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Chinese proverbs are called yànyǔ (谚语), and the short four-character ones are called chéngyǔ (成语). Every saying below is a real one used in China, with the Chinese characters, the pinyin, what the words literally say, and what it actually means.
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Best Chinese Proverbs and Sayings
The sayings almost every Chinese family knows. Start here if you want the classics.
- 冰冻三尺，非一日之寒 (bīng dòng sān chǐ, fēi yī rì zhī hán)
Literally: Three feet of ice is not made by one cold day.
Meaning: Big problems, and big skills, take a long time to build. - 吃一堑，长一智 (chī yī qiàn, zhǎng yī zhì)
Literally: Fall into one ditch, gain one piece of wisdom.
Meaning: Every mistake teaches you something. - 路遥知马力，日久见人心 (lù yáo zhī mǎ lì, rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn)
Literally: A long road shows a horse's strength, and time shows a person's heart.
Meaning: You only learn who someone really is over a long time. - 一言既出，驷马难追 (yī yán jì chū, sì mǎ nán zhuī)
Literally: Once a word is spoken, even four horses cannot catch it.
Meaning: Think before you speak, and keep your promises. - 当局者迷，旁观者清 (dāng jú zhě mí, páng guān zhě qīng)
Literally: The player is confused, the watcher sees clearly.
Meaning: People outside a problem often see it better than the people in it. - 十年树木，百年树人 (shí nián shù mù, bǎi nián shù rén)
Literally: Ten years to grow a tree, a hundred years to grow a person.
Meaning: Raising good people takes patience and a long view. - 前人栽树，后人乘凉 (qián rén zāi shù, hòu rén chéng liáng)
Literally: People before plant trees, people after enjoy the shade.
Meaning: What we build today helps the next generation. - 三人行，必有我师 (sān rén xíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī)
Literally: When three people walk together, one of them can be my teacher.
Meaning: You can learn something from anyone. This one comes from Confucius. - 不怕慢，就怕站 (bù pà màn, jiù pà zhàn)
Literally: Do not fear going slowly, only fear standing still.
Meaning: Slow progress is still progress. Just do not stop. - 身正不怕影子斜 (shēn zhèng bù pà yǐng zi xié)
Literally: If your body stands straight, do not fear a crooked shadow.
Meaning: If you are honest, gossip cannot hurt you. - 种瓜得瓜，种豆得豆 (zhòng guā dé guā, zhòng dòu dé dòu)
Literally: Plant melons, get melons. Plant beans, get beans.
Meaning: You get back what you put in.
Chinese Proverbs About Life
For anyone going through a hard patch, or just thinking about how life works.
- 天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福 (tiān yǒu bù cè fēng yún, rén yǒu dàn xī huò fú)
Literally: The sky has sudden wind and clouds, people have sudden luck and trouble.
Meaning: Life can change in a day, so be ready for anything. - 留得青山在，不怕没柴烧 (liú de qīng shān zài, bù pà méi chái shāo)
Literally: As long as the green hills stay, there is no fear of running out of firewood.
Meaning: If you still have your health and life, you can start again. - 车到山前必有路 (chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù)
Literally: When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a road.
Meaning: Do not worry too early. A way will show up when you get there. - 船到桥头自然直 (chuán dào qiáo tóu zì rán zhí)
Literally: When the boat reaches the bridge, it will straighten by itself.
Meaning: Things often work out in the end. - 金无足赤，人无完人 (jīn wú zú chì, rén wú wán rén)
Literally: No gold is pure, no person is perfect.
Meaning: Everyone has flaws, so go easy on others and on yourself. - 知足常乐 (zhī zú cháng lè)
Literally: Knowing what is enough brings lasting joy.
Meaning: Be happy with what you have. - 笑一笑，十年少 (xiào yī xiào, shí nián shào)
Literally: Smile once, become ten years younger.
Meaning: Laughing keeps you young. - 家家有本难念的经 (jiā jiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng)
Literally: Every family has a scripture that is hard to read.
Meaning: Every home has its own problems, even if you cannot see them. - 不做亏心事，不怕鬼敲门 (bù zuò kuī xīn shì, bù pà guǐ qiāo mén)
Literally: Do nothing against your conscience, and you will not fear ghosts at the door.
Meaning: A clear conscience lets you sleep well. - 若要人不知，除非己莫为 (ruò yào rén bù zhī, chú fēi jǐ mò wéi)
Literally: If you do not want people to know, do not do it.
Meaning: Secrets come out. The only safe way is not to do wrong. - 一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳 (yī zhāo bèi shé yǎo, shí nián pà jǐng shéng)
Literally: Bitten by a snake once, afraid of well ropes for ten years.
Meaning: One bad experience can make you scared for a long time. - 水能载舟，亦能覆舟 (shuǐ néng zài zhōu, yì néng fù zhōu)
Literally: Water can carry a boat, and it can also tip it over.
Meaning: The same thing can help you or hurt you. Leaders need the people's support. - 忍一时风平浪静，退一步海阔天空 (rěn yī shí fēng píng làng jìng, tuì yī bù hǎi kuò tiān kōng)
Literally: Hold back for a moment and the wind and waves calm down. Step back once and the sea and sky open wide.
Meaning: A little patience in a fight saves a lot of trouble. - 病来如山倒，病去如抽丝 (bìng lái rú shān dǎo, bìng qù rú chōu sī)
Literally: Illness comes like a falling mountain and leaves like silk being pulled thread by thread.
Meaning: You get sick fast but get better slowly, so be patient.
Chinese Proverbs About Success and Hard Work
For students, workers and anyone chasing a big goal.
- 世上无难事，只怕有心人 (shì shàng wú nán shì, zhǐ pà yǒu xīn rén)
Literally: Nothing in the world is hard for a person who sets their heart on it.
Meaning: With real effort, you can do almost anything. - 只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针 (zhǐ yào gōng fu shēn, tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn)
Literally: With enough effort, an iron rod can be ground into a needle.
Meaning: Hard work and patience can do the impossible. - 吃得苦中苦，方为人上人 (chī dé kǔ zhōng kǔ, fāng wéi rén shàng rén)
Literally: Only by eating the bitterest of bitterness can you rise above others.
Meaning: Great success comes after great hardship. - 万事开头难 (wàn shì kāi tóu nán)
Literally: Every task is hard at the start.
Meaning: Beginnings are the hardest part, so do not give up early. - 笨鸟先飞 (bèn niǎo xiān fēi)
Literally: The slow bird flies first.
Meaning: If you are not the fastest, start earlier and work harder. - 一分耕耘，一分收获 (yī fēn gēng yún, yī fēn shōu huò)
Literally: One part ploughing, one part harvest.
Meaning: What you get depends on how much work you put in. - 行百里者半九十 (xíng bǎi lǐ zhě bàn jiǔ shí)
Literally: For someone walking a hundred miles, ninety is only halfway.
Meaning: The last part of any job is the hardest. Do not relax near the end. - 百尺竿头，更进一步 (bǎi chǐ gān tóu, gèng jìn yī bù)
Literally: At the top of a hundred-foot pole, take one more step.
Meaning: Even when you are doing well, keep pushing to do better. - 一口吃不成胖子 (yī kǒu chī bù chéng pàng zi)
Literally: You cannot get fat from one bite.
Meaning: Big results come bit by bit, not all at once. - 小洞不补，大洞吃苦 (xiǎo dòng bù bǔ, dà dòng chī kǔ)
Literally: Leave a small hole unpatched and you will suffer from a big one.
Meaning: Fix small problems before they grow. Like "a stitch in time saves nine". - 星星之火，可以燎原 (xīng xing zhī huǒ, kě yǐ liáo yuán)
Literally: A single spark can set the whole prairie on fire.
Meaning: Small beginnings can lead to huge things. - 有志者事竟成 (yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng)
Literally: For one with will, the task will finally be done.
Meaning: Where there is a will, there is a way. - 磨刀不误砍柴工 (mó dāo bù wù kǎn chái gōng)
Literally: Sharpening the axe does not waste woodcutting time.
Meaning: Time spent preparing makes the work faster. - 工欲善其事，必先利其器 (gōng yù shàn qí shì, bì xiān lì qí qì)
Literally: A worker who wants to do good work must first sharpen his tools.
Meaning: Get the right tools and skills before you start. - 人心齐，泰山移 (rén xīn qí, tài shān yí)
Literally: When people's hearts are united, even Mount Tai can be moved.
Meaning: Teamwork can do what no one person can.
Chinese Proverbs About Learning
For students, teachers and anyone who loves to keep learning.
- 活到老，学到老 (huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo)
Literally: Live until old, learn until old.
Meaning: You are never too old to learn. - 读万卷书，行万里路 (dú wàn juàn shū, xíng wàn lǐ lù)
Literally: Read ten thousand books, walk ten thousand miles.
Meaning: Learn from books and from the world. - 书到用时方恨少 (shū dào yòng shí fāng hèn shǎo)
Literally: Only when you need books do you regret reading so few.
Meaning: Learn now, because one day you will need it. - 学如逆水行舟，不进则退 (xué rú nì shuǐ xíng zhōu, bù jìn zé tuì)
Literally: Learning is like rowing upstream. If you do not go forward, you go back.
Meaning: Stop studying and you lose what you had. - 听君一席话，胜读十年书 (tīng jūn yī xí huà, shèng dú shí nián shū)
Literally: One talk with you is better than ten years of reading.
Meaning: A wise person can teach you more in one chat than years of books. Said as a thank-you for good advice. - 学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆 (xué ér bù sī zé wǎng, sī ér bù xué zé dài)
Literally: Learning without thinking is useless. Thinking without learning is dangerous.
Meaning: Study and think about what you study. From Confucius. - 好记性不如烂笔头 (hǎo jì xìng bù rú làn bǐ tóu)
Literally: A good memory is not as good as a worn-out pen.
Meaning: Write things down. Notes beat memory. - 严师出高徒 (yán shī chū gāo tú)
Literally: Strict teachers make great students.
Meaning: Tough teaching brings out the best in people. - 少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲 (shào zhuàng bù nǔ lì, lǎo dà tú shāng bēi)
Literally: Lazy when young, sad for nothing when old.
Meaning: Work hard while you are young, or you will regret it later. - 不耻下问 (bù chǐ xià wèn)
Literally: Not ashamed to ask those below you.
Meaning: Never be too proud to ask a question, even of someone younger or less senior. - 熟能生巧 (shú néng shēng qiǎo)
Literally: Familiarity gives birth to skill.
Meaning: Practice makes perfect. - 师傅领进门，修行在个人 (shī fu lǐng jìn mén, xiū xíng zài gè rén)
Literally: The master leads you to the door, the training is up to you.
Meaning: A teacher can show you the way, but you have to do the work.
Wise Chinese Sayings
For moments when you need good judgment more than speed.
- 大智若愚 (dà zhì ruò yú)
Literally: Great wisdom looks like foolishness.
Meaning: Truly wise people do not show off. - 兼听则明，偏信则暗 (jiān tīng zé míng, piān xìn zé àn)
Literally: Listen to all sides and you see clearly. Trust one side and you are in the dark.
Meaning: Hear everyone out before you decide. - 人无远虑，必有近忧 (rén wú yuǎn lǜ, bì yǒu jìn yōu)
Literally: A person with no long-term thinking will have near-term worries.
Meaning: Plan ahead or trouble will catch you soon. - 小不忍则乱大谋 (xiǎo bù rěn zé luàn dà móu)
Literally: Lack of patience in small things ruins big plans.
Meaning: Do not let a small anger wreck something important. - 三思而后行 (sān sī ér hòu xíng)
Literally: Think three times, then act.
Meaning: Think it through before you do it. - 人不可貌相，海水不可斗量 (rén bù kě mào xiàng, hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng)
Literally: You cannot judge a person by looks, or measure the sea with a bucket.
Meaning: Do not judge a book by its cover. - 千里之堤，溃于蚁穴 (qiān lǐ zhī dī, kuì yú yǐ xué)
Literally: A thousand-mile dam can collapse because of an ant hole.
Meaning: Small faults can cause big disasters. - 姜还是老的辣 (jiāng hái shì lǎo de là)
Literally: Old ginger is still the hottest.
Meaning: Experience wins. Older people often know best. - 知己知彼，百战不殆 (zhī jǐ zhī bǐ, bǎi zhàn bù dài)
Literally: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will not lose in a hundred battles.
Meaning: Understand both sides before any contest. From Sun Tzu's The Art of War. - 过犹不及 (guò yóu bù jí)
Literally: Going too far is as bad as not going far enough.
Meaning: Too much of anything is bad. Find the balance. - 欲速则不达 (yù sù zé bù dá)
Literally: Want speed and you will not arrive.
Meaning: Haste makes waste. - 谋事在人，成事在天 (móu shì zài rén, chéng shì zài tiān)
Literally: Planning is up to people, success is up to heaven.
Meaning: Do your best, then accept what happens.
Chinese Proverbs About Love
For couples, crushes and anyone writing a sweet message.
- 情人眼里出西施 (qíng rén yǎn lǐ chū Xī Shī)
Literally: In a lover's eyes, you see Xi Shi.
Meaning: Love makes the one you love look perfect. Xi Shi was a famous beauty of ancient China. - 有情人终成眷属 (yǒu qíng rén zhōng chéng juàn shǔ)
Literally: Lovers will finally become family.
Meaning: True love finds a way to stay together. - 执子之手，与子偕老 (zhí zǐ zhī shǒu, yǔ zǐ xié lǎo)
Literally: Hold your hand and grow old with you.
Meaning: A promise of lifelong love. It comes from the Book of Songs, about 3,000 years old. - 愿得一人心，白首不相离 (yuàn dé yī rén xīn, bái shǒu bù xiāng lí)
Literally: I wish to win one person's heart and never part, even when our hair turns white.
Meaning: A wish for one true love for life. - 爱屋及乌 (ài wū jí wū)
Literally: Love the house, and love the crow on its roof too.
Meaning: When you love someone, you love everything about them. - 一日不见，如隔三秋 (yī rì bù jiàn, rú gé sān qiū)
Literally: One day without seeing you feels like three autumns.
Meaning: I miss you so much that a day feels like years. - 萝卜青菜，各有所爱 (luó bo qīng cài, gè yǒu suǒ ài)
Literally: Radish or greens, each to their own love.
Meaning: Everyone has their own taste. - 小别胜新婚 (xiǎo bié shèng xīn hūn)
Literally: A short time apart is better than a new marriage.
Meaning: A little time apart makes the reunion sweet. - 一见钟情 (yī jiàn zhōng qíng)
Literally: One look, and the feelings are set.
Meaning: Love at first sight.
Chinese Proverbs About Friendship
For best friends, old friends and the people who show up when it counts.
- 君子之交淡如水 (jūn zǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ)
Literally: Friendship between good people is plain like water.
Meaning: Real friendship does not need gifts or show. It is simple and lasting. - 患难见真情 (huàn nàn jiàn zhēn qíng)
Literally: Hard times show true feelings.
Meaning: A friend in need is a friend indeed. - 海内存知己，天涯若比邻 (hǎi nèi cún zhī jǐ, tiān yá ruò bǐ lín)
Literally: With a true friend in the world, the ends of the earth feel like next door.
Meaning: Distance cannot break a real friendship. A line from the Tang poet Wang Bo. - 在家靠父母，出外靠朋友 (zài jiā kào fù mǔ, chū wài kào péng you)
Literally: At home rely on parents, away from home rely on friends.
Meaning: Friends become your family when you are far from home. - 多个朋友多条路 (duō gè péng you duō tiáo lù)
Literally: One more friend, one more road.
Meaning: Every new friend opens a new door. - 千里送鹅毛，礼轻情意重 (qiān lǐ sòng é máo, lǐ qīng qíng yì zhòng)
Literally: A goose feather sent from a thousand miles away. The gift is light, the feeling is heavy.
Meaning: It is the thought that counts. - 道不同，不相为谋 (dào bù tóng, bù xiāng wéi móu)
Literally: If your paths are different, do not make plans together.
Meaning: People with very different values should not work together. From Confucius. - 礼尚往来 (lǐ shàng wǎng lái)
Literally: Courtesy values coming and going.
Meaning: Return kindness with kindness.
Chinese Proverbs About Family
For parents, children and anyone sending a message home.
- 家和万事兴 (jiā hé wàn shì xīng)
Literally: A peaceful family makes everything prosper.
Meaning: When a family gets along, everything goes well. - 不当家不知柴米贵 (bù dāng jiā bù zhī chái mǐ guì)
Literally: If you do not run the house, you do not know how expensive firewood and rice are.
Meaning: You do not know how hard something is until you have to do it. - 清官难断家务事 (qīng guān nán duàn jiā wù shì)
Literally: Even an honest judge cannot settle family matters.
Meaning: Family fights are hard for outsiders to judge. - 家丑不可外扬 (jiā chǒu bù kě wài yáng)
Literally: Family shame should not be spread outside.
Meaning: Keep family problems inside the family. - 百善孝为先 (bǎi shàn xiào wéi xiān)
Literally: Of a hundred good deeds, respect for parents comes first.
Meaning: Caring for your parents is the most important virtue. - 望子成龙 (wàng zǐ chéng lóng)
Literally: Hoping your son becomes a dragon.
Meaning: Parents' big hopes for their children's success.
Chinese Proverbs About Time
For reminders to use today well.
- 一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴 (yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn, cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn)
Literally: An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time.
Meaning: Time is worth more than money. - 花有重开日，人无再少年 (huā yǒu chóng kāi rì, rén wú zài shào nián)
Literally: Flowers bloom again, but people are never young again.
Meaning: Youth does not come back, so make the most of it. - 今日事，今日毕 (jīn rì shì, jīn rì bì)
Literally: Today's work, finished today.
Meaning: Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today. - 机不可失，时不再来 (jī bù kě shī, shí bù zài lái)
Literally: Do not miss the chance, the time will not come again.
Meaning: Grab an opportunity when it shows up. - 三十年河东，三十年河西 (sān shí nián hé dōng, sān shí nián hé xī)
Literally: Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river.
Meaning: Fortunes change over time. The poor can become rich and the rich poor.
Chengyu: Four-Character Chinese Idioms
For learners and story lovers. Each chengyu is a short form of an old story, so four characters carry a whole lesson.
- 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú)
Literally: Draw a snake and add feet.
Meaning: Ruin something by doing too much. A man lost a drawing contest because he added feet to his snake. - 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù)
Literally: Guard a tree stump and wait for a rabbit.
Meaning: Waiting for luck instead of working. A farmer saw a rabbit hit a stump once, then waited there forever. - 亡羊补牢 (wáng yáng bǔ láo)
Literally: Fix the pen after the sheep are lost.
Meaning: It is not too late to fix a problem, even after some damage. - 掩耳盗铃 (yǎn ěr dào líng)
Literally: Cover your ears to steal a bell.
Meaning: Fooling yourself, thinking a problem is gone because you ignore it. - 狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi)
Literally: The fox borrows the tiger's power.
Meaning: Bullying others using someone else's power. - 拔苗助长 (bá miáo zhù zhǎng)
Literally: Pull up the seedlings to help them grow.
Meaning: Rushing things makes them worse. - 卧薪尝胆 (wò xīn cháng dǎn)
Literally: Sleep on brushwood and taste gall.
Meaning: Bear hardship on purpose to stay focused on a goal. From King Goujian, who did this to remind himself of his defeat. - 破釜沉舟 (pò fǔ chén zhōu)
Literally: Break the pots and sink the boats.
Meaning: Go all in, with no way back. - 刻舟求剑 (kè zhōu qiú jiàn)
Literally: Mark the boat to find a sword.
Meaning: Sticking to old methods when things have changed. A man marked his boat where his sword fell into the river, then searched there after the boat moved. - 自相矛盾 (zì xiāng máo dùn)
Literally: One's own spear and shield.
Meaning: Contradicting yourself. A seller claimed his spear could pierce anything and his shield could stop anything. - 半途而废 (bàn tú ér fèi)
Literally: Give up halfway down the road.
Meaning: Quitting before you finish. - 胸有成竹 (xiōng yǒu chéng zhú)
Literally: Have the whole bamboo in your chest.
Meaning: Having a clear plan before you start. A painter pictured the full bamboo before drawing it. - 朝三暮四 (zhāo sān mù sì)
Literally: Three in the morning, four in the evening.
Meaning: Changing your mind all the time. Today it is also used for someone who is not loyal. - 入木三分 (rù mù sān fēn)
Literally: Into the wood three fen deep.
Meaning: Deep and sharp, said of strong writing or insight. Legend says the calligrapher Wang Xizhi's ink soaked deep into wood. - 鹤立鸡群 (hè lì jī qún)
Literally: A crane standing among chickens.
Meaning: Someone who stands out from the crowd. - 望梅止渴 (wàng méi zhǐ kě)
Literally: Look at plums to quench thirst.
Meaning: Comforting yourself with something you do not have yet. - 纸上谈兵 (zhǐ shàng tán bīng)
Literally: Talk about war on paper.
Meaning: All theory, no real experience. - 愚公移山 (yú gōng yí shān)
Literally: The foolish old man moves the mountains.
Meaning: With patience and grit, even a mountain can be moved.
Chinese Sayings About Dragons and Animals
For Chinese New Year cards, zodiac fans and anyone who likes a strong image.
- 龙马精神 (lóng mǎ jīng shén)
Literally: The spirit of a dragon horse.
Meaning: Full of energy and good health. A favorite New Year wish for older people. - 鲤鱼跳龙门 (lǐ yú tiào lóng mén)
Literally: The carp leaps over the Dragon Gate.
Meaning: A big success after hard work, like passing a tough exam. Legend says a carp that jumps the gate turns into a dragon. - 生龙活虎 (shēng lóng huó hǔ)
Literally: Lively as a dragon, active as a tiger.
Meaning: Full of life and energy. - 画龙点睛 (huà lóng diǎn jīng)
Literally: Paint the dragon, dot the eyes.
Meaning: The final touch that brings a whole work to life. - 叶公好龙 (Yè Gōng hào lóng)
Literally: Lord Ye loves dragons.
Meaning: Saying you love something but running from it in real life. Lord Ye loved dragon art, then fled when a real dragon came. - 虎头蛇尾 (hǔ tóu shé wěi)
Literally: Tiger's head, snake's tail.
Meaning: A great start and a weak finish. - 山中无老虎，猴子称大王 (shān zhōng wú lǎo hǔ, hóu zi chēng dà wáng)
Literally: When there is no tiger in the mountains, the monkey calls himself king.
Meaning: When the real leader is gone, small people act big. - 杀鸡儆猴 (shā jī jǐng hóu)
Literally: Kill the chicken to scare the monkey.
Meaning: Punish one person as a warning to others.
Funny Chinese Sayings and Xiehouyu
For a laugh. Xiehouyu (歇后语) are two-part sayings: you say the first half, and everyone knows the punchline.
- 三个和尚没水喝 (sān gè hé shang méi shuǐ hē)
Literally: Three monks have no water to drink.
Meaning: When everyone is in charge, nobody does the job. - 挂羊头卖狗肉 (guà yáng tóu mài gǒu ròu)
Literally: Hang up a sheep's head, sell dog meat.
Meaning: Promising one thing and selling something worse. - 狗嘴里吐不出象牙 (gǒu zuǐ li tǔ bù chū xiàng yá)
Literally: Ivory does not come out of a dog's mouth.
Meaning: Do not expect nice words from a rude person. - 鸡蛋里挑骨头 (jī dàn li tiāo gǔ tou)
Literally: Look for bones in an egg.
Meaning: Nitpicking, finding fault where there is none. - 哑巴吃黄连，有苦说不出 (yǎ ba chī huáng lián, yǒu kǔ shuō bu chū)
Literally: A mute eats bitter herbs and cannot say how bitter it is.
Meaning: Suffering in silence, with no one to tell. - 竹篮打水一场空 (zhú lán dǎ shuǐ yī cháng kōng)
Literally: Fetch water with a bamboo basket, end up with nothing.
Meaning: All that effort, for nothing. - 此地无银三百两 (cǐ dì wú yín sān bǎi liǎng)
Literally: No 300 silver coins are buried here.
Meaning: A clumsy cover-up that gives you away. A man buried his silver and put up this sign. - 癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉 (lài há ma xiǎng chī tiān é ròu)
Literally: A toad wants to eat swan meat.
Meaning: Wanting something way out of your league. - 一个巴掌拍不响 (yī ge bā zhǎng pāi bù xiǎng)
Literally: One hand cannot clap.
Meaning: It takes two to fight. Both sides share the blame. - 黄鼠狼给鸡拜年，没安好心 (huáng shǔ láng gěi jī bài nián, méi ān hǎo xīn)
Literally: The weasel visits the chicken for New Year, with no good intentions.
Meaning: Beware of a "friendly" visit from someone with a hidden motive. - 泥菩萨过江，自身难保 (ní pú sà guò jiāng, zì shēn nán bǎo)
Literally: A clay Buddha crossing a river cannot even save itself.
Meaning: I am in too much trouble myself to help you. - 丈二和尚，摸不着头脑 (zhàng èr hé shang, mō bu zháo tóu nǎo)
Literally: A monk ten feet tall, you cannot reach his head.
Meaning: Totally confused, cannot make heads or tails of it.
Chinese Proverbs Quotes Maker: Share a Proverb in 4 Steps
You do not need an app to turn a proverb into a picture or status.
- Pick one and tap Copy on any card above.
- Keep the characters and the meaning together. Paste the Chinese line first, then the English meaning, so people who cannot read Chinese still get it.
- Make it a picture. Paste it into a WhatsApp text status, an Instagram story or a Canva template, and choose a plain background so the characters stay sharp.
- Check before you print or tattoo. Copy the characters exactly as written here and ask a Chinese speaker to look. One wrong character can change the meaning.
A few tips: use chengyu like 画龙点睛 or 半途而废 in school essays to sound fluent, save 龙马精神 and 鲤鱼跳龙门 for New Year and exam wishes, and keep the cheeky xiehouyu for friends. Be careful with lines like 癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉, which can sound rude if aimed at someone.
Watch out for fakes too. "May you live in interesting times" and many quotes signed "Chinese proverb" online have no Chinese source at all. Every saying on this page is a real one in Chinese.
Love old sayings from other places? Read our Japanese proverbs, Mongolian proverbs and Irish proverbs, or grab a one-liner from our short quotes.
What is the most famous Chinese proverb?
Outside China, the best known is from Laozi: a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Inside China, everyday sayings like 吃一堑，长一智 (fall into a ditch, gain some wisdom) are heard all the time.
What are Chinese proverbs called?
Common sayings are called yànyǔ (谚语). Fixed idioms, mostly four characters long and based on old stories, are called chéngyǔ (成语).
What is a chengyu?
A chengyu is a Chinese idiom, usually four characters, that stands for a whole story or lesson. 画蛇添足 (draw a snake and add feet) means ruin something by overdoing it.
What is a Chinese proverb about love?
情人眼里出西施 says a lover sees the famous beauty Xi Shi in the one they love. 执子之手，与子偕老 (hold your hand and grow old with you) is a classic promise of lifelong love.
What is an ancient Chinese proverb about life?
知足常乐 (knowing what is enough brings lasting joy) is an old favorite. 留得青山在，不怕没柴烧 says that as long as you are alive and well, you can always start again.
Is 'may you live in interesting times' a Chinese curse?
No. Researchers have found no Chinese source for it. It appeared in English in the 20th century and was later labeled Chinese.
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