Witty and Wise Chinese Proverbs
85
Here is a delightful collection of Chinese proverbs which gives us a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Chinese people. Their wise sayings are drawn from experience of their daily lives, observation on subjects ranging from friendship to common sense and folk wisdom. The value of Chinese proverbs has increased with the passing of the ages because they ring as true today as they were thousands of years ago.
- A single spark can set a prairie on fire.
- Water can both sustain and sink a ship.
- Count not what is lost, but what is left.
- If there is a strong general there will be no weak soldiers.
- To extend your life by a year take one less bite each meal.
- Peace only comes when reason rules.
- Even the tallest tower started form the ground.
- Eloquence provides only persuasion, but truth buys loyalty.
- Wisdom is attained by learning when to hold one's tongue.
- A single tree cannot make a forest
- If one eats less one will taste more.
- One hand alone cannot clap, it takes two to quarrel.
- It does not matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice.
- Cowards have dreams, brave men have visions
- Learning is like the horizon; there is no limit.
- The old horse will know the way
- A good friend shields you from the storm
- Change the skin, wash the heart
- Sow melon, reap melon; sow beans, reap beans.
One sings, all follow.
- Fortune has a fickle heart and a short memory.
- Harsh words and poor reasoning never settle anything.
- Dangerous enemies will meet again in narrow streets.
- Better to bend in the wind than to break.
- Do not kill the hen for her eggs.
- First attain skill; creativity comes later.
- Make the cap fit the head.
- A single beam cannot support a great house.
- Do not be concerned with things outside your door.
- Wise men may not be learned; learned men may not be wise.
- Crows are black the world over.
- Do not lift a rock only to drop it on your own foot
- Kill the chicken to frigthen the monkey
- Wait long, strike fast.
- Do not wait until you're thirsty to dig a well
- One who would pick the roses must bear with thorns
- Failure is the mother of success.
- Do not climb a tree to look for a fish
- Only time and effort brings proficiency
- Distance tests the endurance of a horse; time reveals a man's character.
|
1766 Chinese Proverbs History Theatre Poetry CHINA Asia Hao Qiu Zhuan PLATES +++
Current Bid: $499.00
|
|
ART GLASS OWL W/ ANCIENT CHINESE PROVERB PRESENTATION BOX- LIKE MURANO BIRD BODY
Current Bid: $7.00
|
|
700 Chinese Proverbs
Current Bid: $30.00
|
|
NEW Best-Loved Chinese Proverbs - Lau, Theodora/ Lau, K
Current Bid: $8.38
|
|
THE WISDOM OF THE CHINESE Sayings Proverbs 1938 HC/DJ
Current Bid: $24.95
|
More Chinese Proverbs and Sayings
- Favourite Chinese Proverbs
A list of witty and amusing proverbs from a variety of sources. - Sayings of Confucius
Sayings from a wise man, born in 551 BCE in a small State of Lu and became one of China's great philosopher. - Witty and Wise Chinese Sayings II
Chinese sayings are simple, short and witty but they give a direct message that will reach the heart and mind of the readers, they are condensed truth that are evident in our daily life.
vote upvote downshareprintflag
- Useful (24)
- Funny (56)
- Awesome (15)
- Beautiful (12)
- Interesting (14)
CommentsLoading...
Really, really loved them.Thanks for sharing
Not only a nice, but a very wise collection of wise and witty proverbs. Origin:Chinese. Usage:Universal. Thanks a lot.
this are awesome proverbs
very nice indeed it makes u think .:))
really a great collection of thoughts
• Do not climb a tree to look for a fish
sound fun, n true
but i don't get the mean?
Awesome proverbs. Thanks for collecting and sharing them. I'll also share them.
Those were great! thanks!
thank you for putting proverbs on the internet.
You actually make it appear so easy with your presentation however I to find this topic to be actually one thing that I feel I might by no means understand. It seems too complicated and very large for me. I'm having a look forward for your next publish, I'll try to get the cling of it!
Excellent Collection! Thanks!
It is very true that these fellows were and are a clever people. I feel I've learned something here. Thank You.
Very nice pictures and proverbs! Thank you! ^^
truth makes you stronger,wisdom makes things valuabe,knowledge gives the true value of power
an excellent collection and a painstaking effort thanks alot
I enjoy making this hub and I am continuosly adding more quotes to it .... thanks for all your inspiring comments..
MM
Peace comes when reason rules is my favorite. Great collectin of quotes.
"Distance tests the endurance of a horse; time reveals a man's character."
My favorite quote, but this is not entirely accurate.
"??????????" originally, I believe (if I'm translating correctly) it's more like, "On a distant road you know a horse's strength; through long days you see a person's heart."
Then again, I'm not a professional translator, and I'm still learning Chinese! :]
Thank you for your efforts! I enjoyed reading.
Wow. What a beauty they are, fantastic delightful colorful, other too..... the give some impression upon once life. It make to diversify my knowledge too...
i know, those are nice pictures.
Great hub! I love the pictures!
Very nice collection - loved the proverbs...
Nice quotes and pics, thanks for sharing.
"Learning is like the horizon - there is no limit" - that's my favorite of the Chinese proverbs. And I plan to use it when soliciting new executive coaching clients. Thank you for expanding my horizon.
Todd,
What the proverb means is, a person uses the wrong method to accomplish a task.
MM,
I think "A single spark can set a prairie on fire" is a quotation by Mao Zedong,a Chinese revolutionary, political theorist and former Communist leader of the People's Republic of China and "It does not matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice" is a quotation by Deng Xiaoping, a prominent Chinese politician, statesman, theorist, diplomat and former leader of the Communist Party of China.
What if you cant see the fish from the waters edge. :)
climb the tree?
Very to-the-point and practical collection!
Loved them. Thanks
he who never failed never tryed
I especially like 'count not what is lost, but what is left'. I too share your love of quotes.
Long and thin may fit in, but short and thick did the the thrick.
that s really interesting... i would like to read more those things.
These are great quotes. Nice Hub
Chinese sayings are catchy and true! Great work with the compalation.
Amazing compalation of chinese Genius through your choice.
A lot of wisdom here. Enjoyed reading these old Chinese proverbs. Nice photos, too.
I love how you express, that over thousands of years the chinese proverbs are still quite factual despite the changing times. Its amazing most of these especially "Wise men may not be learned; learned men may not be wise" are extremely real and makes me think alot about myself.Going to print these out for work haha.
Wonderful!! And the one I took for my company motto:
When you reach the top of the Mountain, climb higher!
Thanks for dropping by i am glad you enjoy the proverbs and the photos.
Very nice collection of proverbs and photos.
louromano Level 1 Commenter 2 months ago
Very nice pictures and proverbs! Thank you. Great hub.