曹操  (《古谣谚》人物)引諺
三國志魏書崔琰傳
生女耳。

Having women’s ears for listening to flatterers, referring to how unpredictable one’s superior’s reaction is to flatterers.




冀州人稱邢顒語
三國志魏書邢顒傳
德行堂堂﹑邢子昂。

Xing Zi Ang is very righteous






軍中為典韋語
三國志魏書典韋傳
帳下壯士有典君。提一雙戟八十斤。

There is such a soldier named Dian Wei who carries an unusually heavy weapon.




陳思王植引諺
三國志魏書陳思王植傳
相門有相。將門有將。

Ministers come from a household of ministers, and generals come from a household of generals.




王昶引諺
三國志魏書王昶傳
救寒莫如重裘。止謗莫如自修。

Heavy coats save people from chills, and self-cultivation saves one from the slander of others.


襄陽鄉里為馬良諺
三國志蜀書馬良傳
馬氏五常。白眉最良。

Of the five Ma brothers, the one with the white eyebrow is the most outstanding.






譙周引諺
三國志蜀書譙周傳
射幸數跌。不如審發。

To prevent arrows from missing the targets, one should caution to aim well when shooting the arrow. The key to winning a battle is to not burden the general population with military expenses.






吳中童謠
三國志吳書吳主權傳
三國志吳書吳主權傳

黃金車。班蘭耳。闓昌門。出天子。

A children’s song referring to the enthronement of the Wu emperor.


時人為  周瑜  (《古谣谚》人物)謠
三國志吳書周瑜傳
曲有誤。周郎顧。

When the musical tune is going wrong, Zhou Yu will notice right away.




諸葛恪引里語
三國志吳書孫權傳
明鏡所以照形。古事所以知今。

Just as mirrors reflect the shapes of things, ancient histories provide windows to knowing current affairs.


陸凱引童謠
三國志吳書陸凱傳
寧飲建業水。不食武昌魚。寧還建業死。不止武昌居。

A children’s song explaining that choosing Wu Chang as the capital will be a bad choice, while choosing Jian Ye will be a good choice.


吳人為諸葛恪謠
三國志吳書諸葛恪傳
諸葛恪。何若若。蘆葦單衣篾鉤落。於何相求成子閣。

A folk song referring to the way Zhu Ge Ke was buried. He was thrown off a cliff.






優人青頭雞唱
三國志魏書齊王芳紀
青頭雞。青頭雞。

"Green-headed chicken" refers to ducks. This was the verse of a song sung by one emperor’s entertainer. The emperor was on the verge of losing his throne.






京師為鄧颺語
三國志魏書  曹爽  (《古谣谚》人物)傳注云
以官易富﹑鄧元茂。

Eng Yang sells government posts for money and gets rich.






魏時為蔣濟謠言
三國志魏書夏侯玄傳注云
欲求牙門﹑當得千匹。百人督﹑五百匹。

A rumor referring to the material costs of obtaining certain positions.






焦先羖【歷】歌
三國志魏書管甯傳注云
祝衄祝衄。非魚非肉。更相追逐。本心為當殺牂羊。

更殺其羖【歷】邪。

A hermit’s opaque string of words which were interpreted as the mistakes made by the Wei kingdom’s military strategy.




時人為楊阿若號
三國志魏書閻溫傳注云
東市相斫﹑楊阿若。西市相斫﹑楊阿若。

Yang A Ruo goes around fighting with people as a means of revenge and mediation.






魚豢引諺
三國志魏書任城陳蕭王傳評注云
貧不學儉。卑不學恭。

One is poor because of not knowing to be frugal, and one is in the lower class of society because of not learning to be humble.




鴻臚中為韓暨韓宣語
三國志魏書裴潛傳注云
大鴻臚。小鴻臚。前後治行曷相如。

Words praising two good consecutive ministers.


博昌鄉人為蔣任二姓語
三國志魏書王昶傳
蔣氏翁。任氏童。The people in the Jiang household became learned only when they reached old age, and the people in the Ren household were child prodigies.






東郡謠諺
三國志魏書王凌傳
馬素羈。西南馳。其誰乘者朱虎騎。

A rumor referring to how Wang Ling and his nephew Ling Hu Yu wanted to support the enthronement of Prince Chu.






渭濱民諺
三國志蜀書諸葛亮傳
死諸葛走生仲達。

Words referring to how the supreme military strategist Zhu Ge Liang might have died, not knowing that, the enemy camp was still retreating to avoid his army.






襄陽擇婦諺
三國志蜀書諸葛亮傳注云
莫作孔明擇婦。止得阿承醜女。

Referring to how Zhu Ge Liang did not assume beauty to be a priority in a spouse.




壽春童謠
三國志吳書孫皓傳
吳天子當上。

A children’s song referring to a rumor which says a certain warlord should become the emperor. The warlord believed that.




公安童謠
三國志吳書諸葛瑾傳
白鼉鳴。龜背平。南郡城中可長生。守死不去義無成。

A children’s song referring to the wars between warlords.