25 Chinese Proverbs

中文谚语
Chinese Proverbs

1. One generation plants the trees in whose shade another generation rests.	前人栽树，后人乘凉。	Qián rén zāi shù, hòu rén chéng liáng.	*Moral: People benefit from the hard work of their predecessors.	Like this?
2. An interval of time is worth an ounce of gold, [but] an ounce of gold can hardly ever buy you time.	一寸光阴一寸金, 寸金难买寸光阴。	Yícùn guāngyīn yícùn jīn, cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāngyīn.	*Moral: Time is precious and therefore must be treasured.	Like this?
3. If you return what you borrow [promptly], it won’t be too hard to borrow it again.	有借有还，再借不难。	Yǒu jiè yǒu huán, zài jiè bù nán.	*Moral: People trust those who keep their word.	Like this?
4. It does not matter whether a cat is black or white so long as it catches mice.	不管白猫黑猫，会捉老鼠就是好猫。	Bùguǎn báimāo hēimāo, huì zhuō lǎoshǔ jiùshì hǎo māo.	*Moral: As long as something functions properly, it’s form is irrelevant.	Like this?
5. Although death befalls all men alike, it may be heavy as Mount Tai or light as a goose feather.	人固有一死，或重于泰山，或轻于鸿毛。	Rén gùyǒu yì sǐ, huò zhòngyú tàishān, huò qīngyú hóngmáo.	*Moral: The magnitude of death’s inevitability affects each person differently.	Like this?
6. When the car gets to the mountains, there will be a way through.	车到山前必有路	Chē dào shān qián bì yoǔ lù.	*Moral: It’ll all work out in the end.	Like this?
7. In nature there are unexpected storms and in life unpredictable vicissitudes.	天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。	Tiān yǒu búcè fēng yún, rén yǒu dànxī huò fú.	*Moral: Fortune and misfortune are as hard to predict as the weather.	Like this?
8. When a gentleman has spoken, not even a team of four horses can overtake his words.	君子一言，驷马难追。	Jūnzǐ yì yán, sì mǎ nán zhuī.	*Moral: A noble man’s word is his bond.	Like this?
9. Complete sincerity can split open even metal and stone.	精诚所至，金石为开。	Jīngchéng suǒ zhì, jīn shí wéi kāi.	*Moral No difficulty is insurmountable when you have a sincere heart.	Like this?
10. A dry Winter Solstice brings a wet Spring Festival.	乾冬至，湿过年。	Gān dōngzhì, shī guònián.	*Moral: If the weather is nice on Winter solstice, it will rain on Chinese New Year (and vice versa).	Like this?
11. The Monkey King cannot escape from the palm of the Buddha’s hand.	孙猴子跳不出如来佛的掌心。	Sūn hóuzǐ tiàobùchū rúlái fó de zhǎngxīn.	*Moral: No matter how strong we become, there are always greater powers beyond our control.	Like this?
12. One monk will shoulder two buckets of water, two monks will share the load, but add a third and no one will want to fetch the water.	一个和尚挑水吃，两个和尚抬水吃，三个和尚没水吃。	Yīge héshang tiāo shuǐ chī, liǎngge héshang tái shuǐ chī, sānge héshang méi shuǐ chī.	*Moral: It’s better to think collectively rather than individualistically, or else the whole of mankind is bound to suffer!	Like this?
13. Learning without thinking is confusing; thinking without learning is dangerous.	学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。	Xué ér bùsī zé wǎng sī ér bùxué zé dài.	*Moral: It’s better to think collectively rather than individualistically, or else the whole of mankind is bound to suffer!	Like this?
14. Of the Thirty-Six Strategies, fleeing is best.	三十六计，走为上策。	Sānshíliù jì, zǒu wéi shàng cè.	*Moral: As long as one is not defeated, there is still a chance to fight another day.	Like this?
15. When the wind of change blows, some build walls, while others build windmills.	风向转变时，有 筑墙，有人造风车。	Fēngxiàng zhuǎnbiàn shí, yǒurén zhù qiáng, yǒurén zào fēngchē.	*Moral: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.	Like this?
16. If one can change after making a mistake, there is nothing better.	过而能改，善莫大焉。	Guò ér néng gǎi, shàn mòdà yān.	*Moral: To learn from one’s faults is a virtue.	Like this?
17. Crows everywhere are equally black.	天下乌鸦一般黑。	Tiānxià wūyā yìbān hēi.	*Moral: This is a metaphorical statement conveying that “bad people are bad no matter where you find them because human nature never changes”.	Like this?
18. A flow of words is no proof of wisdom.	口若悬河，未必明智。	Kǒu ruò xuánhé, wèibì míngzhì.	*Moral: Speaking too much can sometimes land you in big trouble.	Like this?
19. When you drink the water, think of those who dug the well.	吃水不忘挖井人。	Chī shuǐ búwàng wā jǐng rén.	*Moral: People should be grateful to those who helped them succeed.	Like this?
20. [Just as] there are mountains beyond mountains, there are people beyond people.	山外有山，人外有人。	Shān wài yǒu shān, rén wài yǒu rén.	*Moral: Cultivate your talents, but do so humbly, for no matter how great one is or how high one rises, there’s always someone greater [what’s the point of being “better” than others anyhow?].	Like this?
21. No melon is completely round, just as no person is completely perfect.	瓜无滚圆，人无十全。	Guā wú gǔnyuán, rén wú shí quán.	[意] 比喻人不可能十全十美，如瓜不可能是完全圓的。	Like this?
22. How can you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's lair?	不入虎穴，焉得虎子?	Bú rù hǔ xué, yān dé hǔ zǐ?	Nothing ventured, nothing gained.	Like this?
23. A tree may grow a thousand meters high, but its leaves always fall back to the roots.	树高千丈，落叶归根。	Shù gāo qiān zhàng, luò yè guī gēn.	意: 比喻离乡多年最后仍会返回家园。	Like this?
24. Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself.	师傅领进门，修行在个人。	Shīfu lǐng jìnmén, xiūxíng zài gèrén.	Even the best teachers can only point the way; they can't do the work for you.	Like this?
25. When the old man from the frontier lost his horse, how could one have known that it would not be fortuitous?	塞翁失马, 焉知非福。	Sāi wēng shī mǎ , yān zhī fēi fú.	Given the overall  circumstances, what people deem  misfortunate may actually be a blessing in disguise, because life is unpredictable and you just never know. So, rather than dismay, endevour to find the silver linings as you  forge ahead despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles.	Like this?

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