FrancophonIA/Proverbs · Datasets at Hugging Face

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0	不作不死。	Bù zuò bù sǐ. 'Not do not die.'	If you don't do stupid things you won't end up in tragedy.	Wisdom	Chinese
1	塞翁失马，焉知非福。	Sài Wēng shī mǎ, yān zhī fēi fú. 'Sai Weng [legendary old man's name] lost horse, how know not blessing'.	Blessings come in disguise.	Wisdom	Chinese
2	小洞不补，大洞吃苦。	Xiǎodòng bù bǔ, dàdòng chī kǔ.'small hole not mend; big hole eat hardship'	If small holes aren't fixed, then big holes will bring hardship.	Wisdom	Chinese
3	水满则溢。	Shuǐmǎn zé yì. 'water full but overflows'	Water flows in only to flow out.	Wisdom	Chinese
4	读万卷书不如行万里路。	Dú wànjuànshū bù rú xíng wànlǐlù. 'reading 10,000 books, not as good as walking 10,000 li road'	It's better to walk thousands of miles than to read thousands of books.	Wisdom	Chinese
5	三个和尚没水喝。	Sān gè héshàng méi shuǐ hē. 'three monks have no water to drink'	Too many cooks spoil the broth.	Wisdom	Chinese
6	一笑解千愁。	Yī xiào jiě qiānchou. 'one smile undoes 1,000 worries'	A smile dispels many worries.	Wisdom	Chinese
7	笑一笑,十年少。	Xiào yī xiào, shínián shào. 'laugh,ten years younger'	Happiness is the best cosmetic.	Wisdom	Chinese
8	美名胜过美貌。	Měimíng shèng guò měimào. 'beautiful name beats beautiful looks'	A good name is better than a good face.	Wisdom	Chinese
9	不善始者不善终。	Bú shànshǐzhě bù shànzhōng. 'not good starter not good end'	A bad beginning makes a bad ending.	Wisdom	Chinese
10	大处着眼，小处着手。	Dàchù zhuó yǎn, xiǎochù zhuó shǒu. 'big points apply eye; small points apply hand'	Keep the general goal in sight while tackling daily tasks.	Wisdom	Chinese
11	一步一个脚印。	Yībù yīgè jiǎoyìn. 'one step one footprint'	Every step makes a footprint.	Wisdom	Chinese
12	一个萝卜一个坑儿。	Yīgè luóbo yīgè kēngr. 'one turnip one hole'	Each has his own task, and nobody is dispensable.	Wisdom	Chinese
13	留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。	Liú dé qīngshān zài, búpà méi chái shāo. 'remain green hills present, not fear no firewood burn'	While there are green hills, there'll be wood to burn.	Wisdom	Chinese
14	一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。	Yī niǎo zài shǒu shèng guò shuāng niǎo zài lín 'one bird in hand beats pair birds in forest'	A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush.	Wisdom	Chinese
15	人无完人，金无足赤。	Rén wú wánrén, jīn wú zúchì. 'man lackperfect man; gold lack enoughred'	No man is a perfect man; no gold is sufficiently bare.	Wisdom	Chinese
16	千军易得, 一将难求。	Qiānjūn yìdé, yī jiang nánqiú. 'thousand army easy obtain; one general hard request'	It is easy to find a thousand soldiers, but hard to find a good general.	Wisdom	Chinese
17	宰相肚里好撑船。	Zǎixiànɡ dùlǐ hǎo chēnɡchuán. 'prime minister stomach inside good-to pole boat'	A prime minister's mind should be broad enough for poling a boat.	Wisdom	Chinese
18	难得糊涂。	Nándé hútu. 'hard get confusion'	Ignorance is bliss.	Wisdom	Chinese
19	祸从口出。	Huò cóng kǒu chū. 'disaster from mouth exits'	Disaster comes from careless talk.	Wisdom	Chinese
20	三人一条心，黄土变成金。	Sānrén yìtiáoxīn, huángtǔ biàn chéng jīn. 'three people one heart; yellow earth become gold'	If people are of one heart, even loess can become gold.	Wisdom	Chinese
21	身正不怕影子斜。	Shēnzhèng búpà yǐngzi xié. 'body straight not fear shadow slanting'	One who stands straight doesn't fear a crooked shadow.	Wisdom	Chinese
22	有借有还，再借不难。	Yǒu jiè yǒu huán, zài jiè bùnán. Have loan have repayment; again loan not hard.	Timely return of a loan makes it easier to borrow a second time.	Wisdom	Chinese
23	蜡烛照亮别人，却毁灭了自己。	Làzhú zhàoliàng biérén, què huǐmiè le zìjǐ. 'candle illuminates others, yet destroys itself'	A candle lights others and consumes itself.	Wisdom	Chinese
24	种瓜得瓜, 种豆得豆。	Zhòngguā dé guā, zhòngdòu dé dòu. 'sow melons reap melons; sow beans reap beans'	You reap what you sow.	Wisdom	Chinese
25	欲速则不达。	Yù sù zé bùdá. 'Desire speed but not attain.'	Those who just want speed don't succeed.	Wisdom	Chinese
26	近水知鱼性, 近山识鸟音。	Jìn shuǐ zhī yúxìng; jìn shān shí niǎoyīn. 'near water know fish shape, near mountain know bird sound'	To know a fish go to the water; to know a bird's song go to the mountains.	Friendship	Chinese
27	听君一席话，胜读十年书。	Tīng jūn yīxíhuà, shèng dú shíniánshū 'hear gentleman remarks, beats reading ten year books'	Listening to a lord's remarks is better than reading books for ten years.	Friendship	Chinese
28	凡人不可貌相, 海水不可斗量。	Fánrén bù kě màoxiàng, hǎishuǐ bù kě dòuliàng. 'mortals can't judge by appearance, sea water can't cup measure'	Man cannot be judged by looks; seas cannot be measured by cup.	Friendship	Chinese
29	有缘千里来相会。	Yǒuyuán qiānlǐ lái xiānghuì. 'Have fate 1,000 li [or a long way] together meet'	Fate brings people together from far apart.	Friendship	Chinese
30	君子之交淡如水。	Jūnzǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ 'gentleman's friendship bland like water'	A gentleman's friendship is insipid as water.	Friendship	Chinese
31	入乡随俗。	Rù xiāng suí sú 'enter district follow custom'	When entering a locality follow the local customs.	Friendship	Chinese
32	患难见真情。	Huànnàn jiàn zhēnqíng 'Hardship see true situation'	In hardship we see true friendship.	Friendship	Chinese
33	知音难觅。	Zhīyīn nánmì. 'soul mate hard find'	An intimate friend is hard to find.	Friendship	Chinese
34	广交友，无深交。	Guǎng jiāoyǒu, wú shēnjiāo. 'widely make friends, no deep friendship'	Numerous friends means no deep friendship.	Friendship	Chinese
35	道不同，不相为谋。	Dào bùtóng, bù xiāng wéi móu. 'principles different, not harmonious for schemes'	Men of different principles don't work well together.	Friendship	Chinese
36	一见钟情。	Yíjiàn zhōngqíng. 'one look fall-in-love'	Love at first sight.	Love	Chinese
37	愿得一人心，白首不相离。	Yuàndé yīrénxīn, báishǒu bùxiānglí. 'wish get a person heart, white head not one-another apart	Long for a heart, never be apart.	Love	Chinese
38	执子之手，与子偕老。	Zhí zǐ zhī shǒu, yǔ zǐ xiélǎo. 'grasp your hand, with you grow-old-together	Hold hands with you, grow old with you.	Love	Chinese
39	爱屋及乌。	Ai wū jí wū. 'love house and crow'	Love the house and its crow.	Love	Chinese
40	萝卜青菜，各有所爱。	Luóbo qīngcài, gè yǒu suǒ ài. 'radishes greens, each have that-which loves'	Radishes and greens, each have those who love them.	Love	Chinese
41	在天愿作比翼鸟，在地愿为连理枝。	Zài tiān yuàn zuò bǐyìniǎo, zài dì yuàn wéi liánlǐzhī. 'in sky wish be fly-wing-to-wing birds; on earth wish be grow-together branches.	Birds flying in the sky as one; branches growing on the earth as one.	Love	Chinese
42	有情人终成眷属。	Yǒuqínɡrén zhōnɡ chénɡ juànshǔ. 'in-love people finally become spouses'	People in love become spouses in the end.	Love	Chinese
43	情人眼里出西施。	Qínɡrén yǎnlǐ chū xīshī. 'lover eye inside appears Xishi [name; foremost of the Four Legendary Chinese Beauties]	In a lover's eye is the foremost Beauty.	Love	Chinese
44	爱之深，责之切。	Ài zhī shēn zé zhī qiē. 'love's deep, discipline's cutting'	Love deep, chastise deep.	Love	Chinese
45	有情饮水饱，无情食饭饥。	Yǒuqínɡ yínshuǐbǎo, wúqínɡ shífànjī. 'Have affection drink water full; no affection eat food hungry'	With love water is enough; without love food doesn't satisfy.	Love	Chinese
46	月到中秋分外明，每逢佳节倍思亲。	Yuè dào zhōngqiū fènwài míng, měi féng jiājié bèi sīqīn. 'moon reach Mid-Autumn exceptionally bright, every holiday multiply homesick'	The harvest moon is brightest; every festival homesickness multiplies.	Family	Chinese
47	儿行千里母担忧。	Er xíng qiānlǐ mǔ dānyōu. 'son travels 1,000 li [a long way; 500 km] mother worries'	When children travel far, mothers worry.	Family	Chinese
48	但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。	Dànyuàn rénchángjiǔ, qiānlǐ gòngchánjuān. 'Yet wish personlong-time, 1,000 li [a long way; 500 km] share moon[beauty]'	Wishing us long life, though sharing moonlight from afar.	Family	Chinese
49	家和万事兴。	Jiāhé wànshìxīnɡ. 'family harmonious everything prospers'	If a family is harmonious everything will go well.	Family	Chinese
50	家家有本难念的经。	Jiājiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīnɡ. 'Every-family has own difficult remembered experience.'	Every family has its problems.	Family	Chinese
51	清官难断家务事。	Qīnɡɡuān nán duàn jiāwùshì. 'honest-official difficult judge household affairs.	Even an upright official finds it hard to settle a family quarrel.	Family	Chinese
52	有其父，必有其子。	Yǒuqífù，bìyǒuqízǐ. 'have his father, must have his son'	Where there's a father, there's his son.	Family	Chinese
53	家丑不可外扬。	Jiāchǒu bù kě wài yánɡ. 'family shame can't outside propagate'	Family shames must not be spread abroad.	Family	Chinese
54	不当家，不知柴米贵。	Bù dānɡjiā，bù zhī cháimǐ ɡuì. 'Not manage household, not know firewood rice precious'	If you don't run the family, you don't know the value of fuel and rice.	Family	Chinese
55	金窝，银窝，不如自家的狗窝。	Jīnwō, yínwō, bùrú zìjiā de ɡǒuwō. 'gold nest, silver nest, not-as-good-as own family's kennel'	Gold and silver nests can't beat one's family kennel.	Family	Chinese
56	冰冻三尺，非一日之寒。	Bīngdòng sān chǐ, fēi yīrì zhī hán. 'freeze 3 chi [3 chi = 1 meter], not one day's cold'	It takes more than one cold day for a river to freeze a meter deep.	Encouragement	Chinese
57	机不可失，时不再来。	Jī bùkě shī, shí búzài lái. 'Opportunity can't lose, time not again come'	Don't miss opportunities: time doesn't come round again.	Encouragement	Chinese
58	人心齐，泰山移。	Rénxīn qí, Tàishān yí. 'people heart together, Mount Tai move'	When people work with one heart, they can even move Mount Tai. Tweet	Encouragement	Chinese
59	万事开头难。	Wànshì kāitóu nán. 'everything start difficult'	All things are difficult at the start. Tweet	Encouragement	Chinese
60	失败是成功之母。	Shībài shì chénggōng zhī mǔ. 'failure is success's mother'	Failure is the mother of success.	Encouragement	Chinese
61	只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针。	Zhǐyào gōngfū shēn, tiěchǔ mó chén gzhēn. 'just need effort deep, iron rod grind become needle'	It just needs hard work to grind an iron rod into a needle.	Encouragement	Chinese
62	水滴石穿，绳锯木断。	Shuǐ dī shí chuān, shéng jù mù duàn. 'water drop stone pierce, rope saw wood sever'	Water drops pierce stone; rope saws cut wood.	Encouragement	Chinese
63	一日之计在于晨。	Yīrì zhī jì zàiyú chén. 'a day's plan lies in dawn'	A day's planning is done at dawn.	Encouragement	Chinese
64	千里之行，始于足下。	Qiānlǐ zhī xíng, shǐyú zúxià. 1,000-li [500 km or a long way] journey, start with foot down.	A thousand-li journey starts with a footfall.	Encouragement	Chinese
65	否极泰来。	Pǐ jí tài lái. 'evil extreme peace come'	Peace replaces extreme evil.	Encouragement	Chinese
66	青出于蓝而胜于蓝。	Qīng chūyú lán ér shèngyú lán. 'green come-from blue moreover surpasses blue'	Green is from blue, and better than blue.	Encouragement	Chinese
67	老骥伏枥，志在千里。	Lǎojì fúlì, zhì zài qiānlǐ. 'old warhorse lie stable, ambition at 1,000 li [500 km; a long way]	An old warhorse in the stable still longs to gallop a thousand li.	Encouragement	Chinese
68	吃得苦中苦，方为人上人。	Chī dé kǔzhōngkǔ, fāng wéi rénshàngrén. 'eat gain pain in pain, method for man on man'	Enduring deepening pain is how man ascends.	Encouragement	Chinese
69	先到先得。	Xiān dào xiān dé. 'first arrive first get'	The first to arrive is the first to succeed.	Encouragement	Chinese
70	守得云开见月明。	Shǒu dé yún kāi jiàn yuèmíng. 'keep-watch gain cloud open see moonlight'	Watch till clouds part to see moonlight.	Encouragement	Chinese
71	逆境出人才。	Nìjìng chū réncái. 'adversity produces talented-person'	Adversity yields flair.	Encouragement	Chinese
72	吃一堑，长一智。	Chī yīqiàn, zhǎng yízhì. 'eat a moat, grow a wisdom'	Suffer a moat, grow in wisdom.	Encouragement	Chinese
73	不能一口吃成胖子。	Bùnéng yīkǒu chī chéng pàngzi. 'can't one mouthful eat become fat-person'	You can't get fat with one mouthful.	Encouragement	Chinese
74	风无常顺，兵无常胜。	Fēng wú chángshùn, bīng wú chángshèng. 'wind not always favorable; soldiers not always win'	Wind isn't always favorable; soldiers aren't always victorious.	Encouragement	Chinese
75	星星之火，可以燎原。	Xīngxīng zhī huǒ, kěyǐ liáoyuan. 'star's fire, can shine far'	Starlight shines far.	Encouragement	Chinese
76	哀兵必胜。	Āibīng bì sheng. 'sorrowful soldiers must win'	An aggrieved army is sure to win.	Encouragement	Chinese
77	书是随时携带的花园。	Shū shì suíshí xiédài de huāyuán. 'book is at-all-times carried garden'	A book is a pocket garden.	Education	Chinese
78	活到老，学到老。	Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo. 'live till old, study till old.	Live till you're old, and study till you're old.	Education	Chinese
79	好书如挚友。	Hǎoshū rú zhìyǒu. 'good book as-good-as close-friend'	A good book is like a good friend.	Education	Chinese
80	一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴。	Yícùn guāngyīn yícùnjīn, cùnjīn nán mǎi cùnguāngyīn. '1 cun [Chinese inch, 1/30 m] time 1 cun gold, cun gold difficult buy cun time'	An inch of time is worth an inch of gold, but an inch of gold may not buy an inch of time.	Education	Chinese
81	好记性不如烂笔头。	Hǎojìxìng bù rú lànbǐtóu. 'good memory not-as-good-as rotten pen'	A good memory can't beat a bad pen.	Education	Chinese
82	花有重开日，人无再少年。	Huā yǒu chóng kāi rì, rén wú zài shào nián. 'flower has again open day, people no again youth'	Flowers may bloom again; you're never young again.	Education	Chinese
83	学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。	Xué ér bùsī zé wǎng, sī ér bùxué zé dài. 'study but not think then deceive, think but not study then dangerous'	Learning without thought is deceptive; thought without learning is perilous.	Education	Chinese
84	书到用时方恨少。	Shū dào yòngshí fāng hènshǎo. 'books till use time just-when hate few'	When using books, you'll regret reading few.	Education	Chinese
85	读书须用意，一字值千金。	dúshū xū yòngyì, yīzì zhí qiānjīn. 'reading books needs use attention, one word worth 1,000 gold'	Reading requires concentration; a word may be worth a fortune.	Education	Chinese
86	严师出高徒。	Yánshī chū gāotú. 'strict teacher produces brilliant student'	Strict teachers produce fine students.	Education	Chinese
87	事实胜于雄辩。	Shìshí shèng yú xióngbiàn.	Facts beat eloquence.	Literature	Chinese
88	一言既出，驷马难追。	Yìyán jì chū, sìmǎ nán zhuī. 'a word already produced, team-of-4-horses difficult chase'	A team of horses will struggle to chase down a spoken word.	Literature	Chinese
89	路遥知马力，日久见人心。	Lùyáo zhī mǎlì, rìjiǔ jiàn rénxīn. 'road distant know horse strength, days old see man heart'	As distance tests a horse's strength, time reveals a person's character.	Literature	Chinese
90	无规矩不成方圆。	Wú guīju bù chéng fāngyuán. 'no standards not become perimeter'	Without standards no boundaries are set.	Literature	Chinese
91	惩前毖后。	Chéngqiánbìhòu. 'punish before prevent after'	Punishing those who come before stops those who come after from doing something.	Literature	Chinese
92	三思而后行。	Sānsī ér hòu xíng. "three thoughts and after act"	Think thrice before you act.	Literature	Chinese
93	良药苦口。	Liángyào kǔ kǒu 'good medicine bitter mouth'	Good medicine tastes bitter.	Literature	Chinese
94	有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。	Yǒulǐ zǒubiàn tiānxià, wúlǐ cùnbù nánxíng. 'have truth walk all land-under-heaven; no truth cun [Chinese inch; 1/30 m] step difficult walk'	With truth on your side, you can go anywhere; without truth, you can't take a tiny step.	Literature	Chinese
95	当局者迷，旁观者清。	Dāngjúzhě mí, pángguānzhě qīng. 'player confused; spectator clear'	The player is lost; the watcher is lucid.	Literature	Chinese
96	十年树木，百年树人。	Shínián shù mù, bǎinián shù rén. '10 years cultivate wood, 100 years cultivate man'	Ten years to cultivate wood, a hundred years to cultivate a man.	Literature	Chinese
97	民以食为天。	Mín yǐ shí wéi tiān. Subjects think food is heaven.	Food is the first priority of the people.	Literature	Chinese
98	善有善报。	Shàn yǒu shànbào. 'good have good recompense'	Repay good with good.	Literature	Chinese
99	顾左右而言他。	Gù zuǒyòu ér yán tā. 'deliberately approximate and talk something-else'	Deliberately vague and deflective.	Literature	Chinese

0

不作不死。

Bù zuò bù sǐ. 'Not do not die.'

If you don't do stupid things you won't end up in tragedy.

Wisdom

Chinese

1

塞翁失马，焉知非福。

Sài Wēng shī mǎ, yān zhī fēi fú. 'Sai Weng [legendary old man's name] lost horse, how know not blessing'.

Blessings come in disguise.

Wisdom

Chinese

2

小洞不补，大洞吃苦。

Xiǎodòng bù bǔ, dàdòng chī kǔ.'small hole not mend; big hole eat hardship'

If small holes aren't fixed, then big holes will bring hardship.

Wisdom

Chinese

3

水满则溢。

Shuǐmǎn zé yì. 'water full but overflows'

Water flows in only to flow out.

Wisdom

Chinese

4

读万卷书不如行万里路。

Dú wànjuànshū bù rú xíng wànlǐlù. 'reading 10,000 books, not as good as walking 10,000 li road'

It's better to walk thousands of miles than to read thousands of books.

Wisdom

Chinese

5

三个和尚没水喝。

Sān gè héshàng méi shuǐ hē. 'three monks have no water to drink'

Too many cooks spoil the broth.

Wisdom

Chinese

6

一笑解千愁。

Yī xiào jiě qiānchou. 'one smile undoes 1,000 worries'

A smile dispels many worries.

Wisdom

Chinese

7

笑一笑,十年少。

Xiào yī xiào, shínián shào. 'laugh,ten years younger'

Happiness is the best cosmetic.

Wisdom

Chinese

8

美名胜过美貌。

Měimíng shèng guò měimào. 'beautiful name beats beautiful looks'

A good name is better than a good face.

Wisdom

Chinese

9

不善始者不善终。

Bú shànshǐzhě bù shànzhōng. 'not good starter not good end'

A bad beginning makes a bad ending.

Wisdom

Chinese

10

大处着眼，小处着手。

Dàchù zhuó yǎn, xiǎochù zhuó shǒu. 'big points apply eye; small points apply hand'

Keep the general goal in sight while tackling daily tasks.

Wisdom

Chinese

11

一步一个脚印。

Yībù yīgè jiǎoyìn. 'one step one footprint'

Every step makes a footprint.

Wisdom

Chinese

12

一个萝卜一个坑儿。

Yīgè luóbo yīgè kēngr. 'one turnip one hole'

Each has his own task, and nobody is dispensable.

Wisdom

Chinese

13

留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。

Liú dé qīngshān zài, búpà méi chái shāo. 'remain green hills present, not fear no firewood burn'

While there are green hills, there'll be wood to burn.

Wisdom

Chinese

14

一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。

Yī niǎo zài shǒu shèng guò shuāng niǎo zài lín 'one bird in hand beats pair birds in forest'

A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush.

Wisdom

Chinese

15

人无完人，金无足赤。

Rén wú wánrén, jīn wú zúchì. 'man lackperfect man; gold lack enoughred'

No man is a perfect man; no gold is sufficiently bare.

Wisdom

Chinese

16

千军易得, 一将难求。

Qiānjūn yìdé, yī jiang nánqiú. 'thousand army easy obtain; one general hard request'

It is easy to find a thousand soldiers, but hard to find a good general.

Wisdom

Chinese

17

宰相肚里好撑船。

Zǎixiànɡ dùlǐ hǎo chēnɡchuán. 'prime minister stomach inside good-to pole boat'

A prime minister's mind should be broad enough for poling a boat.

Wisdom

Chinese

18

难得糊涂。

Nándé hútu. 'hard get confusion'

Ignorance is bliss.

Wisdom

Chinese

19

祸从口出。

Huò cóng kǒu chū. 'disaster from mouth exits'

Disaster comes from careless talk.

Wisdom

Chinese

20

三人一条心，黄土变成金。

Sānrén yìtiáoxīn, huángtǔ biàn chéng jīn. 'three people one heart; yellow earth become gold'

If people are of one heart, even loess can become gold.

Wisdom

Chinese

21

身正不怕影子斜。

Shēnzhèng búpà yǐngzi xié. 'body straight not fear shadow slanting'

One who stands straight doesn't fear a crooked shadow.

Wisdom

Chinese

22

有借有还，再借不难。

Yǒu jiè yǒu huán, zài jiè bùnán. Have loan have repayment; again loan not hard.

Timely return of a loan makes it easier to borrow a second time.

Wisdom

Chinese

23

蜡烛照亮别人，却毁灭了自己。

Làzhú zhàoliàng biérén, què huǐmiè le zìjǐ. 'candle illuminates others, yet destroys itself'

A candle lights others and consumes itself.

Wisdom

Chinese

24

种瓜得瓜, 种豆得豆。

Zhòngguā dé guā, zhòngdòu dé dòu. 'sow melons reap melons; sow beans reap beans'

You reap what you sow.

Wisdom

Chinese

25

欲速则不达。

Yù sù zé bùdá. 'Desire speed but not attain.'

Those who just want speed don't succeed.

Wisdom

Chinese

26

近水知鱼性, 近山识鸟音。

Jìn shuǐ zhī yúxìng; jìn shān shí niǎoyīn. 'near water know fish shape, near mountain know bird sound'

To know a fish go to the water; to know a bird's song go to the mountains.

Friendship

Chinese

27

听君一席话，胜读十年书。

Tīng jūn yīxíhuà, shèng dú shíniánshū 'hear gentleman remarks, beats reading ten year books'

Listening to a lord's remarks is better than reading books for ten years.

Friendship

Chinese

28

凡人不可貌相, 海水不可斗量。

Fánrén bù kě màoxiàng, hǎishuǐ bù kě dòuliàng. 'mortals can't judge by appearance, sea water can't cup measure'

Man cannot be judged by looks; seas cannot be measured by cup.

Friendship

Chinese

29

有缘千里来相会。

Yǒuyuán qiānlǐ lái xiānghuì. 'Have fate 1,000 li [or a long way] together meet'

Fate brings people together from far apart.

Friendship

Chinese

30

君子之交淡如水。

Jūnzǐ zhī jiāo dàn rú shuǐ 'gentleman's friendship bland like water'

A gentleman's friendship is insipid as water.

Friendship

Chinese

31

入乡随俗。

Rù xiāng suí sú 'enter district follow custom'

When entering a locality follow the local customs.

Friendship

Chinese

32

患难见真情。

Huànnàn jiàn zhēnqíng 'Hardship see true situation'

In hardship we see true friendship.

Friendship

Chinese

33

知音难觅。

Zhīyīn nánmì. 'soul mate hard find'

An intimate friend is hard to find.

Friendship

Chinese

34

广交友，无深交。

Guǎng jiāoyǒu, wú shēnjiāo. 'widely make friends, no deep friendship'

Numerous friends means no deep friendship.

Friendship

Chinese

35

道不同，不相为谋。

Dào bùtóng, bù xiāng wéi móu. 'principles different, not harmonious for schemes'

Men of different principles don't work well together.

Friendship

Chinese

36

一见钟情。

Yíjiàn zhōngqíng. 'one look fall-in-love'

Love at first sight.

Love

Chinese

37

愿得一人心，白首不相离。

Yuàndé yīrénxīn, báishǒu bùxiānglí. 'wish get a person heart, white head not one-another apart

Long for a heart, never be apart.

Love

Chinese

38

执子之手，与子偕老。

Zhí zǐ zhī shǒu, yǔ zǐ xiélǎo. 'grasp your hand, with you grow-old-together

Hold hands with you, grow old with you.

Love

Chinese

39

爱屋及乌。

Ai wū jí wū. 'love house and crow'

Love the house and its crow.

Love

Chinese

40

萝卜青菜，各有所爱。

Luóbo qīngcài, gè yǒu suǒ ài. 'radishes greens, each have that-which loves'

Radishes and greens, each have those who love them.

Love

Chinese

41

在天愿作比翼鸟，在地愿为连理枝。

Zài tiān yuàn zuò bǐyìniǎo, zài dì yuàn wéi liánlǐzhī. 'in sky wish be fly-wing-to-wing birds; on earth wish be grow-together branches.

Birds flying in the sky as one; branches growing on the earth as one.

Love

Chinese

42

有情人终成眷属。

Yǒuqínɡrén zhōnɡ chénɡ juànshǔ. 'in-love people finally become spouses'

People in love become spouses in the end.

Love

Chinese

43

情人眼里出西施。

Qínɡrén yǎnlǐ chū xīshī. 'lover eye inside appears Xishi [name; foremost of the Four Legendary Chinese Beauties]

In a lover's eye is the foremost Beauty.

Love

Chinese

44

爱之深，责之切。

Ài zhī shēn zé zhī qiē. 'love's deep, discipline's cutting'

Love deep, chastise deep.

Love

Chinese

45

有情饮水饱，无情食饭饥。

Yǒuqínɡ yínshuǐbǎo, wúqínɡ shífànjī. 'Have affection drink water full; no affection eat food hungry'

With love water is enough; without love food doesn't satisfy.

Love

Chinese

46

月到中秋分外明，每逢佳节倍思亲。

Yuè dào zhōngqiū fènwài míng, měi féng jiājié bèi sīqīn. 'moon reach Mid-Autumn exceptionally bright, every holiday multiply homesick'

The harvest moon is brightest; every festival homesickness multiplies.

Family

Chinese

47

儿行千里母担忧。

Er xíng qiānlǐ mǔ dānyōu. 'son travels 1,000 li [a long way; 500 km] mother worries'

When children travel far, mothers worry.

Family

Chinese

48

但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。

Dànyuàn rénchángjiǔ, qiānlǐ gòngchánjuān. 'Yet wish personlong-time, 1,000 li [a long way; 500 km] share moon[beauty]'

Wishing us long life, though sharing moonlight from afar.

Family

Chinese

49

家和万事兴。

Jiāhé wànshìxīnɡ. 'family harmonious everything prospers'

If a family is harmonious everything will go well.

Family

Chinese

50

家家有本难念的经。

Jiājiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīnɡ. 'Every-family has own difficult remembered experience.'

Every family has its problems.

Family

Chinese

51

清官难断家务事。

Qīnɡɡuān nán duàn jiāwùshì. 'honest-official difficult judge household affairs.

Even an upright official finds it hard to settle a family quarrel.

Family

Chinese

52

有其父，必有其子。

Yǒuqífù，bìyǒuqízǐ. 'have his father, must have his son'

Where there's a father, there's his son.

Family

Chinese

53

家丑不可外扬。

Jiāchǒu bù kě wài yánɡ. 'family shame can't outside propagate'

Family shames must not be spread abroad.

Family

Chinese

54

不当家，不知柴米贵。

Bù dānɡjiā，bù zhī cháimǐ ɡuì. 'Not manage household, not know firewood rice precious'

If you don't run the family, you don't know the value of fuel and rice.

Family

Chinese

55

金窝，银窝，不如自家的狗窝。

Jīnwō, yínwō, bùrú zìjiā de ɡǒuwō. 'gold nest, silver nest, not-as-good-as own family's kennel'

Gold and silver nests can't beat one's family kennel.

Family

Chinese

56

冰冻三尺，非一日之寒。

Bīngdòng sān chǐ, fēi yīrì zhī hán. 'freeze 3 chi [3 chi = 1 meter], not one day's cold'

It takes more than one cold day for a river to freeze a meter deep.

Encouragement

Chinese

57

机不可失，时不再来。

Jī bùkě shī, shí búzài lái. 'Opportunity can't lose, time not again come'

Don't miss opportunities: time doesn't come round again.

Encouragement

Chinese

58

人心齐，泰山移。

Rénxīn qí, Tàishān yí. 'people heart together, Mount Tai move'

When people work with one heart, they can even move Mount Tai. Tweet

Encouragement

Chinese

59

万事开头难。

Wànshì kāitóu nán. 'everything start difficult'

All things are difficult at the start. Tweet

Encouragement

Chinese

60

失败是成功之母。

Shībài shì chénggōng zhī mǔ. 'failure is success's mother'

Failure is the mother of success.

Encouragement

Chinese

61

只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针。

Zhǐyào gōngfū shēn, tiěchǔ mó chén gzhēn. 'just need effort deep, iron rod grind become needle'

It just needs hard work to grind an iron rod into a needle.

Encouragement

Chinese

62

水滴石穿，绳锯木断。

Shuǐ dī shí chuān, shéng jù mù duàn. 'water drop stone pierce, rope saw wood sever'

Water drops pierce stone; rope saws cut wood.

Encouragement

Chinese

63

一日之计在于晨。

Yīrì zhī jì zàiyú chén. 'a day's plan lies in dawn'

A day's planning is done at dawn.

Encouragement

Chinese

64

千里之行，始于足下。

Qiānlǐ zhī xíng, shǐyú zúxià. 1,000-li [500 km or a long way] journey, start with foot down.

A thousand-li journey starts with a footfall.

Encouragement

Chinese

65

否极泰来。

Pǐ jí tài lái. 'evil extreme peace come'

Peace replaces extreme evil.

Encouragement

Chinese

66

青出于蓝而胜于蓝。

Qīng chūyú lán ér shèngyú lán. 'green come-from blue moreover surpasses blue'

Green is from blue, and better than blue.

Encouragement

Chinese

67

老骥伏枥，志在千里。

Lǎojì fúlì, zhì zài qiānlǐ. 'old warhorse lie stable, ambition at 1,000 li [500 km; a long way]

An old warhorse in the stable still longs to gallop a thousand li.

Encouragement

Chinese

68

吃得苦中苦，方为人上人。

Chī dé kǔzhōngkǔ, fāng wéi rénshàngrén. 'eat gain pain in pain, method for man on man'

Enduring deepening pain is how man ascends.

Encouragement

Chinese

69

先到先得。

Xiān dào xiān dé. 'first arrive first get'

The first to arrive is the first to succeed.

Encouragement

Chinese

70

守得云开见月明。

Shǒu dé yún kāi jiàn yuèmíng. 'keep-watch gain cloud open see moonlight'

Watch till clouds part to see moonlight.

Encouragement

Chinese

71

逆境出人才。

Nìjìng chū réncái. 'adversity produces talented-person'

Adversity yields flair.

Encouragement

Chinese

72

吃一堑，长一智。

Chī yīqiàn, zhǎng yízhì. 'eat a moat, grow a wisdom'

Suffer a moat, grow in wisdom.

Encouragement

Chinese

73

不能一口吃成胖子。

Bùnéng yīkǒu chī chéng pàngzi. 'can't one mouthful eat become fat-person'

You can't get fat with one mouthful.

Encouragement

Chinese

74

风无常顺，兵无常胜。

Fēng wú chángshùn, bīng wú chángshèng. 'wind not always favorable; soldiers not always win'

Wind isn't always favorable; soldiers aren't always victorious.

Encouragement

Chinese

75

星星之火，可以燎原。

Xīngxīng zhī huǒ, kěyǐ liáoyuan. 'star's fire, can shine far'

Starlight shines far.

Encouragement

Chinese

76

哀兵必胜。

Āibīng bì sheng. 'sorrowful soldiers must win'

An aggrieved army is sure to win.

Encouragement

Chinese

77

书是随时携带的花园。

Shū shì suíshí xiédài de huāyuán. 'book is at-all-times carried garden'

A book is a pocket garden.

Education

Chinese

78

活到老，学到老。

Huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo. 'live till old, study till old.

Live till you're old, and study till you're old.

Education

Chinese

79

好书如挚友。

Hǎoshū rú zhìyǒu. 'good book as-good-as close-friend'

A good book is like a good friend.

Education

Chinese

80

一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴。

Yícùn guāngyīn yícùnjīn, cùnjīn nán mǎi cùnguāngyīn. '1 cun [Chinese inch, 1/30 m] time 1 cun gold, cun gold difficult buy cun time'

An inch of time is worth an inch of gold, but an inch of gold may not buy an inch of time.

Education

Chinese

81

好记性不如烂笔头。

Hǎojìxìng bù rú lànbǐtóu. 'good memory not-as-good-as rotten pen'

A good memory can't beat a bad pen.

Education

Chinese

82

花有重开日，人无再少年。

Huā yǒu chóng kāi rì, rén wú zài shào nián. 'flower has again open day, people no again youth'

Flowers may bloom again; you're never young again.

Education

Chinese

83

学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆。

Xué ér bùsī zé wǎng, sī ér bùxué zé dài. 'study but not think then deceive, think but not study then dangerous'

Learning without thought is deceptive; thought without learning is perilous.

Education

Chinese

84

书到用时方恨少。

Shū dào yòngshí fāng hènshǎo. 'books till use time just-when hate few'

When using books, you'll regret reading few.

Education

Chinese

85

读书须用意，一字值千金。

dúshū xū yòngyì, yīzì zhí qiānjīn. 'reading books needs use attention, one word worth 1,000 gold'

Reading requires concentration; a word may be worth a fortune.

Education

Chinese

86

严师出高徒。

Yánshī chū gāotú. 'strict teacher produces brilliant student'

Strict teachers produce fine students.

Education

Chinese

87

事实胜于雄辩。

Shìshí shèng yú xióngbiàn.

Facts beat eloquence.

Literature

Chinese

88

一言既出，驷马难追。

Yìyán jì chū, sìmǎ nán zhuī. 'a word already produced, team-of-4-horses difficult chase'

A team of horses will struggle to chase down a spoken word.

Literature

Chinese

89

路遥知马力，日久见人心。

Lùyáo zhī mǎlì, rìjiǔ jiàn rénxīn. 'road distant know horse strength, days old see man heart'

As distance tests a horse's strength, time reveals a person's character.

Literature

Chinese

90

无规矩不成方圆。

Wú guīju bù chéng fāngyuán. 'no standards not become perimeter'

Without standards no boundaries are set.

Literature

Chinese

91

惩前毖后。

Chéngqiánbìhòu. 'punish before prevent after'

Punishing those who come before stops those who come after from doing something.

Literature

Chinese

92

三思而后行。

Sānsī ér hòu xíng. "three thoughts and after act"

Think thrice before you act.

Literature

Chinese

93

良药苦口。

Liángyào kǔ kǒu 'good medicine bitter mouth'

Good medicine tastes bitter.

Literature

Chinese

94

有理走遍天下，无理寸步难行。

Yǒulǐ zǒubiàn tiānxià, wúlǐ cùnbù nánxíng. 'have truth walk all land-under-heaven; no truth cun [Chinese inch; 1/30 m] step difficult walk'

With truth on your side, you can go anywhere; without truth, you can't take a tiny step.

Literature

Chinese

95

当局者迷，旁观者清。

Dāngjúzhě mí, pángguānzhě qīng. 'player confused; spectator clear'

The player is lost; the watcher is lucid.

Literature

Chinese

96

十年树木，百年树人。

Shínián shù mù, bǎinián shù rén. '10 years cultivate wood, 100 years cultivate man'

Ten years to cultivate wood, a hundred years to cultivate a man.

Literature

Chinese

97

民以食为天。

Mín yǐ shí wéi tiān. Subjects think food is heaven.

Food is the first priority of the people.

Literature

Chinese

98

善有善报。

Shàn yǒu shànbào. 'good have good recompense'

Repay good with good.

Literature

Chinese

99

顾左右而言他。

Gù zuǒyòu ér yán tā. 'deliberately approximate and talk something-else'

Deliberately vague and deflective.

Literature

Chinese