349+ Chinese Proverbs [Friendship, Success, Love & More]

Chinese proverbs are pithy and insightful sayings that encapsulate wisdom and experience.

They are a fundamental part of Chinese culture and have been used to impart knowledge and guidance for centuries.

Here are some of the characteristics of Chinese proverbs in different themes:

1. Friendship: Chinese proverbs about friendship often emphasize the importance of loyalty and trust. For example, “A true friend is one soul in two bodies” expresses the idea that real friends share a deep connection that transcends physical boundaries. Another proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” suggests that the bonds of friendship can be formed through shared experiences and a willingness to take risks together.
2. Success: Chinese proverbs about success often highlight the importance of hard work, determination, and patience. For example, “Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still” suggests that success is a gradual process that requires consistent effort. Another popular proverb, “The journey is the reward,” emphasizes the idea that the process of achieving success can be just as fulfilling as the end result.
3. Love: Chinese proverbs about love often emphasize the importance of harmony and balance in relationships. For example, “A good marriage is like a casserole, only those responsible for making it know what goes into it” suggests that successful relationships require effort and communication from both partners. Another proverb, “When love is not madness, it is not love,” suggests that love should be passionate and intense.
4. Wisdom: Chinese proverbs about wisdom often draw upon nature and the natural world for inspiration. For example, “A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song” suggests that wisdom comes from within and should be expressed freely. Another popular proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now,” emphasizes the importance of taking action in the present moment.

Overall, Chinese proverbs are characterized by their brevity, depth, and timeless wisdom.

They offer practical advice for navigating life’s challenges and can be applied to a wide range of situations and contexts.

We have hundreds to explore in this article.

Let’s take a look.

Chinese Proverbs

Chinese Proverbs:

1. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
2. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”
3. “A man who chases two rabbits catches neither.”
4. “Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
5. “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
6. “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
7. “Do not choose the one you don’t trust and trust the one you chose.”
8. “When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.”
9. “If you want to know the road ahead, ask those coming back.”
10. “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”
11. “A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.”
12. “Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself.”
13. “The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.”
14. “A journey without a destination is like a boat without a compass.”
15. “You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent them from making a nest in your hair.”
16. “If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people.”
17. “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
18. “The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher.”
19. “A nation’s treasure is in its scholars.”
20. “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.”
21. “A frog in a well knows nothing of the ocean.”
22. “The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.”
23. “Talk doesn’t cook rice.”
24. “A family with an old person has a living treasure of gold.”
25. “He who asks a question is a fool for a minute; he who does not remains a fool forever.”
26. “If you want to be happy for a year, plant a garden; if you want to be happy for life, plant a tree.”
27. “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.”
28. “A tree that falls makes a lot of noise; a forest that grows is silent.”
29. “If you stand straight, do not fear a crooked shadow.”
30. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
31. “The palest ink is better than the best memory.”
32. “Even a hare will bite when it is cornered.”
33. “A book holds a house of gold.”
34. “When anger rises, think of the consequences.”
35. “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.”
36. “A diamond with a flaw is worth more than a pebble without imperfections.”
37. “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
38. “If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
39. “A wise man makes his own decisions; an ignorant man follows public opinion.”
40. “The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.”
41. “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
42. “Experience is the best teacher.”

Chinese Proverbs: 13 Famous Quotes and Their Meanings | Words of Wisdom for Chinese Learners

Chinese Sayings

Chinese Sayings with sinograms (hanzi, hanja, kanji):

1. 一步一个脚印，走遍天下都不难。 (yī bù yī gè jiǎo yìn, zǒu biàn tiān xià dōu bù nán) – One step at a time, it is not difficult to travel around the world.
2. 人无完人，金无足赤。 (rén wú wán rén, jīn wú zú chì) – No man is perfect and no gold is pure.
3. 时不我待，来日难追。 (shí bù wǒ dài, lái rì nán zhuī) – Time and tide wait for no man.
4. 活到老，学到老。 (huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo) – You’re never too old to learn.
5. 一分耕耘，一分收获。 (yī fēn gēng yún, yī fēn shōu huò) – No pain, no gain.
6. 有志者事竟成。 (yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng) – Where there is a will, there is a way.
7. 滴水穿石。 (dī shuǐ chuān shí) – Constant dripping wears away a stone.
8. 不入虎穴，焉得虎子。 (bù rù hǔ xué, yān dé hǔ zǐ) – Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
9. 吃一堑，长一智。 (chī yī qiàn, zhǎng yī zhì) – Learn from experience.
10. 师傅领进门，修行在个人。 (shī fù lǐng jìn mén, xiū xíng zài gè rén) – Teachers can only open the door, but the student must enter by himself.
11. 人山人海。 (rén shān rén hǎi) – A sea of people.
12. 百闻不如一见。 (bǎi wén bù rú yī jiàn) – Seeing is believing.
13. 同舟共济。 (tóng zhōu gòng jì) – We’re all in the same boat.
14. 笨鸟先飞。 (bèn niǎo xiān fēi) – Slow and steady wins the race.
15. 有钱能使鬼推磨。 (yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuī mò) – Money makes the world go round.
16. 天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福。 (tiān yǒu bù cè fēng yún, rén yǒu dàn xī huò fú) – The world is full of uncertainties, and fortune or misfortune may strike at any moment.
17. 知己知彼，百战不殆。 (zhī jǐ zhī bǐ, bǎi zhàn bù dài) – If you know yourself and your enemy, you will not be defeated in a hundred battles.
18. 三个臭皮匠，赛过诸葛亮。 (sān gè chòu pí jiàng, sài guò Zhūgě Liàng) – Two heads are better than one.
19. 远水难解近渴。 (yuǎn shuǐ nán jiě jìn kě) – Distant water does not quench immediate thirst.
20. 常在河边走，哪有不湿鞋。 (cháng zài hé biān zǒu, nǎ yǒu bù shī xié) – If you walk by the river often, your shoes will eventually get wet.
21. 不打不成器。 (bù dǎ bù chéng qì) – No pain, no gain.
22. 爱屋及乌。 (ài wū jí wū) – Love me, love my dog.
23. 活到老，爱到老。 (huó dào lǎo, ài dào lǎo) – Love knows no age.
24. 纸上谈兵。 (zhǐ shàng tán bīng) – To discuss military strategy on paper.
25. 好事不出门，恶事传千里。 (hǎo shì bù chū mén, è shì chuán qiān lǐ) – Good news doesn’t travel far, but bad news does.
26. 言而无信，不知其可。 (yán ér wú xìn, bù zhī qí kě) – A man is only as good as his word.
27. 因噎废食。 (yīn yē fèi shí) – Once bitten, twice shy.
28. 良药苦口利于病，忠言逆耳利于行。 (liáng yào kǔ kǒu lì yú bìng, zhōng yán nì ěr lì yú xíng) – Good medicine tastes bitter, good advice is harsh to the ear.
29. 眼见为实。 (yǎn jiàn wéi shí) – Seeing is believing.
30. 好久不见，不知你还好吗？ (hǎo jiǔ bù jiàn, bù zhī nǐ hái hǎo ma?) – Long time no see, how have you been?
31. 己所不欲，勿施于人。 (jǐ suǒ bù yù, wù shī yú rén) – Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.
32. 一举两得。 (yī jǔ liǎng dé) – Kill two birds with one stone.

Funny Chinese Proverbs

Funny Chinese Proverbs:

1. If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.
2. If you want to know what’s happening in the market, ask the poor.
3. A closed mouth catches no flies.
4. He who laughs last didn’t get the joke.
5. If you want to catch a tiger cub, don’t go into the tiger’s den.
6. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.
7. Behind every successful man, there is a woman. Behind every unsuccessful man, there are two.
8. A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.
9. Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.
10. If you want to avoid getting bitten by a snake, stay away from the grass.
11. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
12. If you want your dreams to come true, don’t oversleep.
13. When you drink the water, remember the spring.
14. Better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.
15. He who asks a question is a fool for a minute; he who does not is a fool for life.
16. If you want to know the road ahead, ask those coming back.
17. The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
18. A smile will gain you ten more years of life.
19. The best things in life are free.
20. If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.
21. A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.
22. The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.
23. No matter how tall the mountain is, it cannot block the sun.
24. Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.
25. A penny saved is a penny earned.
26. An inch of time is an inch of gold, but you can’t buy that inch of time with an inch of gold.
27. If you want to know what someone is really like, look at their friends.
28. If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself.
29. A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit.
30. Do not wait for the opportunity, create it.
31. You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.
32. Dig the well before you are thirsty.
33. A single conversation across the table with a wise person is worth a month’s study of books.
34. A dog will not howl if you beat him with a bone.
35. To believe in one’s dreams is to spend all of one’s life asleep.
36. Do not remove a fly from your friend’s forehead with a hatchet.
37. Even a hare will bite when it is cornered.
38. When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other.

Asian Quotes

Asian Quotes:

1. “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” – Anonymous
2. “Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” – Chinese Proverb
3. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu
4. “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.” – Chinese Proverb
5. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Maimonides
6. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb
7. “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” – Chinese Proverb
8. “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.” – Lao Tzu

Chinese Wisdom

Chinese Wisdom:

1. “The mind is everything. What you think you become.” – Buddha
2. “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese Proverb
3. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
4. “Do not wait for opportunities, create them.” – Anonymous
5. “Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.” – Lao Tzu
6. “The wise adapt themselves to circumstances, as water molds itself to the pitcher.” – Chinese Proverb
7. “To be wronged is nothing unless you remember it.” – Confucius
8. “The best fighter is never angry.” – Lao Tzu
9. “If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.” – J.K. Rowling
10. “A diamond with a flaw is worth more than a pebble without imperfections.” – Chinese Proverb

Chinese Proverbs on Life

Chinese Proverbs on Life:

1. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
2. If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.
3. Life is a journey, not a destination.
4. A wise man adapts himself to circumstances, as water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it.
5. Time and tide wait for no man.
6. Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
7. He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.
8. Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get up.
9. Life is like a camera, focus on the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, take another shot.
10. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.
11. The more you know yourself, the more clarity there is. Self-knowledge has no end.
12. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.
13. If you want to know the road ahead, ask those coming back.
14. An inch of time is an inch of gold, but you can’t buy that inch of time with an inch of gold.
15. When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
16. The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.
17. A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study.
18. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
19. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
20. A book holds a house of gold.

Chinese Proverbs About Friendship

Chinese Proverbs About Friendship:

1. A true friend is one who overlooks your failures and tolerates your success.
2. Make friends before you need them.
3. A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody.
4. A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.
5. A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.
6. True friends are never apart, maybe in distance but never in heart.
7. The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.
8. The best mirror is an old friend.
9. A true friend is one who walks in when others walk out.
10. Friendship is a sheltering tree.
11. A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.
12. A good friend is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have.
13. A true friend is someone who is there for you when he’d rather be anywhere else.
14. A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.
15. A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.
16. Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.
17. A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.
18. The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.
19. The language of friendship is not words but meanings.
20. The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.

Chinese Proverbs About Success

Chinese Proverbs About Success:

1. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
2. Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.
3. Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.
4. Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get up.
5. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
6. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.
7. Success is not how high you have climbed, but how you make a positive difference to the world.
8. Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.
9. Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
10. Success is a journey, not a destination.
11. Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
12. A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.
13. The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.
14. Successful people are not gifted; they just work hard, then succeed on purpose.
15. Success is not how much money you have, but how much joy you bring to others.
16. Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.
17. The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well.
18. Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.
19. Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
20. The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do.

Chinese Proverbs About Happiness

Chinese Proverbs About Happiness:

1. If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.
2. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.
3. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.
4. Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.
5. Happiness is not having what you want. It is wanting what you have.
6. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything.
7. True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.
8. The greatest happiness you can have is knowing that you do not necessarily require happiness.
9. The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.
10. The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does.
11. Happiness is not the absence of problems; it’s the ability to deal with them.
12. The happiness of life is made up of the little charities of a kiss or smile, a kind look, a heartfelt compliment.
13. To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others.
14. Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.
15. Happiness is not something you can postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.
16. A contented mind is the greatest blessing a man can enjoy in this world.
17. The greatest wealth is to live content with little.
18. Happiness is not a destination, it is a journey.
19. Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
20. The best way to find happiness is to stop looking for it and start enjoying the moment.

Chinese Proverbs About Stupidity 

Chinese Proverbs About Stupidity:

1. The stupidest person is the one who doesn’t ask questions.
2. It’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.
3. A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
4. Only the foolish and the dead never change their opinions.
5. A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.
6. A book holds a house of gold.
7. Only the foolish think they know everything.
8. A foolish man listens to his heart; a wise man listens to his mind.
9. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others, the fool by his own.
10. A fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in seven years.
11. A stupid person is like a pot without a lid.
12. The greatest mistake is to continue making the same mistakes.
13. An ignorant man does not know what he is saying, a foolish man thinks he knows.
14. The foolish envy the successful, the wise learn from them.
15. A fool always rushes to take sides, but a wise man waits to hear the facts.
16. The more foolish a man is, the more he thinks he knows.
17. A fool and his money are soon parted.
18. Only a fool tests the depth of the water with both feet.
19. It is better to be a fool for a moment than to be one forever.
20. A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.

Chinese Proverbs About Strength

Chinese Proverbs About Strength:

1. A single tree cannot make a forest.
2. When you have the strength to endure, you can accomplish anything.
3. The strongest evidence of love is sacrifice.
4. Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will.
5. A person of character finds a special attractiveness in difficulty, since it is only by coming to grips with difficulty that he can realize his potentialities.
6. The person who has the willpower to succeed always finds a way to make things happen.
7. The strongest warriors are these who fight battles we never hear of.
8. In the face of adversity, a person with a strong will can overcome any obstacle.
9. The truly strong do not need to prove their strength to anyone.
10. A tree with strong roots laughs at storms.
11. The strength of a man’s virtue should not be measured by his special exertions, but by his habitual acts.
12. Strength is not just about what you can lift. It’s also about what you can endure.
13. The true test of a person’s strength is not in how much they lift, but in how they handle the weight of life.
14. The strongest people are not those who show strength in front of us, but those who win battles we know nothing about.
15. True strength is not in the body, but in the mind and the heart.
16. A person’s greatest strength is not in what they can do, but in what they can overcome.
17. Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.
18. The greatest strength is in the ability to overcome oneself.
19. With strength and determination, anything is possible.
20. The strength of a person’s character is tested in the face of adversity.

Chinese Proverbs About Love

Chinese Proverbs About Love:

1. Love is not about possession, it is about appreciation.
2. Love is not just about finding the right person, it’s about creating a right relationship.
3. Love is like a mountain, hard to climb, but once you get to the top, the view is beautiful.
4. True love is not about how much you say “I love you,” but how much you prove that it’s true.
5. Love is not about what you say, it’s about what you do.
6. Love is a journey, not a destination.
7. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
8. A life without love is like a year without summer.
9. Love is not blind, it sees more, not less.
10. To love and be loved is the greatest happiness of existence.
11. Love is like a river, it flows constantly and can never be stopped.
12. Love is not a feeling, it’s an action.
13. Love is like a flame, it needs fuel to keep burning.
14. Love is the bridge between two hearts.
15. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.
16. Love is not about finding someone to complete you, it’s about finding someone who accepts you completely.
17. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more.
18. Love is a promise that can never be broken.
19. Love is the key to happiness and the road to success.
20. Love is not just a feeling, it’s a choice.

Chinese Proverbs About Death

Ancient Chinese Proverbs

Ancient Chinese Proverbs:

1. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
2. “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
3. “Talk doesn’t cook rice.”
4. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
5. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”
6. “One kind word can warm three winter months.”
7. “The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.”
8. “The more you know yourself, the more clarity there is. Self-knowledge has no end.”
9. “A wise man adapts himself to circumstances, as water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it.”
10. “Experience is a comb which nature gives us when we are bald.”
11. “He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.”
12. “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
13. “Opportunity knocks at the door only once.”
14. “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”
15. “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
16. “A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.”
17. “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.”
18. “If you want to know what a man is like, take a look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
19. “Patience is a bitter plant, but it has sweet fruit.”
20. “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”

Chinese Philosophers Quotes

Chinese Philosophers Quotes:

1. “The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived.” – Confucius
2. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
3. “The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not is a fool for life.” – Confucius
4. “Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.” – Confucius
5. “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
6. “Study the past if you would define the future.” – Confucius
7. “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” – Confucius
8. “The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.” – Confucius
9. “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” – Confucius
10. “The cautious seldom err.” – Confucius
11. “Silence is a true friend who never betrays.” – Confucius
12. “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” – Confucius
13. “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” – Confucius
14. “The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.” – Confucius
15. “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius
16. “It does not matter how tall you are, but how well you stand tall.” – Confucius
17. “To be wronged is nothing, unless you remember it.” – Confucius
18. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
19. “The noble-minded are calm and steady. Little people are forever fussing and fretting.” – Confucius
20. “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius

Short Chinese Proverbs

Short Chinese Proverbs:

1. “A bad workman blames his tools.”
2. “Actions speak louder than words.”
3. “All things are difficult before they are easy.”
4. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
5. “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.”
6. “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one.”
7. “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
8. “Dig the well before you are thirsty.”
9. “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
10. “If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
11. “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.”
12. “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
13. “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
14. “One who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; one who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.”
15. “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”
16. “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
17. “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.”
18. “When you drink the water, remember the spring.”
19. “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.”
20. “You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.”

FAQs – Chinese Proverbs

What are some famous Chinese quotes and idioms?

Here are some famous Chinese quotes and idioms:

1. 一步一个脚印 (yī bù yī gè jiǎo yìn) – “One step at a time.”
2. 万事开头难 (wàn shì kāi tóu nán) – “The beginning is always the hardest.”
3. 学如逆水行舟，不进则退 (xué rú nì shuǐ xíng zhōu, bù jìn zé tuì) – “Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back.”
4. 非学无以广才 (fēi xué wú yǐ guǎng cái) – “Without learning, one cannot widen one’s skills.”
5. 知识改变命运 (zhī shí gǎi biàn mìng yùn) – “Knowledge changes destiny.”
6. 时不我待 (shí bù wǒ dài) – “Time and tide wait for no man.”
7. 吃一堑，长一智 (chī yī qiàn, zhǎng yī zhì) – “One learns from experience.”
8. 路漫漫其修远兮，吾将上下而求索 (lù màn màn qí xiū yuǎn xī, wú jiāng shàng xià ér qiú suǒ) – “The road ahead is long and winding, but I will keep climbing and seeking.”
9. 天行健，君子以自强不息 (tiān xíng jiàn, jūn zǐ yǐ zì qiáng bù xī) – “As the heavens are high and unyielding, so should a gentleman constantly strive for self-improvement.”
10. 青山不改绿水长流 (qīng shān bù gǎi lǜ shuǐ cháng liú) – “The mountains may change, but the green waters flow forever.”
11. 有志者事竟成 (yǒu zhì zhě shì jìng chéng) – “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
12. 不积跬步无以至千里 (bù jī kuí bù wú yǐ zhì qiān lǐ) – “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
13. 前人栽树，后人乘凉 (qián rén zāi shù, hòu rén chéng liáng) – “One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade.”
14. 爱屋及乌 (ài wū jí wū) – “Love me, love my dog.”
15. 心有余而力不足 (xīn yǒu yú ér lì bù zú) – “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
16. 因噎废食 (yīn yè fèi shí) – “Give up eating for fear of choking.”

What are some Chinese proverbs about arguing with a fool?

Here are a few Chinese proverbs related to arguing with a fool:

1. 智者千虑，必有一失。愚者千错，必有一得。 Translation: A wise person may make a mistake despite careful planning, but a foolish person may get something right despite repeated blunders. Meaning: Arguing with a foolish person can be a waste of time and effort, as they may not understand reason or logic.
2. 和气生财。 Translation: Harmony brings wealth. Meaning: Rather than arguing with a fool and causing discord, it is better to maintain a peaceful and amicable relationship, as this can be more productive in the long run.
3. 不跟傻子争辩，不然旁人看不出谁是聪明人。 Translation: Don’t argue with a fool, otherwise others won’t be able to tell who the smart one is. Meaning: Engaging in an argument with a foolish person may only serve to make both parties look foolish, and it may be better to avoid such confrontations altogether.
4. 遇到傻子，我们要保持沉默，因为跟他争论是无益的。 Translation: When we encounter a fool, we should remain silent, as arguing with them is useless. Meaning: Arguing with a foolish person may be pointless, and it may be better to simply avoid the confrontation and maintain one’s peace of mind.
5. 饶人不是自己亏。 Translation: To spare others is not to lose oneself. Meaning: It may be more beneficial to let a foolish person have the last word or to concede a point in an argument rather than to continue fighting and risk further conflict or animosity.

Related

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