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Half Full or Half Empty? 半杯满还是半杯空？
Recently I have met a lot of metaphors when reading, such as 'see the glass as half-full or half-empty', 'the doughnut or the hole' and so on. Could you please tell us more about it? Thank you.
Amena from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
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Amena has spotted some interesting metaphors in her reading. Metaphors are implied comparisons between two unconnected things and are used to try and convey an idea.
If we are talking about a glass that is filled halfway, is it half full or is it half empty? As Rob and Li try to explain, it depends on your point of view 处世观 or your attitude.
Other popular metaphors include 'all the world's a stage' and 'it's raining cats and dogs'. What do you think these expressions actually mean?
Is his glass half empty?
In this programme we also explain the saying 'six of one, half a dozen of the other' 六个与半打。This is about making comparisons between two things and coming up with a similar result.
If you fancy asking us a question, email us at questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk. We might produce a programme about your question.
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