Chinese Idiom: 此地无银三百两 (Ci Di Wu Yin San Bai Liang)
English Translation: There are no three hundred taels of silver here
pīn yīn: cǐ dì wú yín sān bǎi liǎng
Idiom Meaning: This idiom describes the act of trying to conceal something, which ironically draws more attention to it, leading to greater exposure.
Historical Source: A popular folk story.
Idiom Story:
In ancient times, there was a man named Zhang San who prided himself on being clever. He had saved up three hundred taels of silver and was thrilled with his wealth. However, he worried about where to hide it so that no one would steal it. After much contemplation, he devised what he thought was a brilliant plan.
One night, Zhang San dug a pit at the foot of his backyard wall and buried the silver there. To further protect his treasure, he wrote a note saying “此地无银三百两” (There are no three hundred taels of silver here) and stuck it on the wall near the buried silver. In his mind, this would deter any potential thieves.
However, his neighbor, Wang Er, had been watching and understood exactly what Zhang San had done. As soon as Zhang San left, Wang Er hurried over, dug up the silver, and stole it. To cover his tracks and to divert suspicion, Wang Er also placed a note by the wall that read, “隔壁王二不曾偷” (Neighbor Wang Er did not steal).
This story illustrates the futility of Zhang San’s attempts to conceal his wealth. Instead of protecting his silver, his actions only made it more obvious and led to its theft. The idiom serves as a caution against foolish attempts at deception that can backfire and result in unintended consequences.
