曹冲称象

江西省南昌市 肖筱供稿

曹冲称象

江西省南昌市 肖筱供稿

Caochong Weighing the Elephant

There was once a clever boy,who was Cao Cao’s son Cao Chong.When he was five years old,his knowledge and judgment was comparable to adults.

Once,Sun Quan sent a giant elephant.Caocao wanted to know its weight.So he asked his men,but all his men could not find a way to weigh the elephant.

Caochong who was nearby said,“Put the elephant in the boat,and mark the place the water reaches.And then put some stones until the water reaches the same level as it contains the elephant.We can know the weight of the elephant when we weigh the stones.”

Caocao was very pleased after hearing it,nodding his head.So he asked his men to do as his son said.

三国时期有个神童叫曹冲，他是曹操的儿子。曹冲五、六岁的时候，知识和判断能力所达到的程度，可以比得上成人。

有一次，孙权送来了一头巨象，曹操想知道这头大象的重量。于是他询问属下，大家都不能说出称象的办法。

在一旁的曹冲说：“把象放到大船上，在水面所达到的地方做上记号。然后再让船装载石头，让水位和装大象时候一样。只需要称一下这些石头的重量就可以知道大象的重量了。”

曹操听了点点头，十分很高兴。于是他马上吩咐他的下属照这个办法做了。