Chinese Proverbs: Wisdom from Ancient Sages

  1. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Laozi (attributed)
  2. “A closed mouth catches no flies.” – Wang Yangming (attributed)
  3. “Patience is a bitter plant, but it bears sweet fruit.” – Li Qingzhao (attributed)
  4. “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb (Author unknown)
  5. “A diamond with a flaw is better than a pebble without imperfections.” – Confucius (attributed)
  6. “When the winds of change blow, some people build walls, while others build windmills.” – Chinese Proverb (Author unknown)
  7. “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask remains a fool forever.” – Confucius (attributed)
  8. “When you need a book, you realize you don’t have enough.” – Lu You
  9. “Dripping water can penetrate even stone.” – Zhao Pu
  10. “The clumsy bird flies early.” – Cao Xueqin
  11. “The old man lost his horse; how could one know it was not a blessing?” – Jiao Xun
  12. “An inch of time is worth an inch of gold.” – Cao Yu
  13. “Contentment brings happiness.” – Cheng Yi
  14. “He who walks in the company of the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.” – Laozi
  15. “Experience is the best teacher.” – Cao Cao
  16. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” – Deng Jiaxian
  17. “The road ahead is long and distant; I will seek and explore from top to bottom.” – Qu Yuan
  18. “The swift runner reaches the finish line first.” – Tao Yuanming
  19. “The peach and plum trees do not speak, yet people come to them on their own.” – Han Yu
  20. “Discussing military strategy on paper.” – Emperor Wu

This website uses cookies.