with/to shine/to illuminate/to
办 (bàn) to do/to manage/to handle/to go about/to run/to set up/to
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
果然，
guǒ rán
Sure enough.
果然 (guǒ rán) really/sure enough/as expected/if indeed
果 (guǒ) fruit/result/resolute/indeed/if really
然 (rán) correct/right/so/thus/like this/-ly
一月后，
yī yuè hòu
After January
一月 (yī yuè) January/first month (of the lunar year)
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
月 (yuè) moon/month/monthly/CL:個|个[ge4]輪|轮[lun2]
后 (hòu) empress/queen
女扮男装的风气就在全国刹住了。
nǚ bàn nán zhuāng de fēng qì jiù zài quán guó chà zhù le
The trend of women dressing up as men was put to rest in the country.
女扮男装 (nǚ bàn nán zhuāng) (of a woman) to dress as a man (idiom)
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
扮 (bàn) to disguise oneself as/to dress up/to play (a role)/to put
男 (nán) male/Baron lowest of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3
装 (zhuāng) adornment/to adorn/dress/clothing/costume (of an actor in a
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
风气 (fēng qì) general mood/atmosphere/common practice
风 (fēng) wind/news/style/custom/manner/CL:陣|阵[zhen4]絲|丝[si1]
气 (qì) gas/air/smell/weather/to make angry/to annoy/to get angry
就 (jiù) at once/right away/only/just (emphasis)/as early as/already
在 (zài) (located) at/(to be) in/to exist/in the middle of doing sth
全国 (quán guó) whole nation/nationwide/countrywide/national
全 (quán) all/whole/entire/every/complete
国 (guó) country/nation/state/national/CL:個|个[ge4]
刹住 (chà zhù) to stop/to come to a halt
刹 (chà) Buddhist monastery temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅 Sanskrit
住 (zhù) to live/to dwell/to stay/to reside/to stop/(suffix
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
大道理：上有好者，下必有甚焉者矣，凡事只有身体力行，才能令行禁止。
The big truth: the top has a good one, the bottom will have a very good one to carry on, everything only physically, in order to prohibit.
大道理：
dà dào lǐ
Big truth.
大道理 (dà dào lǐ) major principle/general truth/sermon (reproof)/bombastic
大 (dà) big/huge/large/major/great/wide/deep/older (than)/oldest
道 (dào) road/path/CL:條|条[tiao2]股[gu3]/principle/truth/morality
理 (lǐ) texture/grain (of wood)/inner essence/intrinsic order
上有好者，
shǎng yǒu hǎo zhě
There are good people on top.
上 (shǎng) see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1]/on top/upon/above/upper/previous
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
好 (hǎo) good/well/proper/good to/easy to/very/so/(suffix indicating
者 (zhě) (after a verb or adjective) one who (is) .../(after a noun)
下必有甚焉者矣，
xià bì yǒu shèn yān zhě yǐ
The next must have even more.
下 (xià) down/downwards/below/lower/later/next (week etc)/second (of
必 (bì) certainly/must/will/necessarily
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
甚 (shèn) what/very/extremely/any
焉 (yān) where/how
者 (zhě) (after a verb or adjective) one who (is) .../(after a noun)
矣 (yǐ) classical final particle similar to modern 了[le5]
凡事只有身体力行，
fán shì zhī yǒu shēn tī lì háng
All things can only be done physically.
凡事 (fán shì) everything
凡 (fán) ordinary/commonplace/mundane/temporal/of the material world
事 (shì) matter/thing/item/work/affair
只 (zhī) only/merely/just/but
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
身体力行 (shēn tī lì háng) to practice what one preaches (idiom)
身 (shēn) body/life/oneself/personally/one's morality and conduct/the
体 (tī) body/form/style/system/substance/to experience/aspect
力 (lì) power/force/strength/ability/strenuously
行 (háng) row/line/commercial firm/line of business/profession/to
才能令行禁止。
cái néng líng háng jīn zhǐ
Only then can the order be acted upon.
才能 (cái néng) talent/ability/capacity
才 (cái) ability/talent/sb of a certain type/a capable individual
能 (néng) can/to be able to/might possibly/ability/(physics) energy
令行禁止 (líng háng jīn zhǐ) lit. if he orders you go he forbids you stop (idiom); fig.
令 (líng) see 令狐[Ling2 hu2]/see 脊令[ji2 ling2]/classifier for a ream
行 (háng) row/line/commercial firm/line of business/profession/to
禁 (jīn) to endure/to prohibit/to forbid
止 (zhǐ) to stop/to prohibit/until/only