Chinese proverbs (谚语)

不怕官，只怕管 bù pà guān, zhǐ pà guǎn

don't fear the official, only fear the one who controls you

The direct boss who manages you matters more than a distant high official. Used about people with direct power over you.
不怕红脸关公，就怕抿嘴菩萨 bù pà hóng liǎn guāngōng, jiù pà mǐn zuǐ púsà

don't fear the red-faced Guan Gong, fear the tight-lipped smiling Bodhisattva

A stern but upright person is easy to deal with; a person who feigns kindness is hard to handle. Warns against hypocrites.
不怕路远，只怕志短 bù pà lù yuǎn, zhǐ pà zhì duǎn

don't fear a long road, only a short will

Distance and difficulty don't matter; lack of determination does. Encouraging.
不怕卖不了，就怕货不好 bù pà mài bùliǎo, jiù pà huò bù hǎo

don't fear it won't sell, fear the goods aren't good

Good quality sells itself; quality comes first. Said in business.
不怕慢，就怕站 bù pà màn, jiù pà zhàn

don't fear being slow, fear standing still

Slow progress is fine; stopping is what leads to failure. Compare "slow and steady wins the race."
不怕明处枪和棍，只怕阴阳两面刀 bù pà míngchù qiāng hé gùn, zhǐ pà yīnyáng liǎngmiàn dāo

don't fear spears and clubs in the open, fear the two-faced knife

Open confrontation is less frightening than a person who plots behind your back. A warning about double-dealers.
不怕明说，就怕暗点 bù pà míngshuō, jiù pà àn diǎn

don't fear being told openly, fear being pointed at in secret

Open criticism is fine; talking against someone behind their back is worse.
不怕年灾，就怕连灾 bù pà nián zāi, jiù pà lián zāi

don't fear a year of disaster, fear disasters in a row

One bad year can be endured; successive disasters do far more harm.
不怕念起，只怕觉迟 bù pà niàn qǐ, zhǐ pà jué chí

don't fear a thought arising, only fear realising late

Having a bad thought now and then is not terrible; failing to notice and correct it is. Moral advice with Buddhist flavour.
不怕千招巧，就怕一招错 bù pà qiān zhāo qiǎo, jiù pà yī zhāo cuò

don't fear a thousand clever moves, fear one wrong move

One key mistake can ruin everything, as in chess. A warning to be careful at critical moments.
不怕人老，就怕心老 bù pà rén lǎo, jiù pà xīn lǎo

don't fear the person aging, fear the heart aging

Growing old physically is natural; losing your spirit is the real problem. Encouraging to the elderly.
不怕一万，只怕万一 bù pà yīwàn, zhǐ pà wànyī

don't fear ten thousand, only fear one in ten thousand

Don't worry about the usual case; guard against the rare accident. Urges caution and thorough preparation. Compare "better safe than sorry."
不怕贼偷，就怕贼想 bù pà zéi tōu, jiù pà zéi xiǎng

don't fear the thief stealing, fear the thief thinking of it

If a thief has set his mind on your goods, sooner or later he will strike, so stay alert to those who covet what you have.
不如意事常八九，可与人言无二三 bù rúyì shì cháng bā jiǔ, kě yǔ rén yán wú èr sān

unhappy matters are often eight or nine in ten; what can be told to others is two or three at most, if any

Life is mostly disappointments, and few can be shared with others. Said wistfully.
不入虎穴，焉得虎子 bù rù hǔxué, yān dé hǔzǐ

if you don't enter the tiger's den, how can you get the cubs

You can't achieve a big goal without taking risks. Compare "nothing ventured, nothing gained."
不生孩子，不知道腰酸肚子疼 bù shēng háizi, bù zhīdào yāo suān dùzi téng

if you haven't given birth, you don't know the aching back and sore belly

Without going through something yourself, you can't understand how hard it is. Often said teasingly or to dismiss an outsider's opinion.

May offend: sexist or sexual
不是东风压倒西风，就是西风压倒东风 bù shì dōngfēng yādǎo xīfēng, jiù shì xīfēng yādǎo dōngfēng

either the east wind overpowers the west wind, or the west wind overpowers the east wind

Between opposing sides, one must prevail over the other, with no middle ground. Famously associated with Mao Zedong.
不是强龙不过江 bù shì qiáng lóng bù guò jiāng

if not a strong dragon, you don't cross the river

Without real ability, one dares not take on tough challenges; someone who ventures into new territory must be capable.
不是一家人，不进一家门 bù shì yī jiā rén, bù jìn yī jiā mén

if not one family, they wouldn't enter one door

People with the same outlook and character end up together. Said of people who belong together, often of a couple or of two bad sorts.
不是姻缘莫强求 bù shì yīnyuán mò qiǎngqiú

if it's not fated marriage, don't force it

If a couple lacks the bond or it has ended, don't force them to live together. Fatalistic.
不是冤家不聚头 bù shì yuānjia bù jù tóu

if they're not enemies-in-fate, they wouldn't come together

Said of people, often lovers or close friends, who keep bickering yet stay together as if destined. Affectionate or humorous. Compare "fate throws opposites together."
不是知音话不投 bù shì zhīyīn huà bù tóu

if not a kindred spirit, words don't fit

Conversation flows only with someone who truly understands you.
不受磨难不成佛 bù shòu mónàn bù chéng fó

without suffering ordeals, one doesn't become a Buddha

Without going through trials, one cannot improve or reach a higher level. Encouraging.
不听老人言，吃亏在眼前 bù tīng lǎorén yán, chīkuī zài yǎnqián

if you don't listen to the elders' words, loss is right before your eyes

Older people have experience, and ignoring their advice will soon bring trouble. Said as a warning to the young. Compare "listen to your elders."
不为良相，当为良医 bù wéi liáng xiàng, dāng wéi liáng yī

if you can't be a good prime minister, be a good doctor

Says one should serve society and benefit the people, if not through high office then through a useful profession like medicine. Approving and somewhat old-fashioned.
不行春风，难得夏雨 bù xíng chūnfēng, nándé xiàyǔ

without spring winds, you can hardly get summer rain

If you do not sow kindness or put in groundwork now, you will not reap rewards later. Often used to encourage generosity or early effort.
不严不成器，过严防不虞 bù yán bù chéngqì, guò yán fáng bù yú

without strictness a child won't become capable; with too much strictness guard against mishaps

Children need firm discipline to turn out well, but too much severity can lead to unexpected trouble. It advises balance in raising children.
不依规矩，不能成方圆 bù yī guījǔ, bù néng chéng fāngyuán

without compass and square, you can't make squares and circles

Nothing can be done properly without following rules and standards. Similar to "rules are there for a reason"; used in a mildly admonishing way.
不以言取人，不以言废人 bù yǐ yán qǔ rén, bù yǐ yán fèi rén

don't choose a person for his words, don't discard a person for his words

Don't judge or hire people by what they say alone; watch what they do. Also, don't dismiss a good idea because of who said it. Approving, advisory.
不义之财不可贪 bù yì zhī cái bù kě tān

ill-gotten wealth must not be coveted

Warns against greed for money obtained dishonestly. Moralising advice.
不遇盘根错节，不足以成大器 bù yù pángēncuòjié, bù zú yǐ chéng dàqì

without meeting twisted roots and tangled knots, one can't become a great vessel

A person must go through hardships and setbacks before being able to take on big responsibilities. Encouraging, often said to console or motivate.
不知者不怪罪 bùzhīzhě bù guài zuì

one who didn't know is not blamed

Don't blame someone who offended you out of ignorance. Said to excuse an innocent mistake; like "no harm done if you didn't know".
不撞南墙不知道墙硬，不尝酸梨不知道梨酸 bù zhuàng nán qiáng bù zhīdào qiáng yìng, bù cháng suānlí bù zhīdào lí suān

until you hit the south wall you don't know it's hard; until you taste a sour pear you don't know it's sour

People only learn a lesson after running into trouble themselves. Said of the stubborn who won't listen to advice; like "learn the hard way".
不做贼，心不惊，不吃鱼，嘴不腥 bù zuòzéi, xīn bù jīng, bù chī yú, zuǐ bù xīng

if you're not a thief your heart isn't frightened; if you haven't eaten fish your mouth doesn't smell fishy

If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear. Said to assert one's innocence or a clear conscience.
不做亏心事，不怕鬼叫门 bù zuò kuīxīn shì, bù pà guǐ jiào mén

do nothing against your conscience and you won't fear ghosts knocking at the door

A person with a clear conscience is not afraid of anything. Said to affirm one's innocence.
不做亏心事，心里不发虚 bù zuò kuīxīn shì, xīn li bù fāxū

do nothing against your conscience and your heart won't feel uneasy

A variant of 不做亏心事，不怕鬼叫门: with a clear conscience you feel at ease.
步子迈得正，不怕影子歪 bùzi mài de zhèng, bù pà yǐngzi wāi

if your steps are straight, you needn't fear a crooked shadow

If you behave properly, you needn't worry about gossip. Similar to "a clear conscience fears no accusation".
才高易狂，艺高易傲 cái gāo yì kuáng, yì gāo yì ào

High talent easily turns arrogant; high skill easily turns proud

Warns that gifted, skilled people tend to become conceited.
才高遭嫉，人贤遭难 cái gāo zāo jí, rén xián zāo nàn

High talent draws envy; a worthy person draws trouble

Says that people of great ability and virtue attract jealousy and blame. Somewhat dated in tone.
财宝动人心 cáibǎo dòng rénxīn

Treasure moves people's hearts

Money can sway or corrupt people, so bribery often works. Cynical.
财主的金银，穷人的性命 cáizhu de jīnyín, qióngrén de xìngmìng

The rich man's gold and silver are the poor man's lives

Says that the wealth of the rich in the old society was squeezed out of the poor. Critical of exploitation.
苍天不负有心人 cāngtiān bù fù yǒuxīnrén

Heaven does not fail the person with heart

If you put your heart into something, it will come out well. Encouraging.
苍天有眼 cāngtiān yǒu yǎn

Heaven has eyes

Said when justice is done, in the belief that heaven sees right and wrong.
苍蝇不钻没缝的蛋 cāngying bù zuān méi fèng de dàn

Flies don't burrow into an egg without a crack

When trouble occurs, the internal cause is the main one. Similar to "it takes two to tango" in spirit only loosely.
曹操诸葛亮，脾气不一样 cáocāo zhūgěliàng, píqi bù yīyàng

Cao Cao and Zhuge Liang: not the same temperament

People differ in character and tastes.
槽里无食猪咬猪 cáo li wú shí zhū yǎo zhū

When the trough has no food, pigs bite pigs

When money is short, conflicts break out within a group. Similar to "when poverty comes in at the door, love flies out the window" only loosely.
草活一秋，人活一世 cǎo huó yī qiū, rén huó yīshì

Grass lives one autumn, a person lives one lifetime

A short life should be lived with some purpose. See 人生一世，草木一秋.
草怕严霜霜怕日，恶人自有恶人磨 cǎo pà yánshuāng shuāng pà rì, èrén zì yǒu èrén mó

Grass fears hard frost, frost fears the sun; a wicked person will have a wicked person to grind them down

Everything has something that beats it, and a wicked person will meet someone worse. Satisfied or consoling in tone.
草深不碍路 cǎo shēn bù ài lù

Deep grass doesn't block the road

However big the difficulties, they don't affect the overall situation.
草深虫子密，林大鸟儿多 cǎo shēn chóngzi mì, lín dà niǎo'ér duō

Where the grass is deep, bugs are thick; where the forest is big, birds are many

The real world is complex and has all kinds of people. Similar to "it takes all sorts to make a world".
草鞋没样，边打边相 cǎoxié méi yàng, biān dǎ biān xiàng

Straw sandals have no pattern: weave and look as you go

You can get things done by learning and feeling your way as you work.
草要连根拔 cǎo yào liángēnbá

Pull weeds up by the root

Evils must be removed thoroughly so that no trouble is left. Similar to "nip it in the bud" but more thorough.
草有茎，人有骨 cǎo yǒu jīng, rén yǒu gǔ

Grass has stems, people have bones

A person should have backbone and integrity. Approving.
草有灵芝木有椿，禽有鸾凤兽有麟 cǎo yǒu língzhī mù yǒu chūn, qín yǒu luánfèng shòu yǒu lín

Among grasses there is the lingzhi, among trees the chun, among birds the luan-phoenix, among beasts the qilin

Among people there are outstanding ones, as in each kind of creature. Praising.
草有香草毒草，人有好人坏人 cǎo yǒu xiāngcǎo dúcǎo, rén yǒu hǎorén huàirén

Grass includes fragrant and poisonous kinds; people include good and bad

People include both good and bad.
草中说话路人听 cǎozhōng shuōhuà lùrén tīng

Words spoken in the grass are heard by passers-by

Warns that private talk may be overheard, so take care.
草字出了格，神仙认不得 cǎozì chūle gé, shénxiān rènbude

If cursive goes beyond the rules, even immortals can't read it

Said of writing so scrawled that no one can read it. Humorous.
恻隐之心，人皆有之 cèyǐn zhīxīn, rénjiēyǒuzhī

the heart of compassion: everyone has it

Everyone feels pity for those who suffer or are unfortunate. It is a Mencius-derived saying, said in approval of human kindness.
茶越泡越浓，人情越交越厚 chá yuè pào yuè nóng, rénqíng yuè jiāo yuè hòu

tea grows stronger the longer it steeps; friendship grows deeper the more people mix

The more people see each other, the closer their bond becomes. It is approving.
差之毫厘，谬以千里 chà zhī háolí, miùyǐqiānlǐ

off by a hair, wrong by a thousand miles

A tiny error at the start can lead to a huge mistake in the end. It is a warning to be careful.
差人见钱，猫鼠同眠 chāirén jiàn qián, māo shǔ tóng mián

when a runner sees money, cat and mouse sleep together

In the old days, a bribe was enough to make officers treat the criminals they were guarding as friends. It is a cynical comment on corruption.
柴多火焰高，人多声势大 chái duō huǒyàn gāo, rén duō shēngshì dà

more firewood, higher the flames; more people, greater the force

Many people make great strength. It is approving, in the spirit of "many hands make light work".
豺狼来了有猎枪，朋友来了有美酒 cháiláng láile yǒu lièqiāng, péngyou láile yǒu měijiǔ

when jackals and wolves come there are hunting guns; when friends come there is fine wine

Be firm against enemies and warm to friends. It tells people to be clear about whom they love and hate.
豺狼性恶，有钱人心狠 cháiláng xìng'è, yǒuqiánrén xīn hěn

jackals and wolves are vicious by nature; rich men are hard-hearted

Says that those who got rich through illegal means are as ruthless as wolves. It is a class-conscious, hostile generalisation.

May offend: mocks a group of people
谗言败坏真君子，冷箭射死大丈夫 chányán bàihuài zhēn jūnzǐ, lěngjiàn shèsǐ dàzhàngfu

slander ruins true gentlemen; a hidden arrow kills true men

Slander and underhand attacks do great harm and can destroy good people.
谗言误国，妒妇乱家 chányán wù guó, dù fù luàn jiā

slander harms the nation; a jealous woman disturbs the home

Slander damages state affairs, and a jealous wife throws a household into disorder. It blames women for family trouble.

May offend: sexist or sexual
长不过五月，短不过十月 cháng bù guò wǔyuè, duǎn bù guò shíyuè

no longer than the fifth month, no shorter than the tenth month

In the lunar year, daytime is longest in the fifth month and shortest in the tenth. It is a farmers' observation.
长江后浪推前浪，一代新人换旧人 chángjiāng hòu làng tuī qián làng, yī dài xīnrén huàn jiùrén

the Yangtze's back waves push the front waves; a new generation replaces the old

History moves forward and each generation replaces the last. It is neutral and philosophical.
长江后浪推前浪，一浪更比一浪高 chángjiāng hòu làng tuī qián làng, yīlàng gèng bǐ yī làng gāo

the Yangtze's back waves push the front waves; each wave higher than the last

Later generations will surpass those before them. It is approving of progress.
长江后浪推前浪，英雄豪杰出少年 chángjiāng hòu làng tuī qián làng, yīngxióng háojié chū shàonián

the Yangtze's back waves push the front waves; heroes emerge from the young

Outstanding people often come from the young. It is encouraging to youth.
长思出臭棋 cháng sī chū chòuqí

long thinking produces bad moves

Too much hesitation makes mistakes more likely. It comes from chess.
长路没轻担 cháng lù méi qīng dàn

on a long road there's no light load

The longer the journey, the heavier the load feels. It is a figure for how burdens grow over time.
长衫有人穿，长话无人听 chángshān yǒu rén chuān, chánghuà wú rén tīng

a long gown finds a wearer; a long speech finds no listener

Long isn't always good: when speaking, be brief and to the point.
长舌乱家，大斧破车 chángshé luàn jiā, dà fǔ pò chē

a long tongue wrecks the home, a big axe splits the cart

Gossip and stirring up trouble can disrupt a family, just as an axe breaks a cart. It blames gossiping women.

May offend: sexist or sexual
长痛不如短痛 cháng tòng bùrú duǎn tòng

a long pain is worse than a short pain

It is better to take the cost all at once than to drag it out. It is often said when urging someone to end a bad situation. It is close to "bite the bullet".
常读口里顺，常写手不笨 cháng dú kǒu li shùn, cháng xiě shǒu bù bèn

read often and the mouth runs smoothly; write often and the hand isn't clumsy

Steady practice brings results. It encourages diligent study.
常赌无赢客 cháng dǔ wú yíng kè

constant gamblers have no winners

Anyone who gambles all the time ends up losing money. It is a warning.
常将有日思无日，莫待无时思有时 cháng jiāng yǒu rì sī wú rì, mò dài wú shí sī yǒu shí

when you have, think of days without; don't wait until you have nothing to think of when you had

Save when you have money rather than regret later. It encourages thrift.
常听老人言，办事不作难 cháng tīng lǎorén yán, bànshì bù zuònán

listen to the old often and work won't be hard

Elders are experienced, so heeding them makes things go smoothly.
常在河边转，不怕湿鞋袜 cháng zài hébiān zhuàn, bù pà shī xié wà

if you often hang around the riverbank, you don't fear wet shoes and socks

People who often deal with difficulties or danger stop fearing them.
常在河边走，哪能不湿鞋 cháng zài hébiān zǒu, nǎ néng bù shī xié

walk by the river often and how can your shoes stay dry

Living long in a bad environment, one picks up its bad habits. It is also said of those who are tempted by their work. It is close to "if you play with fire, you get burned".
常在染房走，白丝变黑绸 cháng zài rǎnfáng zǒu, bái sī biàn hēi chóu

walk often in the dyehouse and white silk turns to black silk

The environment changes people. It is usually a warning about bad company.
常在山中走，哪怕虎狼凶 cháng zài shān zhōng zǒu, nǎpà hǔláng xiōng

always walking in the mountains, why fear fierce tigers and wolves

People who often face danger have developed the skills to cope with it.
唱戏的不瞒打锣的 chàngxì de bù mán dǎluó de

the opera singer doesn't hide things from the gong player

People who share the same interests don't keep the truth from one another. Said of close partners.
唱戏还要有个过场 chàngxì hái yào yǒu ge guòchǎng

even an opera needs an interlude scene

Everything has to go through a process; things can't happen all at once. Often said to advise patience.
朝里有人好做官 cháo li yǒu rén hǎo zuòguān

with someone at court, it's easy to be an official

To get ahead in a career you need backers and connections. Cynical comment on patronage. Close to 'it's who you know'.
朝廷还有三门穷亲戚 cháotíng hái yǒu sān mén qióng qīnqi

even the imperial court has three poor relatives

Even the richest and highest families are bound to have some poor relations.
朝西过东，两手脱空 cháo xī guò dōng, liǎng shǒu tuōkōng

head west and pass by the east, both hands empty

If you try to cover both sides, you end up with nothing. Focus on priorities when conditions are not right for doing everything. Close to 'if you chase two hares, you catch neither'.
炒菜要人吃，唱歌要人听 chǎo cài yào rén chī, chànggē yào rén tīng

stir-fried dishes are for people to eat, songs are for people to hear

Know the purpose of what you do: work is meant for an audience or user.
车不横推，理无曲断 chē bù héng tuī, lǐ wú qūduàn

a cart isn't pushed sideways; reason isn't judged crookedly

Be fair and straight in reasoning; don't twist the truth.
车不站险地 chē bù zhàn xiǎn dì

a cart shouldn't stop in a dangerous place

Stay away from danger.
车到山前必有路，船到桥头自然直 chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù, chuán dào qiáotóu zìrán zhí

when the cart reaches the mountain there will be a road; when the boat reaches the bridge it will straighten itself

Things work out when the time comes, so don't worry too much. Reassuring. Close to 'we'll cross that bridge when we come to it'.
车多碍辙，船多擦边 chē duō ài zhé, chuán duō cā biān

too many carts block the ruts; too many boats scrape sides

Too much of something becomes a hindrance. Greed for more backfires.
车快了要翻，马快了要颠 chē kuàile yào fān, mǎ kuàile yào diān

a cart going fast overturns; a horse going fast stumbles

Rushing for speed invites mistakes. Close to 'more haste, less speed'.
车有车路，船有船路 chē yǒu chē lù, chuán yǒu chuán lù

carts have cart roads, boats have boat routes

Everyone goes their own way without interfering; or each thing has its own rules. Close to 'to each his own'.
嗔拳不打笑面 chēn quán bù dǎ xiàomiàn

an angry fist doesn't hit a smiling face

A variant of 强拳不打笑脸: people rarely strike someone who smiles at them; a friendly manner defuses hostility.
尘不迷人眼，水不迷鱼眼，草不迷鹰眼 chén bù mí rén yǎn, shuǐ bù mí yú yǎn, cǎo bù mí yīng yǎn

dust can't blind a person's eyes, water can't blind a fish's eyes, grass can't blind an eagle's eyes

Shrewd people are not fooled by false appearances.
尘世难逢笑口开 chénshì nán féng xiào kǒu kāi

in the mortal world it's hard to meet an open, laughing mouth

Life has many worries, so it is hard to laugh often. Rueful.
趁水和泥，趁热打铁 chèn shuǐ huóní, chèn rè dǎtiě

mix the clay while there's water, strike the iron while it's hot

Seize the right moment to act. Close to 'strike while the iron is hot'.
趁我十年运，有病早来医 chèn wǒ shí nián yùn, yǒu bìng zǎo lái yī

While I'm in my ten-year lucky streak, come early to be cured if you're ill

Seize a favourable moment and things go smoothly. It is said of acting while conditions are right.

Every kind of Chinese saying