'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 39: 三十年河东,三十年河西 (San Shi Nian He Dong, San Shi Nian He Xi)

Language is the road map of a culture.

In this column, we will invite expats to introduce their favorite Chinese words, phrases, idioms, poems and more in a one-minute video. We hope this will serve as a window through which you can better understand Chinese culture, mindset and wit.

Chayada Yanwirojkul, an overseas student from Thailand, learned this Chinese phrase in class, which means the tendency would be converse after 30 years. What is "Hedong"? What is "Hexi"? Is it just the east and west of the river? She was very confused at the beginning. Later, she found that the sentence turned out to be a metaphor.

Share with us the Chinese proverbs that you think are timeless. Please contact juliezhu@shanghaidaily.com.