Chapter 16 Miscellaneous Favorite Sayings

Below are some of the most popular sayings in China that do not fall easily into any of the categories in the preceding chapters. We would be remiss if we left out such commonly heard nuggets of wisdom, which are some of our favorites.

AN INDIVIDUAL’S POSITION IN SOCIETY

The emperor’s daughter need not worry about [a lack of] suitors.

(When you’re the best at what you do, people will always seek you out without your needing to go in search of clients or customers.)

Huángdì de nǚér bùchóu jià.

皇帝的女儿不愁嫁。

The body of a princess but the fate of a slave girl

(champagne taste on a beer income; to have fancy tastes that far outstrip your means)

Xiǎojiě de shēnzi, yātou de mìng.

小姐的身子，丫头的命.

The barefoot person fears not those wearing shoes.

(People who are poor and powerless may feel they have nothing to lose in standing up to the rich and powerful, if necessary.)

Guāng jiǎo de búpà chuān xié de.

光脚的不怕穿鞋的。

If you’re under the low-hanging eaves, how can you dare not bow your head?

(When you depend on others for food, lodging, or pay, you have no choice but to bow to their wishes.)

Zài rén ǎi yán xià, zě gǎn bù dī tóu?

在人矮檐下，怎敢不低头？

Three smelly cobblers combined equal a Zhuge Liang [an Aristotle].

(The combined wisdom of a number of ordinary people can equal that of one genius, like the brilliant strategist of the third-century BCE, Zhuge Liang; two heads are better than one.)

Sānge chòu píjiàng, còu ge Zhūgé Liàng.

三个臭皮匠，凑个诸葛亮。

Generals and prime ministers were not born to greatness; each man became so through great effort.

Jiàng xiàng běn wú zhǒng, nán ér dāng zì qiáng.

将相本无种，男儿当自强。

People need to ascend to a high place; water must flow ever downward.

(Said by parents to encourage their children to work to rise in life, rather than be like water that follows the natural law of gravity)

Rén wàng gāochù zǒu, shuǐ wàng dīchù liú.

人往高处走，水往低处流。

No one’s ten fingers are all the same length.

(You cannot expect that everyone will be like you.)

Shíge zhǐtóu bù yìbān qí.

十个指头不一般齐。

Whoever has milk we regard as our mother.

(People will serve whoever makes it worth their while.)

Yǒu nǎi biàn shì niáng.

有奶便是娘。

Those involved do not grasp what the onlooker sees clearly.

(It’s often easier for an outsider to see clearly what those involved in a troubled situation cannot.)

Dāng jú zhě mí, páng guān zhě qīng.

当局者迷，旁观者清。

GOOD ADVICE

Well borrowed and well returned makes it easy to borrow again.

(If when you borrow something you take care of it and return it promptly, you’ll not find it difficult to borrow something again.)

Hǎo jiè hǎo huán, zài jiè bù nán.

好借好还，再借不难。

Even a wise person is sure to be mistaken one time out of a thousand; even a fool is sure to get something right one time out of a thousand.

(Even the smartest person isn’t perfect, while even the dumbest person comes up with a good idea once in a blue moon.)

Zhìzhě qiān lǜ bì yǒu yìshī, yúzhě qiān lǜ bì yǒu yì dé.

智者千虑必有一失，愚者千虑必有一得。

The one who just stands around and criticizes [knows not] the aching back of those doing the work.

(Some people do, while others criticize; talk is cheap.)

Zhànzhe shuōhuà bù yāo téng.

站着说话不腰疼。

When you drink water, don’t forget those who dug the well.

(Don’t take for granted the hard work of those who came before you.)

Hē shuǐ búwàng jué jǐng rén.

喝水不忘掘井人。

One’s ancestors planted the tree; their descendants enjoy the cool shade.

(We all owe a debt to those who came before us and left us so much.)

Qián rén zhòng shù, hòu rén chèng liáng.

前人种树，后人乘凉。

Distant water cannot quench present thirst.

(The promise of something to come is of no help when the need is immediate.)

Yuǎn shuǐ jiěbùliǎo jìn kě.

远水解不了近渴。

What you can do isn’t hard; what’s hard is what you can’t do.

Huìzhě bùnán, nánzhě búhuì.

会者不难，难者不会。

Nothing in the world is difficult if one sets his mind to it.

(Where there’s a will, there’s a way; all that is required to accomplish anything is determination.)

Shìshàng wú nán shì, zhǐ pà yǒu xīn rén.

世上无难事，只怕有心人。

You can’t judge people by their looks; you can’t measure the ocean by the bushel.

(A person’s true character is as difficult to fathom as the sea.)

Rén bù kě mào xiàng, hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒuliáng.

人不可貌相，海水不可斗量。

A suspicious mind creates ghosts in the dark.

(A person always looking for problems sees them even when there are none.)

Yíxīn shēng àn guǐ.

疑心生暗鬼。

There is a different key for every lock.

(Different problems require different solutions.)

Yìbǎ yàoshi kāi yìbǎ suǒ.

一把钥匙开一把锁。

To untie the bell, you need the person who tied it.

(The person who created the problem should be the one to solve it.)

Jiě líng hái xū xì líng rén.

解铃还需系铃人。

To play the monk and strike the bell for a day

(to do one’s work half-heartedly; the bell is the monk’s call to worship)

Zuò yìtiān héshang zhuàng yìtiān zhōng

做一天和尚撞一天钟

When you save someone, save them all the way; when you see someone off, see them all the way home.

(Anything worth doing is worth doing right.)

Jiù rén jiù dào dǐ, sòng rén sòng dào jiā.

救人救到底，送人送到家。

Give a treasured sword to a brave warrior; give rouge to a beautiful woman.

(Gifts should suit the person to whom they’re given.)

Bǎojiàn zèngyǔ lièshì, hóngfěn zèngyǔ jiārén.

宝剑赠与烈士，红粉赠与佳人。

To move a tree might kill it; to move people may give them (new) life.

(Moving to another place to live and work may give you a chance to start life anew.)

Rén nuó huó, shù nuó sǐ.

人挪活，树挪死。

As long as the green mountains exist, you’ll never lack for firewood.

(Where there’s life, there’s hope.)

Liú dé qīng shān zài, bú pà méi chái shāo.

留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。