Zhuangzi Quotes: 40+ Daoist Parables & Sayings

Páo Dīng jiě niú

"Cook Ding carving an ox"

Zhuāng Zhōu mèng dié

"Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly"

Xiāng rǔ yǐ mò, bù rú xiāng wàng yú jiāng hú

"Wetting each other with spit is not as good as forgetting each other in the rivers and lakes"

Jǐng dǐ zhī wā

"The frog at the bottom of the well"

Péng zhī xǐ yú Nán míng yě, shuǐ jī sān qiān lǐ, tuán fú yáo ér shàng zhě jiǔ wàn lǐ

"When the peng bird journeys to the Southern Darkness, it beats the water for 3,000 li, then rises on the whirlwind 90,000 li"

Zhāo sān mù sì

"Three in the morning, four in the evening"

Tángláng bǔ chán, huángquè zài hòu

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

Bái jū guò xì

"A white colt passes a crevice"

Rén shēng rú mèng

"Life is like a dream"

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"

Páo Dīng jiě niú

"Cook Ding carving an ox"

Xiāng rǔ yǐ mò, bù rú xiāng wàng yú jiāng hú

"Wetting each other with spit is not as good as forgetting each other in the rivers and lakes"

Zhuāng Zhōu mèng dié

"Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly"

Bù wèi wǔ dǒu mǐ zhé yāo

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

Bái jū guò xì

"A white colt passes a crevice"

Rén shēng rú mèng

"Life is like a dream"

Péng zhī xǐ yú Nán míng yě, shuǐ jī sān qiān lǐ, tuán fú yáo ér shàng zhě jiǔ wàn lǐ

"When the peng bird journeys to the Southern Darkness, it beats the water for 3,000 li, then rises on the whirlwind 90,000 li"

Jǐng dǐ zhī wā

"The frog at the bottom of the well"

Zuò jǐng guān tiān

"Sitting in a well, looking at the sky"

Xià chóng bù kě yǐ yǔ yú bīng zhě, dǔ yú shí yě

"A summer insect cannot be spoken to about ice — it is bound by its season"

Zhāo sān mù sì

"Three in the morning, four in the evening"

Tángláng bǔ chán, huángquè zài hòu

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

Dào yì yǒu dào

"Even thieves have their Dao / their way"

Gān dǎn xiāng zhào

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

Zhāo bù bǎo xī

"Morning does not guarantee evening"

Shān wài yǒu shān, rén wài yǒu rén

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

Dà qiǎo ruò zhuō

"Great skill appears clumsy"

Dà zhì ruò yú, dà qiǎo ruò zhuō

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

Rén xīn bù zú shé tūn xiàng

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

Qiánrén zāi shù, hòurén chéngliáng

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

Chuáng tóu chǎo jià chuáng wěi hé

"Couples who quarrel at the head of the bed make peace at the foot of the bed"

Rén bù kě mào xiàng

"Do not judge people by their outward appearance"

Chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù

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

Zhào hú lu huà piáo

"Copying the gourd to draw the dipper."

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"

Lín kě jué jǐng

"Digging a well when you're already thirsty"

Jìn rén shì, tīng tiān mìng

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

Rù xiāng suí sú

"When you enter a village, follow its customs"

Jiā jiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng

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

Jiàn guài bù guài, qí guài zì bài

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

Chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn, cùn yǒu suǒ cháng

"Everyone has strengths and weaknesses"

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"

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"

Qiān lǐ sòng é máo, lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng

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

Zhī rén zhī miàn bù zhī xīn

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

Qiān niú yào qiān niú bízi

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

Xué wú zhǐ jìng

"Learning has no bounds"

Péi le fū rén yòu zhé bīng

"Double defeat—losing everything in a failed scheme"

Gǎn miàn zhàng chuī huǒ — yī qiào bù tōng

"Blowing fire through a rolling pin — not a single opening works"

Búshì yījiārén, bú jìn yījiāmén

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

chén mò shì jīn

"Silence is golden"

Jīng chéng suǒ zhì, jīn shí wéi kāi

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

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"

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"

Chī kuī shì fú

"To suffer a loss is a blessing"

Suìyuè rú suō

"Years and months pass like a shuttle"

Qiáng zhōng zì yǒu qiáng zhōng shǒu

"Among the strong, there are stronger hands"

Jiāng shān yì gǎi, bǐng xìng nán yí

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

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"

Zhù rén wéi lè

"Helping others is happiness"

gù zuǒ yòu ér yán tā

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