Tang poem · seven-character quatrain唐诗 · 七言绝句

xiǎo小sōng松

dù杜xún荀hè鹤Du Xunhe · Tang唐

The Little Pine

zì自xiǎo小cì刺tóu头shēn深cǎo草lǐ里

ér而jīn今jiàn渐jué觉chū出péng蓬hāo蒿

shí时rén人bù不shí识líng凌yún云mù木

zhí直dài待líng凌yún云shǐ始dào道gāo高

Underlined words have notes: tap one. The Pinyin button below shows or hides all pinyin. 一 and 不 are marked with the tone you actually say.字下有虚线的，点开有注释。下方的“拼音”按钮可以显示或隐藏全部拼音。“一”“不”标的是实际读出来的变调。

Line by line逐句翻译

自小刺头深草里From the time it was small, the little pine was hidden in deep grass, showing only its prickly head.小松树从小就埋在深深的草丛里，只露出满是尖刺的头。
而今渐觉出蓬蒿Now, little by little, you can see it rising above the weeds.现在慢慢看得出来，它已经比周围的野草高了。
时人不识凌云木People then could not tell it was a tree that would reach the clouds.当时的人认不出这是将来能长到云里去的大树，
直待凌云始道高They wait until it truly touches the clouds, and only then say it is tall.一定要等它真的高入云天，才说它高。

Words字词注释

自小zì xiǎo: zì xiǎo: ever since it was small.自小：从很小的时候起。
刺头cì tóu: cì tóu: a prickly head. The needles of a young pine are thin and sharp, like little spikes.刺头：长满尖刺的头。小松树的松针又细又尖，像一根根刺。
深草里shēn cǎo lǐ: shēn cǎo lǐ: buried deep in tall grass.深草里：埋在很深的野草里面。
而今ér jīn: ér jīn: now.而今：如今，现在。
渐觉jiàn jué: jiàn jué: little by little one can see.渐觉：渐渐让人觉得。
蓬蒿péng hāo: péng hāo: fleabane and wormwood, common wild weeds by the road.蓬蒿：蓬草和蒿草，路边常见的野草。
时人shí rén: shí rén: people of the time, ordinary people.时人：当时的人，一般的人。
凌云木líng yún mù: líng yún mù: a tree that will grow up into the clouds. Líng yún means rising to the clouds.凌云木：能长得高入云天的大树。凌云，直上云霄。
直待zhí dài: zhí dài: not until, waiting all the way until.直待：一直要等到。
始道高shǐ dào gāo: shǐ dào gāo: only then say it is tall. Shǐ means only then; dào means to say.始道高：才说它高。始，才；道，说。

Background创作背景

This poem is about a young pine that has not yet grown up. Du Xunhe came from a poor family. As a young man he studied hard, but he failed the top civil exam many times, and for a long time no one thought much of him. It is usually read as Du Xunhe speaking through the little pine: talented people are often looked down on before they become known. We cannot be sure what year it was written.

这首诗写一棵还没长大的小松树。杜荀鹤出身贫寒，年轻时读书很用功，却多次考进士都没考中，很久没人看重他。一般认为，他借小松树说出自己的感受：有才能的人在还没出名时，常常被人看不起。这首诗写于哪一年，已经不能确定。

The poet作者

Du Xunhe (846–904) was a late Tang poet. His family was poor, and he took the exam many times, passing only in his forties. His poems use plain words, and many describe the hardships of ordinary people. "The Little Pine" also uses the simplest words to speak for someone no one takes seriously.

杜荀鹤（846—904），晚唐诗人。他家境贫寒，考了很多次，到四十多岁才考中进士。他的诗语言浅白，很多写普通百姓的苦。这首《小松》也用最简单的话，说出了一个不被看重的人心里的话。

The mood意境

The first two lines show the pine growing. At first it is tiny, covered by weeds, with only its prickly head showing. The word cì, prickly, tells us that small as it is, it is tough and not easy to push around. Later it slowly grows taller than the weeds and begins to stand out. The last two lines turn to a comment. Most people cannot see far. They do not see that this little pine will become a giant tree. They wait until it reaches the clouds before they praise its height. The poem is a little angry, and also a little proud. As you read, think: is there someone around you who is like the little pine, quietly growing and not yet noticed? We should notice them early.

前两句写小松树长大的样子。一开始它很小，被野草盖住，只露出一个“刺头”。一个“刺”字，写出它虽小却硬气，不好欺负。后来它慢慢比野草高了，开始露出头来。后两句转成议论：一般人眼光短，看不出这棵小松将来能长成参天大树，非要等它长到云里，才夸它高。诗里有一点生气，也有一点自信。读的时候可以想一想：身边有没有像小松树一样，正在悄悄长大、还没被人看见的人？我们应该早一点发现他们。