Chinese Wisdom & Philosophy

néng qū néng shēn

"Able to yield and able to extend"

Wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī, wù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi

"Do not do evil just because it is small; do not fail to do good just because it is small"

Tiān dào chóu qín

"Heaven rewards the diligent"

jiǔ ròu péng yǒu

"Fair-weather friends"

Tiáo tiáo dà lù tōng Luómǎ

"Every major road leads to Rome"

Wànshì kāitóu nán

"Ten thousand things' beginning is difficult"

Yǒu zhì bù zài nián gāo, wú zhì kōng huó bǎi suì

"Those with ambition are not defined by their age; those without ambition live a hundred years in vain"

Dá fēi suǒ wèn

"The answer does not match what was asked"

Rè guō shàng de mǎyǐ — tuántuán zhuàn

"Like an ant on a hot pan, running in circles"

Shī chū yǒu míng

"Military action must have a justifiable reason"

Gōng xīn wéi shàng, gōng chéng wéi xià

"Attacking the heart is best; attacking the city is worst"

Bì ér bù tán

"To avoid and not discuss; to evade a topic entirely"

Zhú lán dǎ shuǐ —— yī cháng kōng

"Drawing water with a bamboo basket — all in vain"

Wèi yǔ chóu móu

"Repair the house before it rains"

Shù dà zhāo fēng

"A tall tree catches the wind"

Shēn zhèng bù pà yǐngzi xié

"If your body is upright, you need not fear that your shadow is crooked"

Shēng yú yōu huàn, sǐ yú ān lè

"Life springs from hardship and struggle; death comes from comfort and ease"

Zǎocān chī hǎo, wǔcān chī bǎo, wǎncān chī shǎo

"Eat a good breakfast, eat a full lunch, eat a light dinner"

Qiáo guī qiáo, lù guī lù

"A bridge returns to being a bridge, a road returns to being a road"

Xiōngdì tóngxīn, qí lì duàn jīn

"When brothers share the same heart, their sharpness can cut through gold"

Sǐ le Zhāng túfū, bù chī hùn máo zhū

"Even if Zhang the butcher dies, we won't eat pork with hair still on it"

Shě bu de háizi tào bu zhù láng

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained"

Māo kū lǎo shǔ

"The cat cries over the mouse"

Yù qín gù zòng

"Want to catch, therefore release"

Qín zéi xiān qín wáng

"To catch thieves, first catch the king"

Ní pú sà guò jiāng — zì shēn nán bǎo

"A clay bodhisattva crossing the river — can barely protect itself"

Cōngmíng fǎn bèi cōngmíng wù

"Cleverness backfires; one's own intelligence becomes their undoing"

Yī bùrú xīn, rén bùrú gù

"Clothes are best when new, but people are best when old"

Rén bǐ rén, qì sǐ rén

"Comparing yourself to others will only make you angry enough to die"

Fūqī méiyǒu géyè chóu

"Husbands and wives do not harbor grudges overnight"

Sǐ mǎ dāngzuò huó mǎ yī

"Treat a dead horse as if it were alive"

Lín kě jué jǐng

"Digging a well when you're already thirsty"

Bù tīng lǎorén yán, chīkuī zài yǎnqián

"If you don't listen to the words of the elderly, you will suffer losses right before your eyes"

Yuǎn lái de héshang huì niàn jīng

"Monks from afar are better at chanting sutras"

Qīn qi yuǎn lí xiāng, lín jū gāo dǎ qiáng

"Relatives smell fragrant from afar; neighbors build high walls"

Jìn rén shì, tīng tiān mìng

"Do your best as a human, listen to heaven's decree"

Lǘ chún bù duì mǎ zuǐ

"Donkey lips don't fit a horse's mouth"

Bié kàn zéi chīfàn, yào kàn zéi áidǎ

"Don't watch the thief eating; watch the thief getting beaten"

lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ shēng ér huì dǎ dòng

"Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and mice beget offspring that can dig holes"

Jié zé ér yú

"Draining the pond to catch all the fish"

Yǐn zhèn zhǐ kě

"Drinking poison to relieve thirst"

Jū ān sī wēi

"In times of peace, think of danger; when secure, prepare for trouble"

Dōngfāng bù liàng xīfāng liàng, hēile nánfāng yǒu běifāng

"If the East isn't bright, the West will be; if the South goes dark, there's still the North"

Shí bù yán, qǐn bù yǔ

"When eating, do not speak; when sleeping, do not talk"

Bā gān zi dǎ bù zháo

"Cannot be reached even with eight poles"

Zhǎng xiōng rú fù, lǎo sǎo bǐ mǔ

"An elder brother is like a father; an elder sister-in-law is like a mother"

Jiā yǒu yī lǎo, rú yǒu yī bǎo

"Having an elderly person at home is like having a treasure"

Kōng chéng jì

"The strategy of the empty city"

Rù guó wèn jìn, rù xiāng wèn sú

"When entering a country, ask about its prohibitions; when entering a village, ask about its customs"

Rù zhī lán zhī shì, jiǔ ér bù wén qí xiāng

"Entering a room of orchids, after a long time one no longer smells their fragrance"

Rù xiāng suí sú

"When you enter a village, follow its customs"

Mó léng liǎng kě

"Rounded edges, either way works"

Qīngguān nán duàn jiāwùshì

"Even an incorruptible official cannot judge household affairs"

Jiā jiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng

"Every family has a scripture that is difficult to read"

Rén gè yǒu zhì, bù kě qiǎng qiú

"Each person has their own aspirations; one cannot force them"

Chú le láng jiù wú hǎo qīn

"Except for a brother-in-law, there is no good relative"

Shìshí shèng yú xióngbiàn

"Facts are superior to eloquent argument"

Rén pà chū míng zhū pà zhuàng

"People fear fame as pigs fear getting fat"

Jiā hé wàn shì xīng

"When the family is harmonious, all things prosper"

Jiā yǒu qiān kǒu, zhǔ shì yī rén

"A family may have a thousand members, but only one person leads"

Fù cí zǐ xiào, xiōng yǒu dì gōng

"Father is kind, son is filial; elder brother is friendly, younger brother is respectful"

Tóu sān jiǎo nán tī

"The first three kicks are the hardest to execute"

Shǎn shuò qí cí

"To speak evasively, dodging direct answers"

Qiáng nèi kāi huā qiáng wài xiāng

"Flowers bloom inside the wall, but their fragrance spreads outside"

Yǐ shì jiāo zhě, shì qīng zé jué; yǐ lì jiāo zhě, lì qióng zé sàn

"Those who befriend through power, when power falls, the friendship ends; those who befriend through profit, when profit is exhausted, they scatter"

Mǎn píng bù dòng bàn píng yáo

"A full bottle stays still; a half-full bottle shakes"

Jiàng zài wài, jūn mìng yǒu suǒ bù shòu

"When the general is abroad, there are some sovereign commands he need not accept"

Jiàng zài móu ér bù zài yǒng, bīng zài jīng ér bù zài duō

"A general's strength lies in strategy, not bravery; soldiers should be elite, not numerous"

Hǎo de kāishǐ shì chénggōng de yībàn

"A good beginning is half of success"

Qiū hòu de mà zha — bèng da bu liǎo jǐ tiān

"A grasshopper after autumn won't be jumping for many days"

Míng shī chū gāo tú

"Famous teachers produce outstanding disciples"

Dà zhì ruò yú, dà qiǎo ruò zhuō

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

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"

Qiāng dǎ chū tóu niǎo

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

Tīng jūn yī xí huà, shèng dú shí nián shū

"Listening to your conversation surpasses ten years of reading books"

Tiān jī bù kě xiè lòu

"Heaven's secrets must not be revealed"

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"

Yǔ rén fāngbiàn, zìjǐ fāngbiàn

"When you accommodate others, you accommodate yourself"

Dǎ shé dǎ qī cùn

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

Qīngguān nán duàn jiāwùshì

"Even an honest official finds it hard to judge family matters"

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"

Bǎi lǐ bù tóng fēng, qiān lǐ bù tóng sú

"Within a hundred li the wind differs; within a thousand li customs differ"

Shāng qí shí zhǐ, bùrú duàn qí yī zhǐ

"Hurting ten of their fingers is not as good as breaking one of their fingers"

Xīn jí chī bù liǎo rè dòufu

"An impatient heart cannot eat hot tofu"

Zé rén zhī xīn zé jǐ, shù jǐ zhī xīn shù rén

"With the heart that blames others, blame yourself; with the heart that forgives yourself, forgive others"

Dé dào duō zhù, shī dào guǎ zhù

"He who finds the Way receives abundant help; he who loses the Way receives little help"

Shā jī qǔ luǎn

"Kill the hen to take the eggs"

Gū jiù qīn, bèi bèi qīn

"Aunt and uncle's kinship lasts generation after generation"

Zhī jǐ zhī bǐ, bǎi zhàn bù dài

"Know yourself and know your enemy; in a hundred battles you will never be in danger"

Míng zhī shān yǒu hǔ, piān xiàng hǔ shān xíng

"Knowing full well there's a tiger on the mountain, one still heads toward the tiger's mountain"

Qiān niú yào qiān niú bízi

"To lead an ox, you must grab its nose"

Kào shān chī shān, kào shuǐ chī shuǐ

"Lean on the mountain, eat from the mountain; lean on the water, eat from the water"

Yǒu huà zé cháng, wú huà zé duǎn

"If you have something to say, speak at length; if not, keep it brief"

Kàn cài chī fàn, liàng tǐ cái yī

"Eat according to the dishes served, cut clothes according to the body"

gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā

"To look left and right and talk about something else"

Wáng yáng bǔ láo, yóu wèi wǎn yě

"When the sheep is lost, mend the pen; it is not yet too late"

Péi le fūren yòu zhé bīng

"Lost the wife and also lost the soldiers"

Shēng dōng jī xī

"Make a sound in the east, strike in the west"

Rén suàn bùrú tiān suàn

"Human calculation cannot match heaven's calculation"

Qǔ qī qǔ dé bù qǔ sè, jiāo yǒu jiāo xīn bù jiāo cái

"Marry a wife for virtue, not beauty; make friends for their hearts, not their wealth"

Ròu bāozi dǎ gǒu — yǒu qù wú huí

"Throw a meat bun at a dog — it goes but never returns"

Shī zhī háolí, miù yǐ qiānlǐ

"A tiny error at the start leads to a massive mistake at the end"

Lǎoshǔ guò jiē — rén rén hǎn dǎ

"A mouse crossing the street — everyone shouts to beat it"

Yán duō bì shī

"Much speech leads to mistakes"

Yǎba chī huánglián——yǒu kǔ shuō bù chū

"A mute person eats goldthread—has bitterness but cannot speak of it"

Míng bù zhèng zé yán bù shùn

"If the name is not correct, words will not be accepted"

Jiāngshān yì gǎi, bǐngxìng nán yí

"Mountains and rivers are easier to change than one's innate nature"

Āi jīn sì jīn, āi yù sì yù

"Near gold, one resembles gold; near jade, one resembles jade"

Bù zhì kě fǒu

"To neither affirm nor deny; to withhold judgment"

Lí le hóng luóbo bù chéng xí

"Without red carrots, there's no proper banquet"

Rén wú yuǎn lǜ, bì yǒu jìn yōu

"A person without long-term concerns will surely have near worries"

Méiyǒu guīju, bù chéng fāngyuán

"Without compass and square, you cannot make squares and circles"

Shān zhōng wú lǎohǔ——hóuzi chēng dàwáng

"When there's no tiger in the mountains, the monkey declares himself king"

Bù dāngjiā bù zhī cháimǐ guì

"If you don't manage a household, you won't know how expensive firewood and rice are"

Bù dào Huánghé xīn bù sǐ

"Until reaching the Yellow River, the heart will not give up"

Bù jiàn guāncai bù lèilèi

"One doesn't shed tears until seeing the coffin"

Wú kě fèng gào

"No comment / Nothing to report"

Lǎo jiàng chū mǎ, yī gè dǐng liǎ

"When an old general goes to war, one counts as two"

Jiāng shì lǎo de là

"Old ginger is the spiciest"

Yī kǒu chī bù chéng pàngzi

"You cannot become fat from just one bite"

Yī zhāo bù shèn, mǎn pán jiē shū

"One careless move loses the entire game"

Jiā yǒu yī lǎo, rú yǒu yī bǎo

"Having an elderly person at home is like having a treasure"

Rénshēng dé yī zhījǐ zú yǐ, sī shì dāng yǐ tóng huái shì zhī

"In life, obtaining one true soulmate is sufficient; in this world, we should view each other with shared hearts"

Yī fāng shuǐ tǔ yǎng yī fāng rén

"Each region's environment shapes its people"

Yī fū dāng guān, wàn fū mò kāi

"One man guards the pass, ten thousand cannot break through"

Yī shī zú chéng qiān gǔ hèn, zài huí tóu yǐ bǎi nián shēn

"One misstep becomes an eternal regret; turning back again, a hundred years have passed"

Jī bù kě shī, shí bù zài lái

"Opportunities must not be lost; time will not come again"

Ān bù wàng wēi, zhì bù wàng luàn

"In times of peace, do not forget danger; in times of order, do not forget chaos"

Kělián tiānxià fùmǔ xīn

"Pitiful are the hearts of parents throughout the world"

Móu shì zài rén, chéng shì zài tiān

"Planning lies with people, success lies with heaven"

Jì huà gǎn bu shàng biàn huà

"Plans cannot keep pace with changes"

Shì yǐ mì chéng, yǔ yǐ xiè bài

"Plans succeed through secrecy, fail through leaks"

Duì niú tán qín

"Playing the lute to a bull"

Pín jū nào shì wú rén wèn, fù zài shēn shān yǒu yuǎn qīn

"Poor in the bustling city, no one asks after you; rich in the deep mountains, distant relatives visit"

Rén qióng zhì duǎn, mǎ shòu máo cháng

"When a person is poor, their ambition shrinks; when a horse is thin, its hair grows long"

Fáng huàn yú wèi rán

"Prevent disaster before it occurs"

Luóbo báicài, gè yǒu suǒ ài

"Radish or cabbage, each person has what they love"

Yǎng ér fāng zhī fù mǔ ēn

"Only after raising children yourself do you truly understand your parents' grace"

Sānshíliù jì, zǒu wéi shàng jì

"Of the thirty-six stratagems, fleeing is the best"

Duì zhèng xià yào, liàng tǐ cái yī

"Prescribe medicine according to the symptoms, cut clothes according to the body"

Yǒu lǐ bù zài shēng gāo

"Being right doesn't depend on having a loud voice"

Jūn bù mì zé shī chén, chén bù mì zé shī shēn

"If a ruler is not discreet, they lose their ministers; if a minister is not discreet, they lose their life"

Yáoyán zhǐ yú zhìzhě

"Rumors stop at the wise person"

Búshì yījiārén, bú jìn yījiāmén

"If not family, one doesn't enter the same door"

Shì wèi zhījǐ zhě sǐ, nǚ wèi yuè jǐ zhě róng

"A scholar dies for the one who truly understands him; a woman adorns herself for the one who appreciates her"

Fǎ bù chuán liù ěr

"Secrets should not pass six ears"

Jiàn xián sī qí yān, jiàn bù xián ér nèi zì xǐng yě

"When you see a worthy person, think of emulating them; when you see an unworthy person, examine yourself inwardly"

Gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì

"If a craftsman wants to do his work well, he must first sharpen his tools"

Chén mò shì jīn

"Silence is gold"

Jìng zuò cháng sī jǐ guò, xián tán mò lùn rén fēi

"Sit quietly and often reflect on your own faults; in idle conversation, do not discuss others' wrongdoings"

Zuò yǒu zuò xiàng, zhàn yǒu zhàn xiàng

"Sit properly when sitting, stand properly when standing"

Màn gōng chū xì huó

"Slow work produces fine workmanship"

Xiǎo dòng bù bǔ, dà dòng chī kǔ

"If you don't patch a small hole, you'll suffer from the big hole"

Xiǎo bù rěn zé luàn dà móu

"If you cannot endure small things, you will disrupt great plans"

Cōngmíng fǎn bèi cōngmíng wù

"Cleverness backfires; intelligence trips over itself"

Zǐ bù xián mǔ chǒu, gǒu bù xián jiā pín

"A son does not dislike his mother for being ugly; a dog does not dislike its home for being poor"

Zhàn rú sōng, zuò rú zhōng, xíng rú fēng, wò rú gōng

"Stand like a pine, sit like a bell, walk like the wind, lie like a bow"

Tōu jī bù chéng shí bǎ mǐ

"Failed to steal the chicken and lost the rice bait"

Yáng tāng zhǐ fèi, bùrú fǔ dǐ chōu xīn

"Stirring the soup to stop it from boiling is not as effective as removing the firewood from under the pot"

Yán yú lǜ jǐ, kuān yǐ dài rén

"Be strict with yourself, generous with others"

Xiān xià shǒu wéi qiáng

"The one who strikes first gains the advantage"

Chèn rè dǎ tiě

"Strike while the iron is hot"

Chū qí bù yì, gōng qí bù bèi

"Appear where the enemy does not expect; attack where they are unprepared"

Chèn rè dǎ tiě

"Strike while the iron is hot"

Jí fēng zhī jìng cǎo, bǎn dàng shí chéng chén

"Strong winds reveal sturdy grass; turmoil identifies loyal ministers"

huì mò rú shēn

"to keep something strictly secret; to hush up a matter completely"

Chī kuī shì fú

"To suffer a loss is a blessing"

Chāi dōng qiáng, bǔ xī qiáng

"Tear down the east wall to patch up the west wall"

Míng xiū zhàndào, àn dù Chéncāng

"Openly repair the plank road, secretly cross at Chencang"

Cǐ chù bù liú yé, zì yǒu liú yé chù

"If this place won't keep me, there's naturally a place that will"

Qiān lǐ sòng é máo, lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng

"Sending a goose feather from a thousand miles away—the gift is light, but the affection is heavy"

Pāo zhuān yǐn yù

"Cast a brick to attract jade"

Hǔ fù wú quǎn zǐ

"A tiger father will not have dog sons"

Dǎ hǔ qīn xiōng dì, shàng zhèn fù zǐ bīng

"When hunting tigers, you need brothers; when going to battle, you need father and son"

Mù xiù yú lín, fēng bì cuī zhī

"The tree that stands tallest in the forest will be destroyed by the wind"

zhēn rén bù lòu xiàng, lòu xiàng bù zhēn rén

"A true master does not reveal themselves; one who reveals themselves is not a true master"

Hán hú qí cí

"To speak vaguely and evasively"

Wáng pó mài guā, zì mài zì kuā

"Wang Po sells melons and praises them himself"

Ruò yào rén bù zhī, chúfēi jǐ mò wéi

"If you want others not to know, you must not do it yourself"

Jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè

"The pavilion near the water gets the moon first"

Huáng shǔ láng gěi jī bài nián——méi ān hǎo xīn

"A weasel pays a New Year's call to a chicken—it has no good intentions"

Jǐng shuǐ bù fàn hé shuǐ

"Well water does not intrude upon river water"

Dào shénme shān shàng chàng shénme gē

"On whichever mountain, sing that mountain's song"

Fēng mǎ niú bù xiāng jí

"Completely unrelated; having nothing to do with each other"

Jiǔ féng zhījǐ qiān bēi shǎo, huà bù tóujī bàn jù duō

"With a kindred spirit, a thousand cups of wine are too few; when conversation doesn't click, half a sentence is too much"

Jiǔ ròu péngyǒu hǎo zhǎo, huànnàn zhī jiāo nán féng

"Wine-and-meat friends are easy to find; friends in adversity are hard to meet"

Shí shíwù zhě wéi jùnjé

"Those who understand the times are truly outstanding"

tiān xià wū yā yī bān hēi

"Crows everywhere are equally black"

Ràng rén yī bù zì jǐ kuān

"Yield one step to others, and you yourself become wider"

Nǐ zǒu nǐ de Yángguāndào, wǒ zǒu wǒ de dúmùqiáo

"You take your wide road, I'll take my single-log bridge"

Yī nuò qiān jīn

"A single promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold"

Jī shǎo chéng duō

"Accumulate the small to become much"

Rì jī yuè lěi

"Day by day it accumulates, month by month it builds up"

Guāng shuō bù liàn jiǎ bǎ shi

"Only talking without practicing is a fake skill"

Qín Jìn zhī hǎo

"The alliance of Qin and Jin"

Qiáng zhōng zì yǒu qiáng zhōng shǒu

"Among the strong, there are stronger hands"

Qiánrén zāi shù, hòurén chéngliáng

"One generation plants the trees; another generation enjoys the shade"

Jiāo bīng bì bài

"An arrogant army will inevitably be defeated"

Zài jiā kào fùmǔ, chūmén kào péngyǒu

"At home, rely on your parents; when you go out, rely on your friends"

Bì xián

"Avoiding suspicion"

shàn rén nán zuò

"It's hard to be a good person"

Shān wài yǒu shān, rén wài yǒu rén

"Beyond mountains, there are more mountains; beyond people, there are more people"

Wù yǐ lèi jù, rén yǐ qún fēn

"Things gather by kind; people divide by group"

Ēn jiāng chóu bào

"Repay kindness with vengeance"

Kǔ hǎi wú biān, huí tóu shì àn

"The sea of suffering has no bounds; turn your head and there is the shore"

Sài wēng shī mǎ, yān zhī fēi fú

"When the old man on the frontier lost his horse, how could he know it wasn't a blessing?"

Yīn huò dé fú

"From misfortune, obtain good fortune"

Máng rén mō xiàng

"Blind men touch an elephant"

Qīng chū yú lán ér shèng yú lán

"Blue comes from the indigo plant yet surpasses it"

Chuán dào qiáo tóu zì rán zhí

"When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten out"

Fǔ chē xiāng yī

"Cheek and jawbone depend on each other"

Chǔ cái Jìn yòng

"Chu talent used by Jin"

Chéng mén shī huǒ, yāng jí chí yú

"When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer disaster"

bèn niǎo xiān fēi

"The clumsy bird flies first"

Zhèng rén bì xiān zhèng jǐ

"To correct others, one must first correct oneself"

Zhèng rén xiān zhèng jǐ

"To correct others, first correct yourself"

Lěi luǎn zhī wēi

"The danger of eggs piled atop one another"

Gǎn zuò gǎn dāng

"Dare to act, dare to bear the responsibility"

Pǐ jí tài lái

"When misfortune reaches its limit, good fortune arrives"

qín néng bǔ zhuō

"Diligence can make up for natural clumsiness or lack of talent"

qín fèn chū tiān cái

"Hard work produces genius"

Huò cóng kǒu chū

"Disaster exits through the mouth"

Yuǎn shuǐ jiě bù liǎo jìn kě

"Distant water cannot quench a nearby thirst"

Dàn xíng hǎo shì, mò wèn qián chéng

"Just do good deeds; don't ask about what lies ahead"

Wù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi

"Do not fail to do good just because it seems small"

Jǐ suǒ bù yù, wù shī yú rén

"What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others"

Huà hǔ huà pí nán huà gǔ

"You can paint a tiger's skin, but it's hard to paint its bones"

Yǐn shuǐ sī yuán

"When drinking water, think of the source"

Chī shuǐ bù wàng wā jǐng rén

"When drinking water, don't forget the person who dug the well"

shuǐ dī shí chuān

"Dripping water can hollow out stone"

Dī shuǐ chuān shí

"Dripping water wears through stone"

Dī shuǐ zhī ēn, yǒng quán xiāng bào

"The grace of a water drop, repay with a surging spring"

Fàng xià tú dāo, lì dì chéng fó

"Put down the butcher's knife and instantly become a Buddha"

Dī shuǐ zhī ēn, yǒng quán xiāng bào

"The grace of a water drop, repay with a surging spring"

Zuì shēng mèng sǐ

"Drunk on life, dreaming in death"

Shuō qǐlái róngyì zuò qǐlái nán

"Easier said than done"

Xū huái ruò gǔ

"An empty heart like a valley"

Rěn yīshí fēngpíng làngjìng

"Endure for a moment, and the wind will settle, the waves will calm"

Tánhuā yī xiàn

"The queen of the night flower appears once"

Tán huā yī xiàn

"The epiphyllum flower appears once and vanishes"

Yè jīng yú qín huāng yú xī

"Excellence comes from diligence; ruin comes from play"

Lè jí shēng bēi

"When joy reaches its extreme, sorrow follows"

Zhōng yán nì ěr lì yú xíng

"Honest advice is hard to hear but good for your actions"

fú huò xiāng yī

"Good fortune and misfortune depend on each other"

Mò nì zhī jiāo

"A friendship without opposition or conflict"

Xiǎorén zhī jiāo gān ruò lǐ

"The friendship of small men is sweet as sweet wine"

Jǐng dǐ zhī wā

"The frog at the bottom of the well"

Yī píngzi bù xiǎng, bàn píngzi huàngdang

"A full bottle makes no sound; a half-full bottle sloshes around"

jù shā chéng tǎ

"Gather sand to build a tower"

Jūnzǐ yī yán, sì mǎ nán zhuī

"Once a gentleman speaks, even four horses cannot chase it back"

Shòu rén yǐ yú bùrú shòu rén yǐ yú

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

Jīn yù liáng yán

"Words as precious as gold and jade"

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"

Jié cǎo xián huán

"Tying grass and holding a ring in the mouth"

Dà qiǎo ruò zhuō

"Great skill appears clumsy"

Míng shī chū gāo tú

"A famous teacher produces outstanding students"

Hòu dé zài wù

"Great virtue sustains and bears all things"

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"

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"

tiān wài yǒu tiān

"There are heavens beyond heaven"

Tiān wú jué rén zhī lù

"Heaven never cuts off all paths for people"

Zhù rén wéi lè

"Helping others is happiness"

Tāo guāng yǎng huì

"Hide your light and nourish the darkness"

Jiāngshān yì gǎi běnxìng nán yí

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

Xūxīn shǐ rén jìnbù, jiāo'ào shǐ rén luòhòu

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

Bìng cóng kǒu rù

"Illness enters through the mouth"

Liú dé qīngshān zài, bù pà méi chái shāo

"As long as the green mountain remains, there's no need to fear running out of firewood"

Liú dé qīngshān zài, bù chóu méi chái shāo

"As long as the green mountain remains, there's no need to worry about firewood"

Liú dé qīngshān zài, bù pà méi chái shāo

"As long as the green mountain remains, there's no need to worry about firewood"

Zhī cuò néng gǎi, shàn mò dà yān

"To recognize a mistake and correct it—no virtue is greater than this"

Zhī ēn tú bào

"Know gratitude and plan to repay"

Zhī rén zhī miàn bù zhī xīn

"You can know a person and their face, but not their heart"

Xiǎo bù rěn zé luàn dà móu

"If you cannot endure small things, you will disrupt great plans"

Qí shēn bú zhèng, suī lìng bù cóng

"If your own conduct is not upright, even if you give orders, they will not be followed"

Shàng xíng xià xiào

"Those above act, those below follow"

Xué wú zhǐ jìng

"Learning has no bounds"

Wén dào yǒu xiānhòu, shùyè yǒu zhuāngōng

"Some hear the Way earlier than others; each has their own specialized field"

Kuān yǐ dài rén, yán yǐ lǜ jǐ

"Be generous toward others, but hold yourself to a higher standard"

Gǒu gǎi bù liǎo chī shǐ

"A dog can't stop eating excrement"

Shǎo shuō wéi miào

"Less said, better — silence is often the wisest choice"

zhì tóng dào hé

"Like-minded people with shared aspirations"

Gǒu yán cán chuǎn

"To drag out one's feeble existence; to linger on in one's last gasps"

Chún wáng chǐ hán

"When the lips are lost, the teeth feel cold"

Shēng mǐ ēn, dǒu mǐ chóu

"A liter of rice creates gratitude; a bushel of rice creates enmity"

Dǒu mǐ ēn, shēng mǐ chóu

"A peck of rice is a kindness, a bushel of rice creates an enemy"

Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo

"Live until old, learn until old"

Gān dǎn xiāng zhào

"Show utter sincerity to one another; treat each other with complete openness"

Tángláng bǔ chán, huángquè zài hòu

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind"

Jí yè chéng qiú

"Gather armpit fur to make a coat"

Guā tián bù nà lǚ, lǐ xià bù zhěng guān

"In a melon patch, don't bend to adjust your shoes; under a plum tree, don't reach up to fix your hat"

Wáng yáng bǔ láo, wéi shí wèi wǎn

"Mend the fence after losing a sheep—it's not too late"

Zhāo bù bǎo xī

"Morning does not guarantee evening"

Zhāo Qín mù Chǔ

"Morning Qin, evening Chu"

Yán duō bì shī

"Much speech inevitably leads to mistakes"

Dé guò qiě guò

"Just get by and let it pass"

Tán huā yī xiàn

"The night-blooming cereus appears once and is gone"

Bù zài qí wèi, bù móu qí zhèng

"Don't plan what isn't your position"

Hǎi nà bǎi chuān, yǒu róng nǎi dà

"The ocean accepts a hundred rivers; having capacity, it becomes great"

Xué ránhòu zhī bùzú

"Only after learning do you realize your inadequacy"

Qiánshì bú wàng, hòushì zhī shī

"Past events not forgotten serve as teachers for future events"

Shéng jù mù duàn, shuǐ dī shí chuān

"A rope saws through wood; water drops pierce stone"

shú néng shēng qiǎo

"Familiarity breeds skill; practice makes perfect"

Wēi rú lěi luǎn

"As dangerous as a pile of stacked eggs"

Mǎn zhāo sǔn, qiān shòu yì

"Pride invites loss, humility receives benefit"

Zǎixiàng dù lǐ hǎo chēng chuán

"A prime minister's belly is big enough to sail a boat"

Xuányá lè mǎ

"To rein in one's horse at the edge of a cliff"

Ēn jiāng chóu bào

"To repay kindness with enmity"

Yǐ dé bào yuàn

"Repay unkindness with kindness"

Tuì yībù hǎikuò tiānkōng

"Take a step back and the sea becomes vast, the sky boundless"

Làngzǐ huítóu jīn bù huàn

"A prodigal who turns back is worth more than gold"

Wēn gù ér zhī xīn

"Review the old and understand the new"

Gǒuqiě tōushēng

"To drag out an ignoble existence; to live on in degradation"

Zhī ēn tú bào

"Know the favor, plan to repay it"

Yǐ shēn zuò zé

"Lead by example; set the standard with your own conduct"

Yǒu fú tóng xiǎng, yǒu nàn tóng dāng

"Share blessings together, bear hardships together"

chén mò shì jīn

"Silence is golden"

Zuo shou yu li

"Sit and collect the fisherman's profit"

Zuò jǐng guān tiān

"Sitting in a well, looking at the sky"

Tánzhǐ yī huī jiān

"In the time it takes to snap one's fingers"

Yù bàng xiāng zhēng, yú wēng dé lì

"The snipe and the clam grapple; the fisherman catches both"

Jiàn rén shuō rén huà, jiàn guǐ shuō guǐ huà

"When you see a person, speak human language; when you see a ghost, speak ghost language"

Féng rén zhǐ shuō sān fēn huà

"When meeting people, speak only thirty percent of your thoughts"

Xūdù guāngyīn

"To idly pass through time; to waste one's days"

Tuì yī bù hǎi kuò tiān kōng, rěn yī shí fēng píng làng jìng

"Step back and the ocean opens wide; endure for a moment and the winds calm, waves settle"

Yán shī chū gāo tú

"Strict teachers produce outstanding students"

yán yú lǜ jǐ, kuān yǐ dài rén

"Be strict with yourself, but generous in how you treat others"

Chī yī qiàn, zhǎng yī zhì

"Fall into a pit once, gain one wisdom"

Shàng shàn ruò shuǐ

"The highest good is like water"

guā lǐ zhī xián

"Suspicion arising from being under a melon vine or plum tree"

Tóng gān gòng kǔ

"To share both the sweet and the bitter"

Sān sī ér hòu xíng

"Think three times before taking action"

Sānshíliù jì, zǒu wéi shàng jì

"Among the thirty-six stratagems, fleeing is the best one"

Qiān lǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià

"A journey of a thousand li begins beneath your feet"

Zhāo sān mù sì

"Three in the morning, four in the evening"

Sān rén xíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī

"When three people walk together, there must be one who can be my teacher"

Guāngyīn sì jiàn

"Time passes like an arrow"

Suìyuè rú suō

"Years and months pass like a shuttle"

Guò ér néng gǎi, shàn mò dà yān

"To err and then change—there is no greater good than this"

Rén fēi shèng xián, shú néng wú guò

"People are not sages; who can be without fault?"

Yǐ yá huán yá, yǐ yǎn huán yǎn

"A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye"

Yǔ rén wéi shàn

"Treat others with kindness and do good unto them"

Shí nián shù mù, bǎi nián shù rén

"It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred years to nurture people"

Huànnàn jiàn zhēnqíng

"Adversity reveals true feelings"

Hǎohàn zuòshì hǎohàn dāng

"A real man stands behind what he does"

Dà zhàngfu néng qū néng shēn

"A great man can bend and can stretch"

gǎi guò zì xīn

"To correct one's mistakes and make a fresh start"

Huà gān gē wéi yù bó

"Turn weapons into jade and silk"

Wàng ēn fù yì

"Ungrateful and betraying kindness"

Zhī Xíng Hé Yī

"Knowledge and action are one"

Qiè ér bù shě

"Carving without stopping"

Guǎn zhōng kuī bào

"Viewing a leopard through a bamboo tube"

Jī shàn zhī jiā, bì yǒu yú qìng

"A family that accumulates goodness will surely have abundant blessings"

Cuō tuó suì yuè

"Letting the years slip by in idleness"

Lín yuān xiàn yú, bùrú tuì ér jié wǎng

"Standing by the deep pool envying the fish is not as good as retreating to weave a net"

Yuān yuān xiāng bào hé shí liǎo

"When will vengeance upon vengeance finally end?"

Dé ráo rén chù qiě ráo rén

"When you can spare someone, spare them"

Bái jū guò xì

"A white colt passes a crevice"

Jīng yī shì, zhǎng yī zhì

"Experience one thing, gain one wisdom"

Hǎohàn bù chī yǎnqián kuī

"A brave man doesn't take a loss right before his eyes"

Shí shíwù zhě wéi jùnjié

"Those who understand the times are true heroes"

Rén wú xìn bù lì

"Without trust, a person cannot stand"

Yán ér wú xìn, bù zhī qí kě

"If someone speaks without keeping their word, one cannot know what they are capable of"

Yán bì xìn, xíng bì guǒ

"Keep your word and follow through with action"

Yèláng zì dà

"Yelang considers itself great"

Jī shàn zhī jiā, bì yǒu yú qìng; jī bù shàn zhī jiā, bì yǒu yú yāng

"A family that accumulates goodness will have surplus blessings; a family that accumulates evil will have surplus calamities"

Ruì xuě zhào fēng nián

"Auspicious snow signals a bountiful year"

Bùguǎn hēimāo báimāo, néng zhuō lǎoshǔ de jiùshì hàomāo

"It doesn't matter if it's a black cat or a white cat; if it can catch mice, it's a good cat"

Chuán dào qiáo tóu zì rán zhí

"When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten out"

Chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù

"When the cart reaches the mountain, there will surely be a road"

Wéi rén bù zuò kuī xīn shì, bànyè qiāomén xīn bù jīng

"If you don't do things that shame your conscience, your heart won't panic when someone knocks at midnight"

Rén bǐ rén, qì sǐ rén

"Comparing people makes you angry enough to die"

Zhuāngjia yī zhī huā, quán kào fèn dāngjiā

"Crops bloom like a single flower, all依靠ing on manure to manage the household"

Ér sūn zì yǒu ér sūn fú, mò wèi ér sūn zuò mǎ niú

"Children and grandchildren have their own fortune; do not be a horse or ox for them"

Dào bù tóng, bù xiāng wéi móu

"When the paths differ, do not plan together"

Rén qín dì shēng bǎo, rén lǎn dì shēng cǎo

"When a person is diligent, the earth produces treasure; when a person is lazy, the earth produces weeds"

Bù tīng lǎorén yán, chīkuī zài yǎnqián

"If you don't listen to the words of the old, you'll suffer the consequences right before your eyes"

Lù yáo zhī mǎ lì, rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn

"A long journey tests a horse's strength; time reveals a person's heart"

Yuǎn qīn bù rú jìn lín

"A distant relative is not as good as a nearby neighbor"

Dàn xíng hǎo shì, mò wèn qián chéng

"Just do good deeds, do not ask about the future"

Huà hǔ huà pí nán huà gǔ, zhī rén zhī miàn bù zhī xīn

"You can draw a tiger's skin but not its bones; you can know a person's face but not their heart"

Zuìwēng zhī yì bú zài jiǔ

"The drinker's intent is not on the wine"

Zǎo qǐ sān guāng, wǎn qǐ sān huāng

"Rise early and everything is bright; rise late and everything is rushed"

Chī bù qióng, chuān bù qióng, suànji bù dào yī shì qióng

"Eating won't bankrupt you, clothing won't bankrupt you, but failing to plan will leave you poor for a lifetime"

Rěn yīshí fēngpíng làngjìng, tuì yībù hǎikuò tiānkōng

"Endure a moment and the winds calm, the waves settle; retreat a step and the sea is wide, the sky is vast"

Wù yǐ è xiǎo ér wéi zhī, wù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi

"Do not commit evil because it is small; do not neglect good because it is small"

Qióng zé biàn, biàn zé tōng, tōng zé jiǔ

"When exhausted, change; when changed, flow opens; when flowing, it endures"

Huā yǒu chóng kāi rì, rén wú zài nián shào

"Flowers have their day to bloom again; people never have their youth twice"

Yóu jiǎn rù shē yì, yóu shē rù jiǎn nán

"Going from frugality to luxury is easy; going from luxury to frugality is hard"

Bǎo hàn bù zhī è hàn jī

"The full man does not understand the hungry man's hunger"

Jiàng xiàng běn wú zhǒng, nán ér dāng zì qiáng

"Generals and ministers are not born to it; a man should strengthen himself"

Jūnzǐ ài cái, qǔ zhī yǒu dào

"A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it through proper means"

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"

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"

Lái shuō shìfēi zhě, biàn shì shìfēi rén

"Those who come to tell you about right and wrong are themselves people of right and wrong"

Guà yáng tóu, mài gǒu ròu

"Hang up a sheep's head but sell dog meat"

Tiān yǒu bù cè fēngyún, rén yǒu dànxī huòfú

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

Yīngxióng suǒjiàn lüètóng

"Great minds think alike"

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"

Bìng cóng kǒu rù, huò cóng kǒu chū

"Illness enters through the mouth; disaster exits through the mouth"

Rénqíng hǎo sì chū xiāngshí, dào lǎo zhōng wú yuànhèn xīn

"Treat human relationships as if you've just met, and even in old age, you'll never harbor resentment"

Liáng yán yī jù sān dōng nuǎn, è yǔ shāng rén liù yuè hán

"A kind word warms three winter months; a cruel word chills the sixth-month heat"

Rén shēng yī shì, cǎo mù yī qiū

"A person lives for one lifetime; grass and trees last for one autumn"

Léi shēng dà, yǔ diǎn xiǎo

"The thunder is loud, but the raindrops are small"

Zhongren shichai huoyan gao

"When many people gather firewood, the flames burn high"

Guā wú gǔn yuán, rén wú shí quán

"No melon is perfectly round; no person is completely perfect"

Yuè dào shíwǔ guāngmíng shǎo, rén dào zhōngnián wànshì xiū

"After the fifteenth, the moon's brightness fades; at middle age, all endeavors rest"

Duō gè péngyǒu duō tiáo lù, duō gè yuānjia duō dǔ qiáng

"One more friend, one more path; one more enemy, one more wall"

Zhāo xiá bù chū mén, wǎn xiá xíng qiān lǐ

"When morning clouds glow red, don't leave home; when evening clouds glow red, you can travel a thousand li"

Jìn zhū zhě chì, jìn mò zhě hēi

"Near vermilion, one turns red; near ink, one turns black"

Xīn guān shàngrèn sān bǎ huǒ

"A new official lights three fires upon taking office"

Chūshēng niúdú bù pà hǔ

"A newborn calf does not fear the tiger"

Yī gè lí ba sān gè zhuāng, yī gè hǎo hàn sān gè bāng

"A fence needs three posts; a hero needs three helpers"

Jiǎn le zhī ma, diū le xī guā

"Picked up sesame seeds, lost the watermelon"

Dāngjúzhě mí, pángguānzhě qīng

"Those involved are confused; bystanders see clearly"

Qīngmíng qiánhòu, zhòng guā diǎn dòu

"Around Qingming Festival, plant melons and sow beans"

Hé yǒu liǎng àn, shì yǒu liǎng miàn

"A river has two banks; a matter has two sides"

Jiāng shān yì gǎi, bǐng xìng nán yí

"Rivers and mountains are easy to change; inherent nature is hard to shift"

Lù bù xíng bù dào, shì bù wéi bù chéng

"A road not traveled doesn't reach the destination; a task not done doesn't succeed"

Mó dāo bú wù kǎn chái gōng

"Sharpening the axe does not delay the woodcutting work"

Dú mù bù chéng lín, dān sī bù chéng xiàn

"A single tree doesn't make a forest; a single thread doesn't make a line"

Xiao yi xiao, shi nian shao; chou yi chou, bai le tou

"Smile a smile, ten years younger; worry a worry, white-haired head"

Féng rén qiě shuō sān fēn huà, wèi kě quán pāo yī piàn xīn

"When meeting people, speak only thirty percent; do not fully reveal your whole heart"

Chūnyǔ guì rú yóu

"Spring rain is as precious as oil"

Zhàn zhe shuō huà bù yāo téng

"It's easy to give advice when you're not the one doing the work"

Rì yùn sāngēng yǔ, yuè yùn wǔshí fēng

"A halo around the sun means rain by midnight; a halo around the moon means wind by noon"

Shí nián hé dōng, shí nián hé xī

"Ten years on the east bank, ten years on the west bank"

Xì shuǐ cháng liú, yù zāi bù chóu

"A thin stream flows long; when disaster strikes, you won't worry"

Cháng jiāng yǒu rì sī wú rì, mò bǎ wú shí dāng yǒu shí

"In days of plenty, think of days of want; do not treat times of scarcity as times of abundance"

Qiān lǐ zhī dī, kuì yú yǐ xué

"A thousand-mile embankment collapses from an ant's hole"

Sān gè chòu píjiàng, dǐng gè Zhūgě Liàng

"Three cobblers can equal one Zhuge Liang"

Sān rén xíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī yān

"When three people walk together, there must be one who can be my teacher"

Líba zhā de jǐn, yěgǒu zuān bú jìn

"When the fence is tied tight, stray dogs cannot get in"

Zhēn jīn bù pà huǒ liàn

"True gold fears no fire"

Zhēn de jiǎ bùliǎo, jiǎ de zhēn bùliǎo

"What's genuine cannot become fake; what's fake cannot become genuine"

Péng shēng má zhōng, bù fú zì zhí; bái shā zài niè, yǔ zhī jù hēi

"Tumbleweed growing among hemp stands straight without support; white sand in black dye becomes black with it"

Tuánjié jiùshì lìliàng

"Unity is strength"

Fàn hòu bǎi bù zǒu, huó dào jiǔ shí jiǔ

"Take a hundred steps after a meal, and you will live to ninety-nine"

Fēng chuī yún dòng xīng bù dòng, shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo àn bù yí

"The wind blows and clouds move, but the stars remain fixed; the water rises and the boat goes higher, but the shore does not shift"

Dōng chī luóbo xià chī jiāng, bú yòng yīshēng kāi yàofāng

"Eat radish in winter, ginger in summer, and you won't need a doctor's prescription"

Yǒu lǐ zǒu biàn tiānxià, wú lǐ cùnbù nánxíng

"With reason on your side, you can travel everywhere; without reason, you cannot take a single step"

Yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn, yī rì zhī jì zài yú chén

"The plan for a year lies in spring; the plan for a day lies in the morning"

Huánghé shàng yǒu chéngqīng rì, qǐ kě rén wú dé yùn shí

"Even the Yellow River has days when it runs clear; how can a person never have their time of fortune?"

Xiāngshí mǎn tiānxià, zhīxīn néng jǐ rén

"Acquaintances fill the world; those who know your heart, how many are there?"

Hēi fà bù zhī qín xué zǎo, bái shǒu fāng huǐ dú shū chí

"With black hair, one doesn't know to study early; with a white head, one regrets reading too late"

Shū shān yǒu lù qín wéi jìng, xué hǎi wú yá kǔ zuò zhōu

"The mountain of books has a path: diligence; the sea of learning has no shore: hard work is the boat"

Cōngmíng zài yú qínfèn, tiāncái zài yú jīlěi

"Cleverness lies in diligence; genius lies in accumulation"

Dàjiā dōu shì mìng, bàn diǎn bù yóu rén

"Everything is fate; not a half-point is up to us"

Mò xìn zhí zhōng zhí, xū fáng rén bù rén

"Don't trust those who seem straightest; guard against those who appear most virtuous"

Chī dé kǔ zhōng kǔ, fāng wéi rén shàng rén

"Only by enduring the bitterest suffering can one become superior to others"

Shuí rén bèi hòu wú rén shuō, nǎ gè rén qián bù shuō rén

"Who is not talked about behind their back? Who does not talk about others to their face?"

Sānbǎi liùshí háng, hángháng chū zhuàngyuán

"Three hundred sixty trades; every trade produces a top scholar"

Yè jīng yú qín huāng yú xī, xíng chéng yú sī huǐ yú suí

"Excellence comes from diligence and is ruined by play; accomplishment comes from reflection and is destroyed by casualness"

Shībài shì chénggōng zhī mǔ

"Failure is success's mother"

Quán bù lí shǒu, qǔ bù lí kǒu

"The fist never leaves the hand; the song never leaves the mouth"

Jūnzǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ, xiǎorén zhī jiāo gān ruò lǐ

"The friendship of gentlemen is as plain as water; the friendship of petty people is as sweet as wine"

Rén shàn bèi rén qī, mǎ shàn bèi rén qí

"Good people get bullied; good horses get ridden"

Zhǐyào gōngfu shēn, tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn

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

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"

Lǎoshi rén cháng zài, jiǎohuá rén cháng bài

"Honest people endure; cunning people often fail"

Xué rú nì shuǐ xíng zhōu, bù jìn zé tuì

"Learning is like sailing a boat against the current; if you don't advance, you retreat"

Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo

"Live until old age, learn until old age"

Shīfu lǐng jìn mén, xiūxíng zài gè rén

"The master leads you to the entrance; cultivation depends on the individual"

Nào lǐ yǒu qián, jìng chù ān shēn

"In the noise, there is money; in a quiet place, one finds peace"

Jìn shuǐ zhī yú xìng, jìn shān shí niǎo yīn

"Near water, know fish nature; near mountains, recognize bird calls"

Shì shàng wú nán shì, zhǐ pà yǒu xīn rén

"Nothing in the world is difficult; it only fears the person with a determined heart"

Níng kě dé zuì jūnzǐ, bù kě dé zuì xiǎorén

"Better to offend a gentleman than to offend a petty person"

Bù jīng yī shì, bù zhǎng yī zhì

"Without experiencing one matter, one does not gain one wisdom"

Wàn bān jiē xià pǐn, wéi yǒu dúshū gāo

"Ten thousand pursuits are all inferior; only reading books is high"

Zhòng guā dé guā, zhòng dòu dé dòu

"Plant melon, get melon; plant bean, get bean"

Dúshū xū yòng yì, yī zì zhí qiān jīn

"When reading, you must apply your mind; one word is worth a thousand gold"

Shéng jù mù duàn, shuǐ dī shí chuān

"The rope saw cuts through wood; water drops wear through stone"

Yù qiú shēng fùguì, xū xià sǐ gōngfu

"If you want living wealth and honor, you must put in deadly effort"

Shān zhōng yǒu zhí shù, shì shàng wú zhí rén

"In the mountains there are straight trees; in the world there are no straight people"

Bǎojiàn fēng cóng mólǐ chū, méihuā xiāng zì kǔhán lái

"The sword's edge emerges from grinding; the plum blossom's fragrance comes from bitter cold"

Tái shàng sān fēn zhōng, tái xià shí nián gōng

"Three minutes on stage, ten years of work off stage"

Yī cùn guāngyīn yī cùn jīn, cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāngyīn

"An inch of time is an inch of gold; an inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time"

Yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng

"For those who have will, things eventually succeed"

Jiǔ féng zhījǐ yǐn, shī xiàng huì rén yín

"Drink wine only with those who understand you; recite poetry only to those who can appreciate it"

Shàozhuàng bù nǔlì, lǎodà tú shāngbēi

"If you don't work hard in youth, you'll vainly regret it in old age"

Zǎi xiàng dù lǐ néng chēng chuán

"A prime minister's belly is capacious enough to sail a boat."

Rén xīn bù zú shé tūn xiàng

"Human greed knows no bounds, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant"

Wàn shì jù bèi, zhǐ qiàn dōng fēng

"Everything is prepared, only the final crucial element is missing"

Mǎ yǐ bān jiā shé guò dào, dà yǔ bù jiǔ jiù lái dào

"When ants move house and snakes cross the road, heavy rain will arrive soon"

guāng jiǎo de bù pà chuān xié de

"Those with nothing to lose fear nothing"

Qíng rén yǎn lǐ chū Xī Shī

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

Nìng wéi yù suì, bù wéi wǎ quán

"Better to die with honor than to live in disgrace"

Lín zi dà le, shén me niǎo dōu yǒu

"When the forest is big, there are all kinds of birds"

Wù yǐ lèi jù, rén yǐ qún fēn

"Things gather by category; people divide by groups"

Fú wú shuāng zhì, huò bù dān xíng

"Good fortune never comes in pairs; bad luck never travels alone"

Chuán dào qiáo tóu zì rán zhí

"When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally straighten"

Shēn zài Cáo yíng xīn zài Hàn

"Physically present in Cao's camp, but one's heart remains with Han"

Dāng jú zhě mí, páng guān zhě qīng

"Those in the game are confused; those watching from the sidelines see clearly"

Bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ

"Things so different they cannot be compared"

Rén bù kě mào xiàng

"Do not judge people by their outward appearance"

Yǒu yǎn bù shí Tài Shān

"To have eyes yet fail to recognize Mount Tai."

Lǐ yú tiào lóng mén

"The carp leaps over the Dragon Gate"

Cōng míng fǎn bèi cōng míng wù

"Cleverness is instead by cleverness misled"

Zhào hú lu huà piáo

"Copying the gourd to draw the dipper."

Lǐ shàng wǎng lái

"Courtesy demands reciprocity"

Guò wǔ guān, zhǎn liù jiàng

"Crossing five mountain passes and slaying six enemy generals"

Bù gǎn yuè léi chí yī bù

"Afraid to overstep established boundaries"

Rén gù yǒu yī sǐ, huò zhòng yú Tài Shān, huò qīng yú hóng máo

"Every person must die; some deaths are weightier than Mount Tai, others lighter than a goose feather"

Lù yáo zhī mǎ lì, rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn

"A long journey tests a horse's strength; time reveals a person's true character"

Yuǎn qīn bù rú jìn lín

"A faraway relative is not as good as a nearby neighbor"

Yuǎn shuǐ bù jiù jìn huǒ

"Distant water cannot quench a nearby fire."

Gǒu yǎo Lǚ Dòngbīn, bù shí hǎo rén xīn

"The dog bites Lu Dongbin, not recognizing a good person's heart"

Rén bù kě mào xiàng, hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng

"People cannot be judged by their looks, just as seawater cannot be measured by the bushel"

Shòu rén dī shuǐ zhī ēn, dāng yǐ yǒng quán xiāng bào

"When receiving the grace of a drop of water, repay it with a surging spring"

Niǎo zhī jiāng sǐ, qí míng yě āi; rén zhī jiāng sǐ, qí yán yě shàn

"When a bird is about to die, its cry is mournful; when a person is about to die, their words are kind"

Bā xiān guò hǎi, gè xiǎn shén tōng

"When the Eight Immortals crossed the sea, each displayed their unique magical abilities"

Zhǐ xiàn yuān yāng bù xiàn xiān

"True love is worth more than immortality"

Huà hǔ huà pí nán huà gǔ, zhī rén zhī miàn bù zhī xīn

"Painting a tiger, you can paint its skin but not its bones; knowing a person, you know their face but not their heart"

Jiàn guài bù guài, qí guài zì bài

"When you see something strange, do not be surprised; the strange thing will defeat itself"

Huà hǔ bù chéng fǎn lèi quǎn

"Attempting to draw a tiger but ending up with something resembling a dog"

chī yī qiàn, zhǎng yī zhì

"Fall into a moat, grow in wisdom"

Yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì, wú yuán duì miàn bù xiāng féng

"Those with destiny will meet even if separated by a thousand li; those without destiny will not recognize each other even when face to face"

Wǔ shí bù xiào bǎi bù

"The pot calling the kettle black"

Shǎ rén yǒu shǎ fú

"Simpletons have simpleton's luck; fools are blessed"

Chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn, cùn yǒu suǒ cháng

"Everyone has strengths and weaknesses"

Rénqíng hǎo sì chū xiāngshí, dào lǎo zhōng wú yuànhèn xīn

"If human relationships remain like the first meeting, until old age there will be no resentment"

Bǎo hàn bù zhī è hàn jī

"The well-fed man does not know the hungry man's hunger"

Shùn qí zì rán

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

Jiǔ xiāng bù pà xiàng zi shēn

"Good wine fears no deep alley"

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"

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

"A heart to harm others should not exist; a heart to guard against others should not be absent"

Tiān wú jué rén zhī lù

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

Yīng xióng wú yòng wǔ zhī dì

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

Zài jiā kào fùmǔ, chū mén kào péngyǒu

"At home, rely on parents; when you go out, rely on friends"

Fēng mǎ niú bù xiāng jí

"Wind, horses, and cattle do not reach each other"

Bǎi chǐ gān tóu, gèng jìn yī bù

"Even from the top of a hundred-foot pole, take one step further"

Cǐ chù bù liú yé, zì yǒu liú yé chù

"If this place doesn't keep me, there will naturally be a place that will"

Nán dé hú tú

"It is rare to be confused; hard to attain muddle-headedness"

Liáng yán yī jù sān dōng nuǎn, è yǔ shāng rén liù yuè hán

"One kind word warms like three winters; one cruel word freezes like the sixth month"

Xiǎo bù rěn zé luàn dà móu

"If you cannot endure small things, you will disrupt great plans"

Yī yè zhàng mù, bù jiàn Tài Shān

"A single leaf blocks the eyes, and one cannot see Mount Tai"

Rén shēng rú mèng

"Life is like a dream"

Rén shēng kǔ duǎn, jí shí xíng lè

"Human life is brief and filled with hardship, so seek pleasure while you can"

Jiān tīng zé míng, piān xìn zé àn

"Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; trust only one side and you will be in the dark"

Huó zài dāng xià

"Exist fully in the here and now"

Péi le fū rén yòu zhé bīng

"Double defeat—losing everything in a failed scheme"

Rén wèi cái sǐ, niǎo wèi shí wáng

"Humans die for wealth, birds perish for food."

Guò le zhè ge cūn, méi le zhè ge diàn

"Opportunities are fleeting; seize them when they appear"

Yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuī mò

"With money, you can make the devil turn the millstone"

Qián bù shì wàn néng de, méi qián shì wàn wàn bù néng de

"Money is not omnipotent, but having no money is absolutely impossible."

Zhāo xiá bù chū mén, wǎn xiá xíng qiān lǐ

"With morning glow, don't go out; with evening glow, travel a thousand miles"

Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo

"Live until old age, learn until old age"

Xíng bǎi lǐ zhě bàn jiǔ shí

"For those traveling a hundred miles, ninety is only half"

Fù cháo zhī xià wú wán luǎn

"When a nest is overturned, no eggs remain whole"

Cǐ dì wú yín sān bǎi liǎng

"No silver here, three hundred taels"

Bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhé yāo

"Refusing to compromise one's integrity for material gain"

Zhǐ xǔ zhōu guān fàng huǒ, bù xǔ bǎi xìng diǎn dēng

"Only officials are allowed to set fires; common people are not permitted to light lamps"

Yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo, shí nián pà jǐng shéng

"A single traumatic experience creates lasting fear"

Hǎo le shāng bā wàng le téng

"People quickly forget past suffering once circumstances improve"

Yī rén dé dào, jī quǎn shēng tiān

"When one person attains the Way, chickens and dogs rise to heaven"

Duō gè péngyǒu duō tiáo lù, duō gè yuānjiā duō dǔ qiáng

"One more friend means one more road; one more enemy means one more wall"

jī bù kě shī, shí bù zài lái

"Opportunities cannot be lost; time does not come again"

Sān guò jiā mén ér bù rù

"Passing by one's own door three times without entering"

Táo lǐ mǎn tiān xià

"Peaches and plums fill the world"

Pín jū nào shì wú rén wèn, fù zài shēn shān yǒu yuǎn qīn

"Living poor in the bustling city, no one asks after you; living rich in the deep mountains, distant relatives appear"

Zǎixiàng dù lǐ néng chēng chuán

"A prime minister's belly can hold a boat"

Bǎi wén bù rú yī jiàn

"Direct experience outweighs secondhand knowledge"

Bù míng zé yǐ, yī míng jīng rén

"Silent until the moment of spectacular revelation"

Jīng chéng suǒ zhì, jīn shí wéi kāi

"Where utmost sincerity arrives, metal and stone open."

Dé ráo rén chù qiě ráo rén

"Where you can spare others, do spare them"

Féng rén qiě shuō sān fēn huà, wèi kě quán pāo yī piàn xīn

"When meeting people, speak only thirty percent; do not fully reveal your whole heart"

Zhàn zhe shuō huà bù yāo téng

"Standing and talking doesn't make your waist hurt"

Sān shí nián hé dōng, sān shí nián hé xī

"Thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west—the winds of fortune shift with time"

Sān jù huà bù lí běn háng

"People cannot help talking about their profession"

Hǔ sǐ liú pí, rén sǐ liú míng

"When a tiger dies, it leaves its skin; when a person dies, they leave their name"

Lù yáo zhī mǎ lì, rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn

"A long journey tests a horse's strength; time reveals a person's heart"

suì yuè bù ráo rén

"Time shows mercy to no one"

Rén fēi shèng xián, shú néng wú guò

"People are not sages; who can be without faults?"

Tōu jī bù chéng shí bǎ mǐ

"Failed to steal the chicken and lost the rice used as bait"

Shā jī yān yòng niú dāo

"Why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken?"

Shuǐ zhì qīng zé wú yú

"If the water is too clear, there will be no fish"

Jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè

"A pavilion near the water gets the moonlight first"

Mìng lǐ yǒu shí zhōng xū yǒu, mìng lǐ wú shí mò qiáng qiú

"What is destined to be yours will eventually be yours; what is not destined cannot be obtained through force"

Tà pò tiě xié wú mì chù, dé lái quán bù fèi gōng fu

"Wearing out iron shoes searching without finding, then it comes without any effort at all"

Shàng liáng bù zhèng xià liáng wāi

"When the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked"

Yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng

"For those with determination, success will eventually follow."

Bù guǎn bái māo hēi māo, zhuā zhù lǎo shǔ jiù shì hǎo māo

"Regardless of whether it's a white cat or black cat, if it catches mice, it's a good cat"

Bù jīng yī shì, bù zhǎng yī zhì

"Without experiencing a matter, one does not gain wisdom from it"

Yuàn dé yī xīn rén, bái tóu bù xiāng lí

"Longing for a soulmate to grow old with"

Yáng máo chū zài yáng shēn shàng

"The wool comes from the sheep's own body"

shào zhuàng bù nǔ lì, lǎo dà tú shāng bēi

"If you do not exert yourself in youth, you will regret it in old age"

Qiāo luó mài táng, gè gàn yī háng

"Beating gongs to sell candy, each person does their own trade"

Shòu rén yǐ yú, bù rú shòu rén yǐ yú

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime"

Dà yì shī Jīngzhōu

"Carelessness caused the loss of Jingzhou"

Qiān lǐ yīn yuán yī xiàn qiān

"True love transcends distance and circumstance"

Zhì zhě qiān lǜ, bì yǒu yī shī; yú zhě qiān lǜ, bì yǒu yī dé

"The wise person, after a thousand considerations, will surely make one mistake; the fool, after a thousand considerations, will surely get one thing right"

Qiān lǐ sòng é máo, lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng

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

Dà zhì ruò yú

"Great wisdom appears like foolishness"

Qiān lǐ zhī xíng shǐ yú zú xià

"Even the greatest endeavors begin with modest first actions"

Yī yè zhàng mù, bù jiàn Tài Shān

"A single leaf blocks the eyes, and one cannot see Mount Tai"

Chū shēng niú dú bù pà hǔ

"Youthful inexperience breeds fearless confidence"

Tīng jūn yī xí huà, shèng dú shí nián shū

"Listening to one conversation with you surpasses reading books for ten years"

Jìng jiǔ bù chī chī fá jiǔ

"Refusing a polite offer only to face a harsher alternative"

Jì lái zhī, zé ān zhī

"Since you have come, be at peace with it"

Yī rì zhī jì zài yú chén, yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn

"The plan for a day lies in the morning; the plan for a year lies in spring"

Yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo, shí nián pà jǐng shéng

"Once bitten by a snake, you fear the well rope for ten years"

Sān gè chòu pí jiàng, dǐng gè Zhūgě Liàng

"Three cobblers with their wits combined equal one Zhuge Liang"

Yī wèn sān bù zhī

"Asked one question, ignorant of three things"

Yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn, cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn

"An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time"

Mìng lǐ yǒu shí zhōng xū yǒu, mìng lǐ wú shí mò qiáng qiú

"What is destined to be yours will eventually be yours; what is not destined cannot be forced"

Shù yù jìng ér fēng bù zhǐ

"The tree wants to stay quiet, but the wind won't stop blowing"

Sài wēng shī mǎ, yān zhī fēi fú

"When the old man from the frontier lost his horse, how could he know it was not a blessing?"

Māo kū lǎo shǔ jiǎ cí bēi

"When the cat cries over the mouse, it is fake mercy"

Shí nián shù mù, bǎi nián shù rén

"It takes ten years to grow trees, but a hundred years to rear people"