The Fortunes Of The Fisherman

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

In Chinese folklore, there is a well-known story called"渔翁得利"(YúWēng DéLì), which translates to"The Fisherman's Gains"in English. This story has been passed down through generations and is often used as an idiom in daily life. Let's explore the story's content, its origins, and how the phrase is used in everyday conversation.

The Story(故事):

Long ago, in a peaceful village by the river, there lived an old fisherman named Wang.Wang was known throughout the village for his diligence and patience. Every day,he would cast his net into the river, hoping for a good catch to provide for his family. One sunny morning,as Wang pulled his net from the water, he discovered a heavy,sealed jar entangled in his net.Curiosity piqued, he opened the jar to find it filled with precious宝贵的（Bǎo guìde）gems and gold coins. Wang's humble life was suddenly transformed by this unexpected treasure.

宝贵的（Bǎo guìde），adj，precious

  • Time is the most precious treasure.
    时间是最宝贵的财富。
    Shíjiān shìzuìbǎoguìde cáifù.
  • This is my grandmother's precious pearl.
    这是我祖母宝贵的珍珠。
    Zhèshìwǒzǔmǔbǎoguìde zhēnzhū.

Why"渔翁得利"(YúWēng DéLì)?(为什么会叫渔翁得利):

The phrase"渔翁得利"(YúWēng DéLì)comes from this story, and it means"The Fisherman's Gains"in English. It is used to describe unexpected windfalls or gains that come to people without any prior intention or effort努力（nǔlì）, just like how Wang stumbled upon the valuable jar while fishing. This idiom highlights the element of surprise and the unpredictability of life's fortunes.

努力（nǔlì），noun，effort

  • She put in a lot of effort to achieve her dreams.
    她付出了很多努力来实现她的梦想。
    Tāfùchūle hěnduōnǔlìlái shíxiàn tāde mèngxiǎng.
  • Success requires persistent effort.
    成功需要坚持不懈的努力。
    Chénggōng xūyào jiānchíbùxiède nǔlì.

Daily Usage

In daily conversation,"渔翁得利"(YúWēng DéLì)is often used to express the idea of unexpected gains or good luck. For example,if someone receives an unexpected bonus at work, they might say, "今天老板给我发了个意外的奖金，真是渔翁得利啊！"(Jīntiān lǎobǎn gěi wǒfāle gèyìwài de jiǎngjīn,zhēnshìYúWēng DéLìa!), which means"Today,my boss gave me an unexpected bonus; it's just like the fisherman's gains!"

  • The fisherman's gains,he found a bag of lost coins.
    渔翁得利，找到了一袋丢失的钱币。
    YúWēng DéLì,zhǎodàole yīdàidīu shīde qiánbì.
  • She had the fisherman's gains;the lottery ticket she bought yesterday actually won the jackpot.
    她渔翁得利，昨天买的彩票居然中了大奖。
    TāYúWēng DéLì,zuótiān mǎi de cǎipiào jūrán zhòngle dàjiǎng.
  • He had unexpected gains，actually picking up a sparkling gem.
    他渔翁得利，竟然捡到了一颗发光的宝石。
    TāYúWēng DéLì,jìngrán jiǎn dàole yīkēfāguāng de bǎoshí.

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