Chinese Proverbs Quotes

When you begin a journey of revenge, start by digging two graves: one for your enemy, and one for yourself.

He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.

A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study.” - Chinese proverb

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” - Chinese proverb

Learning is like rowing upstream; not to advance is to drop back.” - Chinese proverb

A little fragrance always clings to the hand that gives the roses.

The most difficult battles in life are those we fight within. - Old Chinese Proverb

If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.” Chinese Proverb

A Chinese proverb reminds us: You cannot prevent birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now

An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, and circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle. But it will never break.” —Ancient Chinese Proverb

Ancient Chinese proverb,” he said, heading toward the kitchen. “He who butt-fucks all night wakes up with sore asshole.

Civilize The Mind, But Make Savage The Body.

A Chinese proverb: Outside of sky there is sky, outside of people there are people. It is the idea of infinity and also that there will always be someone better than you.

He remembered the old Chinese proverb, sometimes ascribed to Confucius: If you sit by the river for long enough, the body of your enemy will float by.

Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.

Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.

Chinese proverb that said an invisible thread connected those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, and circumstance.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.

A Chinese proverb says, “Those who drink the water must remember those who dug the well.” Gratitude is one of the most attractive of all personal attributes;

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” —Chinese proverb

No, you cannot stop the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can stop them from building nests in your hair.

When the wind of change blows, some people build walls, others build windmills.

That the birds of worry and care fly over you head, this you cannot change, but that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent." - Chinese Proverb

One conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study in a public school.

When a bird flies too high, it loses its song. -- Old Chinese Proverb

As the Chinese proverb goes, 'Real gold does not fear the test of fire.

Our first kiss was there on the bridge in the woods. How do you describe a first kiss? It is like trying to hold water in your hands. There is an ancient Chinese proverb that compares kissing to drinking salted water. “You drink, and your thirst increases,” it says. Time, I’m sure, passed by, but we remained unavailable for comment.

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 someone else.

Better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.

How do you move a mountain? One spoonful of dirt at a time. Chinese proverb

There’s a wonderful Chinese proverb that says: “When the winds of change rage, some build shelters while others build windmills.

Anyone can find the dirt on someone, but very few can wipe it from their own shoes.

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket.

There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same.

There’s a Chinese proverb that says “Wisdom is avoiding all thoughts that weaken you & embracing those that strengthen you” Your mind is like a Ferrari (Or your favorite car) it is Awesome!...but if you put sand on the gas tank it won’t run. Don’t put sand (negativity) on your mind. Think positive, encouraging, uplifting thoughts, & the negative will soon evaporate.

A thorn defends the rose, harming only those who would steal the blossom.

One who has character has courage.

the Chinese proverb says, when sleeping women wake, mountains move.

To be uncertain is to be uncomfortable, but to be certain is to be ridiculous.” —Chinese proverb

When you begin a journey of revenge, start by digging two graves: one for your enemy, and one for yourself. —CHINESE PROVERB

When the father helps the son, both smile. When the son helps the father, both cry. ~ Chinese proverb

If you don't know where you're going, all roads lead there.

To forget one’s ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a tree without roots.

He who is afraid of suffering, is already suffering fear. Out of fear, true creativity is blocked.

A club hurts the flesh, but evil words hurt the bone. -Traditional Chinese Proverb

When the winds of change blow, some people build walls, and others build windmills. chinese proverb 

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Chinese Proverb

If we don’t change the direction we are headed, we will end up where we are going. – Chinese proverb

Teachers open doors, but you must enter by yourself. Chinese proverb

Teachers open the door. You enter by yourself —Chinese proverb

If you don't want anyone to find out about it then don't do it

At the gambling table, there are no fathers and sons.

Everyone sees the violence of the swollen river. Few see the violence of the embankments that constrain it.

There are no endings, only beginnings that have been reborn.

If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. But if you give him a fishing rod, you feed him for a lifetime.

As noted by a Chinese proverb, even the palest ink is better than the best memory.

If we don’t change the direction we are headed, we will end up where we are going. —CHINESE PROVERB

The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names. —Chinese Proverb

Jade must be chiseled before it can be considered a gem -- Chinese Proverb

Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one.” Ancient Chinese Proverb

A Chinese proverb predicts that for every man with great skill, there is a woman with great beauty. In ancient China, there are four great beauties: The first so beautiful that when fish see her reflection they forget to swim and sink. The second so beautiful that birds forget how to fly and fall. The third so beautiful that the moon refuses to shine. The fourth so beautiful that flowers refuse to bloom. I find it interesting how often beauty is shown to make the objects around it feel worse.

Luck never gives; it only lends.

无惧无急 (The fearless do not hurry.)

Keep a green tree alive in your heart, and a songbird may come to sing there.

One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life.

Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it.

It’s something I call an invisible thread. It is, as the old Chinese proverb tells us, something that connects two people who are destined to meet, regardless of time and place and circumstance. Some legends call it the red string of fate; others, the thread of destiny.

If you must play, decide upon three things at the start:the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.” Chinese Proverb

When the wind of change blows, some build walls, others build windmills.” - Chinese Proverb.

person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it. –Chinese Proverb

Time is the fire in which we burn. —Delmore Schwartz       Point α A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark. —Chinese Proverb

Kind people help each other even without noticing that they are doing so, and evil people act against each other on purpose. —CHINESE PROVERB

As the Chinese proverb says, 'Those who say it can't be done shouldn't interrupt those who are doing it.

Be not afraid of going slowly. Be afraid only of standing still."   ―CHINESE PROVERB

Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand. —Chinese proverb

The palest ink is better than the best memory. —CHINESE PROVERB

Don’t listen to what they say. Go see. — Chinese proverb

If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time. —CHINESE PROVERB

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 month; get married. If you want happiness for a year; inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime; help someone else.                Chinese proverb

Contentment can only be found in not envying others or comparing yourself to them but in being satisfied with what you have.

Don't force the river to flow. It will flow on its own.

Teach me i will forget, show i will remember, involve me i will understand

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

If you want to know what water is don't ask the fish.

Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come.

The temptation to quit will be the greatest just before you're about to succeed

dig the well before you are thirsty

A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.

To talk much and arrive nowhere is the same as climbing a tree to catch a fish.

Vivian once told me about a Chinese proverb that said an invisible thread connected those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, and circumstance. I felt the phantom tug of that thread now, stretching between us and vibrating with the promise of something only fate could deliver. I used to think we wouldn't be together if her father hadn't forced us together. I was wrong. A part of me would always find my way to her. She was my North Star, the brightest jewel in my sky.

Be afraid of standing still than growing slowly.

学如逆水行舟，不进则退 / Studying is like rowing a bot upstream, not moving forward is to fall behind

Run after an elephant and you will find out why you are not a mouse.

Talk does not cook rice.

Over the years, I have learned that if each country could understand the other’s history, culture, and viewpoint, and accept that there are some issues that the two countries will “agree to disagree”, there would be tremendous progress. I have come to really like the wise Chinese proverb “yi zhong qiu tong,” which means seeking common ground while accepting differences. This is precisely the mindset that both countries need.

Chinese proverb says, “If you want to know what water is, don’t ask the fish.” Most Hindus know little about Hinduism’s scriptures or its development in dogma. Most Buddhists know little about Buddhism. Religion is much more a culture to most people than it is a carefully thought-through system of truth. Even Islam finds the same ignorance. Dare I say most Christians know very little about the teaching and history of their own beliefs.

Since good intentions and sympathy for others often led people into trouble, the Chinese people had invented a new proverb that said, 'The more you do, the more trouble you have; the less you do, the less trouble you have. If you do nothing whatever, you will become a model citizen.

I really feel sorry for the many men who are surrounded by people who flatter them all the time. In Chinese we have a golden proverb: "The true friend is the one who shows you how to bow down. Because you cannot enter the cave of treasures without bowing at the opening. And the true enemy is the one who flatters you. Because you cannot enter the cave of treasures standing tall with pride." At the end of the day, it is those that flatter you who keep you away from the true treasures in your life. In the culture we all live in today, we are taught to surround ourselves by people "who believe in us". That is true to some extent. But in reality, there are many times when the people around us ought to slap us in the face because we are being idiots. This seems to be particularly prevalent amongst men. In their quest to build a kingdom, they surround themselves with peasants. But this is not how to build a kingdom. In order to build a kingdom, surround yourself with knights. True friends who will protect you, even if it means protecting you from your own wayward self.

Much of any culture can be linked back to eating and food, food and care, eating and language. To eat one's feelings, to eat dust, words, to eat your own heart out, to eat someone else alive, to eat your cake and have it too, things that are adorable (puppies, babies) that are said to be good enough to eat, to have someone else eat out of the palm of your hand, to be chewed out, a dog-eat-dog world. Chinese isn't any different from English in this way. Chī for "eat," and chī sù, to only eat vegetables, but also, colloquially, to be a pushover. Chī cù, to eat vinegar or be jealous. Chī lì, to eat effort, as for a task that is very strenuous. To eat surprise, to be amazed, chī jī ng. To be completely full or chī bǎo fàn, and thus to have nothing better to do. To eat punishment or get the worst of it, chī kuī. And, most important, to eat hardship, suffering, and pain, chī kǔ, a defining Chinese quality, to be able to bear a great deal without showing a crack.