Chinese language vocabulary 汉语词汇 朝三暮四 (Zhāosān-mùsì)

Cóngqián, Sòngguó yǒu yí gè lǎorén, tā zài jiā zhōng yǎng le xǔduō hóuzǐ. Lǎo rénměi tiān dōu huì gěi měi zhī hóuzǐ bā kē lìzǐ, zǎo wǎn gè sì kē. Hòulái , hóuzǐ yuè lái yuè duō, lǎorén yě yuè lái yuè qióng, suǒyǐ tā xiǎng měi tiān zhī gěi hóuzǐ qī kē lìzǐ, yú shì tā jiù hé hóuzǐ men shāngliàng:” cóng jīntiān kāishǐ, wǒ měitiān zǎoshàng gěi nǐmen sì kē lìzǐ, wǎnshàng gěi nǐmen sān kē lìzǐ, xíng bù xíng?” Hóuzǐ men xiǎng le yì xiǎng, wǎnshàng zěnme shǎo le yì kē ne? Yúshì dà jiào qǐlái, fēicháng bú yuànyì. Lǎorén yí kàn, lián máng shuō:” nàme wǒ zǎoshàng gěi nǐmen sān kē, wǎnshàng zài gěi nǐ men sì kē, kě yǐ le ba?” Hóuzǐ men tīng le, yǐwéi wǎnshàng de lìzǐyǐjīng yóu sān gè biàn chéng sì gè, gēn yǐqián yí yang, jiù gāoxìng de tóngyì le.
从前，宋国有一个老人，他在家中养了许多猴子。老人每天都会给每只猴子八颗栗子，早晚各四颗。后来，猴子越来越多，老人也越来越穷，所以他想每天只给猴子 七颗栗子，于是他就和猴子们商量：“从今天开始，我每天早上给你们四颗栗子，晚上给你们三颗栗子，行不行？” 猴子们想了一想，晚上怎么少了一颗呢？于是大叫起来，非常不愿意。老人一看，连忙说：“那么我早上给你们三颗，晚上再给你们四颗，可以了吧？” 猴子们听了，以为晚上的栗子已经由三个变成四个，跟以前一样，就高兴地同意了。

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.

Words:
宋国Sòngguó ： Song state:a state in the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) in Chinese history (n. )
猴子hóuzi： monkey(n. )
栗子lìzi： chestnut (n.)

Meanings:

朝三暮四：原意是指实质不变，用玩弄手段，改换名目的方法使人受骗上当。后引申为，说话、办事反复无常、不负责任。

The idiom originally means to fool others by playing tricks. It later extends to mean changing one's mind frequently or not being responsible.

Sentences:

1.Nǐ yídàn yǒu le mùbiāo jiù yào zuò xiàqù, qiānwàn bù néng cháosān-mùsì, fǒuzé zuìhòu zhī huì yíshì-wúchéng.
你一旦有了目标就要做下去，千万不能朝三暮四，否则最后只会一事无成。

once you have an object, do not cháosān-mùsì, otherwise you'll accomplish nothing.

2. Tā yǐjīng yǒu le nǚ péngyǒu, hái cháosān-mùsì, suǒyǐ nǚ péngyǒu hé tā fēn shǒu le.
他已经有了女朋友，还朝三暮四，所以女朋友和他分手了。

He's already got a girlfriend, but he still cháosān-mùsì, so his girlfriend parts with him.