Hándān

邯郸学步
Literally: “to study the walking method of the people of Handan”.
to badly imitate others, and lose one's individuality in the process
邯郸 hán dān
• Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwest of Hebei
province, China.
• Handan is one of the oldest cities in China, first settled in 6500 BC by
the Cishan culture. Throughout the city‘s long history, it contributed
significantly to Chinese culture, serving as the capital of State of Zhao,
was northern China’s political, economic and cultural center, and
home to Tai chi and the first compass, made from stones collected in
the nearby Mount Ci (magnet mountain). Handan is designated as
one of China‘s National Famous Historical and Cultural Cities.
• 春秋战国时期赵国的首都是邯郸，那里的人走路很好

看。燕国有一个人听说后非常羡慕那里的人，他走了很
远的路来到赵国，想学习邯郸人走路的样子。

• 春秋战国时期 chūn qiū zhàn guó shí qī （公元前 770 年－公元前 221 年）
• 赵国 zhào guó
• 首都 [shǒu dū] n. capital
• 邯郸 [hán dān]
• 燕国 yān guó
• 羡慕 [xiàn mù] vt. admire
• 开始的时候，他整天站在街上，仔细地看每个从他
身边走过的人，再去模仿他们走路的样子，可是都
没有成功。

• 整天 [zhěng tiān]
• 仔细 [zǐ xì] adj. careful
• 模仿 [mó fǎng] to imitate
• 成功 [chéng gōng] vi. succeed; win
• 后来，他觉得这是因为受以前走路习惯的影响，所
以，他决定忘记以前走路的方法。于是，他更加仔细
地学习邯郸人走路的样子，但是他怎么也学不会。

• 受……影响 [shòu……yǐng xiǎng] adj. be affected by ; be influenced by

• 走路习惯 zǒu lù xí guàn, walking habit
• 决定 jué ding, decided to do something
• 更加 [gèng jiā] still further; to a higher degree; still more
• 最后，他只好放弃了，但是，他把以前走路的方法也
忘了，已经不知道怎么走路了。只好一路爬着回去，
当别人看到他的样子时都开始笑他。

• 最后 [zuì hòu] misc. in the end

• 只好 [zhǐ hǎo] have no choice but to
• 放弃 [fàng qì] misc. give up
• 爬 [pá] vi. climb; crawl
• 成语“邯郸学步”比喻模仿 [mó fǎng] 别人不成功
[chéng gōng] ，反而失去了自己原有的长处。

• 长处 [cháng chu] misc. good qualities; strong points.