Chinese proverbs and sayings

He who asks is a fall for five minutes but
He who does not ask remains to fall forever

A wise man makes his own decisions,
An ignorant man follows the public opinion

If you are planning for a year sell rice;
If you are planning for a decade plant trees;
If you are planning for a lifetime educate people.

A diamond with a flaw is better than a common stone that is perfect.

If your strength is small,
Don’t carry heavy burdens
If your words are worthless,
Don’t give advice.

If you are patient in one moment of anger,
You will escape a hundred days of sorrow

Man schemes are inferior to those made by heaven.

Parents who are afraid to put their foot down usually
Have children who step on their toes

If you must play,
Decide upon three things at the start:
The rules of the game, the stakes and the quitting time.

All things are difficult before they are easy,

Teachers open the door but you must walk through it yourself.

Insanity is doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different outcome.

A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which every person leaves a mark.

A bird does not sing because it has an answer,
It sings because it has a song.

A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers.

Love is not about possession,
It’s all about appreciation

A book holds a house of gold,

Love at first sight,
It’s generally used for people but
You can also use it for other physical objects.

He who thinks too much about every step,
He takes will always stay on one leg.

With true friends… even water drunk together is sweet enough.

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

A single conversation with a wise man is worth a month’s study of books.

Do not confine your children to your own learning,
For they were born in another time

Be not afraid of growing slowly,
Be afraid only of standing still.

If you don’t want anyone to know it, don’t do it.

A man should choose a friend who is better than himself.
There are plenty of acquaintances in the world; but very few real friends

Opportunity knocks at the door only once.

A good book is a good friend.

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

If you stand straight, do not fear a crooked shadow.

A straight foot is not afraid of a crooked shoe.

A filthy mouth will not utter decent language.

Clothing is cherishable when new, but relationship when old.

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

Pearls don’t lie on the seashore,
If you want one you must dive for it.

A nation’s treasure is in its scholars.

Better to light a candle,
Then to curse the darkness.

He who depends on himself will attain the greatest happiness.

Tell me and I’ll forget;
Show me and I may remember;
Involve me and I’ll understand.

Distance tests a horse’s strength,
Time reveals a person’s character.

Outside noisy,
Inside empty.

You want to find out about the road ahead,
then ask about it from those coming back.

A man who cannot tolerate small misfortunes can never accomplish great things.

A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.

Be not disturbed at being misunderstood;
Be disturbed rather at not being understanding.

He will win
who knows when to fight and
when not to fight.

Even a hair will bite when it is cornered.

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

Time is money,
and it is difficult for one to use money to get time.

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

One generation plants the trees and another gets the shade.

When the wind of change blows,
Some people build walls,
Others build windmills.

Do not choose the one you don’t trust and trust the one you chose.

Never believe your wife if she says she has forgiven resentments.

Genius can be recognized by its childish simplicity.

Do not be afraid of moving slowly.
Be afraid of standing still.

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

A little impatience will spoil great plans.

Talk does not cook rice.

All things change and we change with them.

Listening well is as powerful as talking well, and is also as essential to true conversation.

There are two kinds of perfect people:
Those who are dead, and those who have not been born yet.

He who cheats the earth will be cheated by the earth.

Better the cottage where one is merry than the palace where one weeps.