Chinese Idiom: 老牛舐犊 (Lao Niu Shi Du)
English Translation: The old cow licks its calf
pīn yīn: lǎo niú shì dú
Idiom Meaning: This idiom metaphorically describes the deep affection and love that a parent has for their children.
Historical Source: “Book of the Later Han · Biography of Yang Biao” (《后汉书 · 杨彪传》)
Idiom Story:
Yang Biao (杨彪), a native of Hanan, lived during the late Han dynasty. He had a son named Yang Xiu (杨修), who was intelligent and studious. Yang Xiu served as a chief clerk for the famous warlord Cao Cao, similar to a modern-day secretary. However, Yang Xiu’s arrogance and disregard for authority often embarrassed Cao Cao.
Cao Cao had a fondness for pastry. One day, he received a box of delicious pastries as a gift and wrote “一合酥” (meaning “one box of pastries”) on the lid before leaving for a meeting. When Yang Xiu saw the box, he took it upon himself to gather people to share the treats. When Cao Cao returned and discovered the pastries were gone, he asked Yang Xiu for an explanation. Yang Xiu cleverly replied that the writing on the lid implied “一人一口酥” (each person can take one bite), cleverly twisting Cao Cao’s words to avoid blame.
Yang Xiu’s disrespect for Cao Cao continued to escalate, and Cao Cao, wary of Yang Xiu’s intelligence and his connection to the fallen warlord Yuan Shu (袁术), eventually had him executed.
After Yang Xiu’s death, his elderly father, Yang Biao, was heartbroken. One day, Cao Cao encountered Yang Biao and noticed his weight loss. In response to Cao Cao’s inquiry about his condition, Yang Biao subtly expressed his grief by saying, “犹怀老牛舐犊之爱,” implying that his suffering was akin to the love of an old cow for its calf.
This expression has since evolved into the idiom “老牛舐犊,” symbolizing a parent’s profound love and care for their children.
