龙生龙，凤生凤，老鼠的儿子会打洞

lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, zhè jiùshì tā de tiānxìng.

A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, and a rat's son can make holes, this is his nature.

This proverb means that one's characteristics are usually inherited from their parents. The behaviors of the dragon, the phoenix and the rat's son are used metaphorically to represent the inherited characteristics.

lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, suǒyǐ nǐ bìxū xiǎoxīn jǐnshèn.

A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, and a rat's son can make holes, so you must be careful and cautious.

In this sentence, the proverb is used to warn or remind someone to be cautious, especially considering the characteristics or habits inherited from parents.

lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, háizi de xìnggé wǎng wǎng xiàng fùmǔ.

A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, a rat's son can make holes, a child's character is often like their parents.

This sentence is using the proverb to explain that children's temperament and behavior are often just like their parents' as they inherit these traits from them.

lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, nǐ de háizi hé nǐ yīyàng cōngmíng.

A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, a rat's son can make holes, your child is as smart as you.

The proverb here is used to praise the child for inheriting their parent's intelligence, suggesting it's a natural, expected outcome.

suī rán lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, wǒ hái shì rèn wéi huán jìng yǐng xiǎng gèng dà.

Although a dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, a rat's son can make holes, I still think the environment has a greater impact.

This sentence expresses the belief that environmental factors (nurture) may play a larger role than inherited traits (nature) in determining a person's character and behavior.

lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, zhè jù huà yì wèi zhe tā de xíng wéi yǔ tā de fùmǔ xiāng sì.

A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, a rat's son makes holes, this means that his behavior is similar to his parents.

This explanation of the proverb points out that the individual's actions are not surprising if they reflect behaviors or traits seen in their parents.

lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, bù yào yǐ wèi nǐ kě yǐ táo bì nǐ de yí chuán.

A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, a rat's son can make holes, don't think you can escape your inheritance.

This sentence uses the proverb to convey the message that one cannot avoid their inherited characteristics, suggesting a fatalistic view of biological inheritance.

jí shǐ lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, wǒ men hái shì yīng gāi jìn lì chéng wéi gèng hǎo de rén.

Even if a dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, a rat's son can make holes, we should still try our best to become better people.

Despite acknowledging the influence of inheritance, this sentence emphasizes personal growth and improvement, suggesting that we have control over our behaviors regardless of our initial circumstances.

lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, nǐ yīng gāi nǔlì gǎibiàn nǐ de huài xíguàn.

A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, a rat's son can make holes, you should work hard to change your bad habits.

While this proverb generally suggests inherited traits, it also implies here that one should not use inheritance as an excuse for not improving or changing their negative behaviours.

tāmen shuō lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ de érzi huì dǎ dòng, dàn wǒ bù xiāngxìn shēng wù yí chuán xué quán bù jué dìng le yī gè rén.

They say a dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix, a rat's son can make holes, but I don't believe genetics completely determine a person.

This sentence uses the proverb to discuss the debate between nature (genetics) and nurture. While acknowledging that genetics play a role, the speaker questions the extent to which they define a person.