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Chinese proverbs - Wikiquote

Chinese proverbs
From Wikiquote This theme article needs cleanup. Please review Wikiquote:Templates, especially the standard format of theme articles, to determine how to edit this article to conform to a higher standard of article quality. You should also check this article's talk page to see if the person who added this message left an explanation there. This page has been listed as needing cleanup since 2012-07-30. This is a collection of Chinese proverbs ( yny) and idioms ( chngy), given in and sorted by their pinyin transcription. Chinese proverbs and four-plus character idioms are developed from the formulaic or social dialect/saying/expression ( in pinyin: xihuy) and historical story in Chinese. Some proverbs are literary; that is, from a written source. (See the historical written language or the more modern written language.) Others originated among families, street vendors, and other commoners--all walks of life. '

Proverbs
All proverbs/idioms are ordered by their pinyin transcription in the following order. 1. First character 1. Initial 2. Ending 3. Tone 4. Radical strokes 5. Total strokes 2. Next character following the same procedure (if previous is the same) 3. Least amount of character Initials: B Ch D F G H J K R S Sh T Y Z

B
b wn b ru wn zh y xng zh r zh y wn zh b ru jin zh jin zh b ru zh zh zh zh b ru xng zh xu zh

Transliteration (pinyin): B wn b ru wn zh, wn zh b ru jin zh, jin zh b ru zhzh, zhzh b ru xng zh; xu zhy xng zh r zh y. Traditional: Simplified:
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Literally: Not hearing is not as good as hearing, hearing is not as good as seeing, seeing is not as good as mentally knowing, mentally knowing is not as good as acting; true learning continues up to the point that action comes forth Common: I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand. Moral: You can only understand something by trying it yourself. Revised: Tell me and I [will] forget. Show me and I [will] remember. Involve me and I [will] understand. Also: You can't understand until you walk a mile in someone else's shoes. From Xun Zi ( 8. 23.

Ch
chng jing hu lng tu qin lng

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Jimmy W ales Transliteration (pinyin): Chngjing hulng tu qinlng. Traditional: Astrology Simplified: Compatibility Literally: the Changjiang River waves behind drive the waves ahead. Meaning: Each new generation excels the last one. Chinese . . 2008. p. 162. ISBN 7305052116. Characters

D
d wn jun sh b r xng wn l l

Chinese Zodiac Signs

Transliteration (pinyin): D wn jun sh br xng wnl Horoscope l. Traditional: Compatibility Simplified: Literally: Reading ten thousand books is not as useful Dictionary as traveling English ten thousand miles. English equivalent: A pound of practice is more worth than an ounce of theory. Meaning: Practical experience is more useful than theory. Dictionary 2010. Thesaurus . p. 27. ISBN 9860288844.

F
fng rn zh xn b k w

W all Of China

Tour Of China

Transliteration (pinyin): Fng rn zh xn bk w. Beijing Travel Traditional: Simplified: Roget's Thesaurus Literally: Careful with others is a must have. Meaning: Be cautious of people that may hurt you intentionally. . . 1994. p. 93.

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fng xing zhun bin sh

yu rn zh qing yu rn zo fng ch

, ,
Transliteration (pinyin): Fng xing zhun bin sh, yu rn zh qing, yu rn zo fng ch. Traditional: ,, Simplified: ,, Literally: When the wind of change blows, some build walls, while others build windmills. English equivalent: When one door closes, another opens. Meaning: When your life seems to be changing, it is better to adapt to the changes rather than be stubborn. Friedman (2009). : . .

w chng zh

hu b dn xng

,
Transliteration (pinyin): F w zhng zh, hubdnxng. Traditional: , Simplified: , Literally: Fortune does not come twice. Misfortune does not come alone. English equivalent: Misery loves company. Meaning: The emphasis is on "misfortune doesn't come alone". It's often used as an opener or exclamation, when people talk about coincidental events of misfortune. Farhoomand (2005). : . . p. 64. ISBN 1.

f zhi z hun

Transliteration (pinyin): F zhi z hun. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Father's debt, son to give back. Meaning: Each generation will reap what the former generation has sown. . . 2001. p. 154. ISBN 9579279551.

G H
hi rn zh xn b k yu

Transliteration (pinyin): Hi rn zh xn b k yu. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Do not harbour intentions to hurt others. Note: This is usually used before (see above)
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(dictionary). (The comercial press). 1994. p. 301. English translation: Do not desire to hurt others in the depths of your heart.

J
jn r sh jn r b

Transliteration (pinyin): Jnr sh, jnr b. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Things of today, accomplished today. Meaning: Don't put off until tomorrow what can be finished today. Bahasa Cina. Pelangi Publishing Group Bhd. p. 26. ISBN 9833531105.

K
kng xu li fng wi b w yn

Transliteration (pinyin): Kngxulifng, wib w yn Traditional: Simplified: , Literally: If the wind comes from an empty cave, it's not without a reason. Meaning: Things don't happen for no reason; everything has a cause. English Equivalent: Where there's smoke, there's fire. : (979-987) : . . 2003. p. 120. ISBN 9629960532.

L
ling yo k ku

Transliteration (pinyin): Lingyo kku Traditional: Simplified: Translation: Good medicine tastes bitter. Meaning: We often don't heed good advice. English equivalent: Advice most needed is the least heeded. Po-Ching (2000). Chinese Lexicon. Taylor \& Francis. p. 127. Yu q f b yu q z. Translation: Having such a fathere must be such a son. English equivalent: Like father, like son. Meaning: Sons may look and behave like their fathers. This is due to inheritance and the example observed closely and daily. Source for meaning and proverb: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages.
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DeProverbio.com. p. 170. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.

O
y zho bi sh yo sh nin p jng shng

Transliteration (pinyin): Y zho bi sh yo, sh nin p jng shng. Traditional: Simplified: Translation: One bitten by a snake for a snap dreads a rope for a decade. English equivalent: A burnt child dreads the fire; Once bitten, twice shy. ,,,, & . Bahasa Cina (Pelangi Publishing Group Bhd ed.). p. 106. ISBN 9833532489.

R
rn sun b r tin sun

Transliteration (pinyin): Rn sun br tin sun Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Man's schemes are inferior to those made by heaven. Figuratively: Man proposes and God disposes. Compare: The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. Along With Time. . p. 246. ISBN 9862217340.

ru bo zi

d gu

Transliteration (pinyin): Ru bozi d gu. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: To hit a dog with a meat-bun. Interpretation: Punishment gives less incentive than a reward. Other possible interpretation: There might be a radically different and much more effective way to solve a problem. . . 2007. p. 135. ISBN 7810588834.

S
sn g h shng mi shu h

Transliteration (pinyin): Sn g hshng mi shu h. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Three monks have no water to drink.
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Meaning: Too many cooks spoil the broth. . . 2005. p. 71. ISBN 1.

m dng hu m

Transliteration (pinyin): S m dng hu m y. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Try to save the dead horse as if it is still alive. English equivalent: Nothing is impossible. Meaning: Do the impossible, for it may truly be possible. . . 1994. p. 89.

Sh
sh fu lng jn mn xi xng zi g rn

Transliteration (pinyin): Sh fu lng jn mn, xi xng zi g rn. Traditional: Simplified: Meaning: Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself. English equivalent: You can lead the horse to the water, but you can't make it drink. :. . 2010. p. 130. ISBN 9862214619.

shu rn

r shu rn

Transliteration (pinyin): Shu rn y y br shu rn y y. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Teach a man to take a fish is not equal to teach a man how to fish. English equivalent: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. . . 2003. p. VII. ISBN 7800736938.

sh do h sn sn

Transliteration (pinyin): Sh do hsn sn. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. English equivalent: Rats desert a sinking ship.
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Usage: When a leader loses power, his followers become disorganized. This proverb is often used to describe fair-weather friends.[1]

shu nng zi zhu

y nng f zhu

Transliteration (pinyin): Shu nng zi zhu, y nng f zhu. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Not only can water float a boat, it can sink it also. Moral: Nature can help and harm you. The people(water) can raise someone(boat) to power, but can also take it away(sink). English equivalent: The knife cuts both ways. Gao (2007). ::. . p. 112. ISBN 9570521279.

S
Sn s r hu xng. Translation: Think three times before you move. English equivalent: Measure thrice, cut once. Meaning: One should always act only after due consideration. A hasty action may involve an improper consideration of important aspects. Source for meaning and proverbs: Paczolay, Gyula (1997). European Proverbs in 55 languages. DeProverbio.com. p. 420. ISBN 1-875943-44-7.

T
tin ga hung d yun

Transliteration (pinyin): Tin go hungd yun Traditional: Simplified: Translation: The sky is big and the emperor is far away.

Y
Y fn gng yn y fn shu hu

Transliteration (pinyin): Y fn gngyn, y fn shuhu. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: If one does not plow, there will be no harvest.
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English equivalent: You reap what you sow; Honey is sweet, but the bees sting. ()Chinese Enrichment Revision for Secondary 4A (Normal Acdemic). . p. 26. ISBN 9812558624.

yu qin nng sh gu tu m

Transliteration (pinyin): Yu qin nng sh gu tu m. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: If you have money you can make the devil push your grind stone. English equivalents: Money talks; Money makes the world go round. Meaning: Money is power. . . 2010. p. 46. ISBN 9996580903.

Z
z zh zh tin zh

Transliteration (pinyin): Zzh zh tinzh. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Those who help themselves, God will help. Meaning: God will help those who help themselves. ()(1 200 000. ). . 2008. p. 11. ISBN 7508612493.

zo q

de nio er yu chng ch

Transliteration (pinyin): Zoq de nio er yu chng ch. Traditional: Simplified: Literally: Early bird gets the worm. Meaning: Pioneers will get much. ( ). CA \& SA Continual Assessment \& Semestral Assessment Papers for Primary 5 Chinese. . p. 19. ISBN 9812558888.

See also
Proverbs commonly attributed to be Chinese

References
1. Learn Chinese the Fun Way 1, p119, Federal Press, Singapore
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External links
Chinese sayings and proverbs Large collection of Chinese Proverbs translated to English (http://www.chinese-sayings.com) Oneaday.org - One Chinese idiom a day (simplified and traditional characters) with pinyin transliteration and English translation (http://www.oneaday.org) Chinese Aesop - Chinese proverbs, parables, fables, idioms and stories with illustrations (http://chineseaesop.blogspot.com/) GoldenProverbs.com A collection of Chinese proverbs (http://www.goldenproverbs.com/tp_chinese.html) Chinese proverbs and sayings translated into English equivalents (http://rodrixar.blogspot.com/2010/04/chinese-proverbs.html) Famous Chinese Sayings - Old Chinese sayings and idioms with Pinyin and English (http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/learning-chinese/chinese-sayings.htm).[[w:Insert Wikipedia pagename|]] Retrieved from "http://en.wikiquote.org/w/index.php?title=Chinese_proverbs&oldid=1558599" Categories: Theme cleanup Proverbs This page was last modified on 10 April 2013, at 17:06. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

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