Chinese Wisdom & Philosophy — Page 5

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"

Qiǎng niǔ de guā bù tián

"A forcibly twisted melon is not sweet"

fú huò xiāng yī

"Good fortune and misfortune depend on each other"

Hú jiǎ hǔ wēi

"The fox exploits the tiger's ferocity"

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"

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"

Yóu jiǎn rù shē yì, yóu shē rù jiǎn nán

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

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"

Mǎn píng bù dòng bàn píng yáo

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

Bǎo hàn bù zhī è hàn jī

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

Jìn xìn shū, zé bù rú wú shū

"To fully trust books is not as good as having no books at all"

jù shā chéng tǎ

"Gather sand to build a tower"

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"

Jiàng xiàng běn wú zhǒng, nán ér dāng zì qiáng

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

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"

Jūn zǐ hé ér bù tóng, xiǎo rén tóng ér bù hé

"The gentleman seeks harmony without sameness; the petty person seeks sameness without harmony"

Jūn zǐ chéng rén zhī měi, bù chéng rén zhī è

"The gentleman helps others perfect their good; he does not help others' evil"

Jūnzǐ ài cái, qǔ zhī yǒu dào

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

Jūn zǐ bù qì

"The gentleman is not a vessel (a tool, an instrument)"

Jūn zǐ qiú zhū jǐ, xiǎo rén qiú zhū rén

"The gentleman seeks from himself; the petty person seeks from others"

Jūn zǐ yǒu sān lè

"The gentleman has three joys"

Jūn zǐ yù yú yì, xiǎo rén yù yú lì

"The gentleman is guided by righteousness; the petty man is guided by profit"

Jūnzǐ yī yán, sì mǎ nán zhuī

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

Dé yú wàng quán

"Catch the fish, forget the trap"

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"

Zhì dà guó, ruò pēng xiǎo xiān

"Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish"

Jié cǎo xián huán

"Tying grass and holding a ring in the mouth"

Dà rén zhě, bù shī qí chì zǐ zhī xīn zhě yě

"The great person is one who has not lost the heart of their infant self"

Dà qiǎo ruò zhuō

"Great skill appears clumsy"

Dà yīn xī shēng, dà xiàng wú xíng

"The greatest sound is rarely heard; the greatest form has no shape"

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"