朝三暮四
朝三暮四
從前，宋國有一個老人，他在家中養了許多猴子。老人每天都會給每只猴子八顆栗子，早晚各四顆。后來，猴子越來越多，老人也越來越窮，所以他想每天只給猴子七顆栗子，于是他就和猴子們商量：“從今天開始，我每天早上給你們四顆粟子，晚上給你們三顆栗子，行不行？” 猴子們想了一想，晚上怎么少了一顆呢？于是大叫起來，非常不愿意。老人一看，連忙說：“那么我早上給你們三顆，晚上再給你們四顆，可以了吧？” 猴子們聽了，以為晚上的粟子已經由三個變成四個，跟以前一樣，就高興地同意了。
朝三暮四：原意是指實質不變，用玩弄手段，改換名目的方法使人受騙上當。后引申為，說話、辦事反復無常、不負責任。
Three at Dawn and Four at Dusk
Once upon a time, there lived an old man in Song Kingdom, who raised a lot of monkeys at home. The old man fed each monkey eight acorns every day, four in the morning and four in the evening. Later he fed so many monkeys that he had not enough acorns. So he wanted to feed monkeys seven acorns each day. Then he discussed with his monkeys, “From today on, I will give each of you four acorns in the morning and three acorns in the evening. Is that O.K.?” Hearing this, all the monkeys got angry. How come lack one in the evening? Then the old man changed to say, “I'll give each of you four acorns in the morning and three acorns in the evening.” Thinking that there were still four in the evening, all the monkeys became happy again.Three in the morning, four in the evening: The idiom originally means to fool others by playing tricks.
It later extends to mean changing one’s mind frequently or not being responsible.Other expressions: to play fast and loose or to chop and change.
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