Chinese Proverbs quotes

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

• 45
• decisions

The fire you kindle for your enemy often burns yourself more than him.

• 43
• enemy

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

• 42
• learning

Happiness is like a sunbeam, which the least shadow intercepts, while adversity is often as the rain of spring.

• 39
• happiness

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one.

• 38
• mistakes

Don't open a shop unless you like to smile.

• 37
• business

If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words.

• 36
• words

Great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes.

• 35
• will

If you want 1 year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want 100 years of prosperity, grow people.

• 35
• success

There are two perfectly good men, one dead, and the other unborn.

• 32
• goodness

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

• 30
• friends

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

• 30
• insanity

When men speak of the future, the Gods laugh.

• 28
• future

In the midst of great joy, do not promise anyone anything. In the midst of great anger, do not answer anyone's letter.

• 28
• promises

To talk goodness is not good... only to do it is.

• 27
• actions

If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed.

• 27
• fate

Govern a family as you would cook a small fish -- very gently.

• 25
• family

When you cease to strive to understand, then you will know without understanding.

• 25
• knowledge

Pleasure for one hour, a bottle of wine. Pleasure for one year a marriage; but pleasure for a lifetime, a garden.

• 24
• pleasure

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life.

• 23
• teaching

Who is not satisfied with himself will grow; who is not sure of his own correctness will learn many things.

• 22
• discontent

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

• 22
• advice

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

• 22
• playgames

To understand your parents' love you must raise children yourself.

• 21
• parenting

One never needs their humor as much a when they argue with a fool.

• 21
• humor

Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead.

• 21
• criticism

Never do anything standing that you can do sitting, or anything sitting that you can do lying down.

• 20
• simplicity

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

• 20
• identity

A man grows most tired while standing still.

• 19
• work

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

• 19
• character

The tongue can paint what the eye can't see.

• 19
• persuasion

The grandfather builds the Empire, the father squanders the Empire, and the son loses the Empire.

• 19
• accomplishment

Habits are cobwebs at first; cables at last.

• 18
• habits

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

• 17
• gambling

To be uncertain is to be uncomfortable, but to be certain is to be ridiculous.

• 16
• certainty

The palest ink lasts longer than the most retentive memory.

• 14
• memory

The greatest conqueror is he who overcomes the enemy without a blow.

• 14
• victory

What is told into the ear of a man is often heard a hundred miles away.

• 14
• secrets

One step at a time is good walking.

• 14
• planning

All people are your relatives, therefore expect only trouble from them.

• 13
• family

Climb mountains to see lowlands.

• 13
• growth

Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.

• 12
• teaching

The superior doctor prevents sickness; The mediocre doctor attends to impending sickness; The inferior doctor treats actual sickness;

• 12
• doctors

If you suspect a man, don't employ him, and if you employ him, don't suspect him.

• 11
• work

Experience is a comb which nature gives to men when they are bald.

• 11
• experience

Those who do not study are only cattle dressed up in men's clothes.

• 11
• learning

One dog barks at something, the rest bark at him.

• 9
• pessimism

The woman who tells her age is either too young to have anything to lose or too old to have anything to gain.

• 9
• age

Life is a dream walking death is a going home.

• 9
• death

Better do a good deed near at home than go far away to burn incense.

• 8
• actions

Sour, sweet, bitter, pungent, all must be tasted.

• 8
• variety

Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

• 8

Respect for ones parents is the highest duty of civil life.

• 8
• respect

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.

• 8
• happiness

He who sacrifices his conscience to ambition burns a picture to obtain the ashes.

• 7
• conscience

People live like birds in the woods: When the time comes, each must take flight.

• 7
• birds

If you get up one more time than you fall you will make it through.

• 5

When we have nothing to worry about we are not doing much, and not doing much may supply us with plenty of future worries.

• 5
• worry

Of all the thirty-six alternatives, running away is best.

• 5
• running

With virtue you can't be entirely poor; without virtue you can't really be rich.

• 5
• virtue

To climb a tree to catch a fish is talking much and doing nothing.

• 5
• speeches

Your friend has a friend; don't tell him.

• 5
• gossip

Sow much, reap much; sow little, reap little.

• 5
• charity

Biggest profits mean gravest risks.

• 4
• danger

With time and patience the mulberry leaf becomes a silk gown.

• 4
• time

A hundred men may make an encampment, but it takes a woman to make a home.

• 4
• home

One joy scatters a hundred grieves.

• 3
• joy

Enough shovels of earth -- a mountain. Enough pails of water -- a river.

• 3
• growth

Man who waits for roast duck to fly into mouth must wait very, very long time.

• 3
• questions

A great fortune depends on luck, a small one on diligence.

• 3
• fortune

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

• 3
• tension

Great doubts deep wisdom. Small doubts little wisdom.

• 2
• doubt

Those who have free seats at a play hiss first.

• 2
• criticism

The longer the night lasts, the more our dreams will be.

• 2
• lasts

If heaven made him, earth can find some use for him.

• 2

A maker of idols is never an idolater.

• 2
• religion

Everyone pushes a falling fence.

• 1
• failure

If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come.

• 1
• heart

If fortune smiles, who doesn't? If fortune doesn't, who does?

• 1
• fate

When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people.

• 1
• planning

Ceremony is the smoke of friendship.

• 1
• ritual

A single conversation across the table with a wise man is worth a month's study of books.

• wisdom

Life is like an echo, what you send out comes back.

• life

Think of your own faults the first part of the night when you are awake, and of the faults of others the latter part of the night when you are asleep.

• thought

Do not employ handsome servants.

• work

If you are poor, though you dwell in the busy marketplace, no one will inquire about you; if you are rich, though you dwell in the heart of the mountains, you will have distant relatives.

• money

Riches: A dream in the night. Fame: A gull floating on water.

• fame

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

• fight

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

• action