咏鹅
Song of the goose
Read, find evidence, and explain in your own words.
Read
鹅，鹅，鹅，曲项向天歌。
Goose, goose, goose! With a curved neck, it sings towards the sky.
白毛浮绿水，红掌拨清波。
White feathers float on green water; red feet paddle through clear ripples.
Explore the text
这首诗通常署名唐代骆宾王。曲项是弯着脖子，曲读弯曲的曲。歌把鹅的叫声写得像唱歌；掌指鹅的脚掌。先找颜色，再找浮和拨两个动作。
This poem is traditionally attributed to the Tang poet Luo Binwang. Qu xiang means a curved neck; qu is read as in bend. The goose’s call becomes a song, and zhang names its feet. Find the colours first, then compare floating with paddling.
Words to practise
鹅白红水波