Chinese Proverbs About Life & Wisdom — Page 5

Shòu rén yǐ yú bùrú shòu rén yǐ yú

"Giving someone a fish is not as good as teaching them to fish"

Shùn qí zì rán

"Follow nature's course; let nature take its course"

Jīn yù liáng yán

"Words as precious as gold and jade"

Jīn wú zú chì, rén wú wán rén

"Gold is never pure red; humans are never complete"

Shàn è dào tóu zhōng yǒu bào, zhǐ zhēng lái zǎo yǔ lái chí

"Good and evil will eventually be repaid; it's only a matter of sooner or later"

Liáng yào kǔ kǒu lì yú bìng

"Good medicine tastes bitter but helps the illness"

Shàn yǒu shàn bào, è yǒu è bào

"Good deeds bring good rewards; evil deeds bring evil retribution"

Rén shàn bèi rén qī, mǎ shàn bèi rén qí

"Good people get bullied; good horses get ridden"

Shàn yǒu shàn bào, è yǒu è bào; bùshì bù bào, shíchén wèi dào

"Good deeds bring good rewards, evil deeds bring evil rewards; if retribution hasn't come, the time hasn't arrived"

Hǎo de kāishǐ shì chénggōng de yībàn

"A good beginning is half of success"

Jiǔ xiāng bù pà xiàng zi shēn

"Good wine fears no deep alley"

Qiān lǐ sòng é máo, lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng

"It's the thought that counts—the sentiment matters more than the gift"

Lái shuō shì fēi zhě, biàn shì shì fēi rén

"Those who come to tell you about rights and wrongs are themselves the people who stir up trouble"

Jié cǎo xián huán

"Tying grass and holding a ring in the mouth"

Míng shī chū gāo tú

"A famous teacher produces outstanding students"

Dà qì wǎn chéng

"Great vessels take long to complete"

Hòu dé zài wù

"Great virtue sustains and bears all things"

Dà zhì ruò yú, dà qiǎo ruò zhuō

"Great wisdom appears like foolishness; great skill appears like clumsiness"

Dà zhì ruò yú

"Great wisdom appears like foolishness"

Tān duō jiáo bù làn

"If you're greedy for too much, you won't chew it well"

Xiao cong ban doufu — yi qing er bai

"Green onion mixed with tofu — one clear, two white"

Zhǐyào gōngfu shēn, tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn

"If your effort is deep enough, an iron pestle can be ground into a needle"

hài rén zhī xīn bù kě yǒu, fáng rén zhī xīn bù kě wú

"You should not have the heart to harm others, but you must not lack the heart to guard against them"

Qiāng dǎ chū tóu niǎo

"The gun shoots the bird that sticks its head out"

Guà yáng tóu, mài gǒu ròu

"Hanging up a sheep's head while selling dog meat"

Shígàn xīngbāng, kōngtán wùguó

"Practical work revitalizes the nation; empty talk harms the country"

Gōngfu bù fù yǒuxīnrén

"Hard work does not let down the determined person"

Zì hèn zhī wú yè, mò yuàn tài yáng piān

"Hate your own branch for having no leaves; do not blame the sun for being biased"

Zhī zú zhě fù

"He who knows he has enough is rich"

Zhāo wén dào, xī sǐ kě yǐ

"Hear the Dao in the morning, die in the evening, that is acceptable"

Tiān wú jué rén zhī lù

"Heaven never blocks all paths for a person; there is always a way out"

Tiān dào chóu qín

"Heaven rewards the diligent"

Tiānshí bùrú dìlì, dìlì bùrú rénhé

"Heaven's timing is not as good as earth's advantage; earth's advantage is not as good as human harmony"

Tiān yǒu bù cè fēngyún, rén yǒu dànxī huòfú

"Heaven has unpredictable storms; humans have sudden fortune and misfortune"

Tiān xíng jiàn, jūn zǐ yǐ zì qiáng bù xī

"Heaven's movement is vigorous; the noble one thus strengthens himself without ceasing"

Yǔ rén fāngbiàn, zìjǐ fāngbiàn

"When you accommodate others, you accommodate yourself"

Zhù rén wéi lè

"Helping others is happiness"

Yīng xióng wú yòng wǔ zhī dì

"A hero has no place to display his martial prowess"

Yīngxióng suǒjiàn lüètóng

"Great minds think alike"

Qián lóng wù yòng

"Hidden dragon: do not use"

Tāo guāng yǎng huì

"Hide your light and nourish the darkness"

Dǎ shé dǎ qī cùn

"When hitting a snake, hit it at seven inches"

Lǎoshi rén cháng zài, jiǎohuá rén cháng bài

"Honest people endure; cunning people often fail"

Rén qíng sì zhǐ zhāng zhāng bó, shì shì rú qí jú jú xīn

"Human feelings are like paper—each sheet thin; worldly affairs are like chess—each game new"

Jiāngshān yì gǎi běnxìng nán yí

"Rivers and mountains are easily changed, but one's nature is hard to move"

Rén wǎng gāochù zǒu, shuǐ wǎng dīchù liú

"People climb toward high places; water flows toward low places"

Rén yǒu bēi huān lí hé, yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē

"Humans have joy and sorrow, parting and reunion; the moon has dimness and brightness, waxing and waning"

Hán mén chū guìzǐ, bái wū chū gōngqīng

"Poor families produce distinguished sons; humble houses produce high officials"

Xūxīn shǐ rén jìnbù, jiāo'ào shǐ rén luòhòu

"Humility makes people advance; pride makes people fall behind"

Yī rì fū qī bǎi rì ēn, bǎi rì fū qī sì hǎi shēn

"One day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of grace; a hundred days as husband and wife runs deep as the sea"