My Collection of Chinese Proverbs

锦上添花 – Jin3 Shang4 Tian1 Hua1 (Gam Siong Tim Fa)

Lit. Add flower to a bouquet

Minor improvement to something already good

雪上加霜 – Xue3 Shang4 Jia1 Shuang1 (Shuet Siong Ga Siong)

Lit. Add frost to snow

Add insult to injury

火上加油  – Huo3 Shang4 Jia1 You2 (Fo Siong Ga Yau)   

Lit. Add oil to flame

One tries to worsen other’s dispute by saying or making things worse/Worsen a situation

姜是老的辣 – Jiang1 Shi4 Lao3 De La4 (Giong Si Lou Dik Lat)   

Lit. Old ginger is always more pungent

Elderly people are more experienced

开卷有益– Kai1 Juan4 You3 Yi4 (Hoi Guen Yau Yik)            

Lit. Its beneficial to open a book

Reading is good for gaining knowledge and beneficial for the mind

一步登天– Yi 2 bu4 Deng1 Tian1 (Yat Bou Dang Tin)          

Lit. Reach Heaven in a single stride

An extremely fast progress or getting a huge promotion (a big leap ahead)

以小人之心, 度君子之腹– Yi3 Xiao3 Ren2 Zhi1 Xin1 Du4 Jun1 Zi3 Zhi1 Fu (Yi Siu Yan Zi Sam Dou Gwan Ji Zi Fuk)

Lit. A Low grade person often thinks of a man of honor as mean as himself

与人方便, 自己方便– Yu4 Ren2 Fang1 Bian4, Zi4 Ji3 Fang1 Bian4 (Yu Yan Fong Bin Ji Gei Fong Bin)

Lit. Be considerate towards others and you’ll be treated likewise

先斩后奏– Xian1 Zhan3 Hou4 Zou4 (Xin Zham Hau Zau)          

Lit. Execution first, judgement later

Purposely act against other’s first/punishment first even before a judgement is made/ Act before others (whom you think will go against you) do to you. Can also mean a person chooses to do something first before consulting or telling others because he knew that his action will be opposed.

泥菩萨过河, 自身难保– Ni2 Pu2 Sa4 Guo4 He2, Zi4 Shen1 Nan2 Bao3 (Nai pou sat guo ho, si san nan bou)

Lit. The Bodhisatva (the enlightened one) made of mud could save no one when crossing the river (as it would dissolve).

When one is in serious trouble, he may not be able to save himself, let alone others.

天下乌鸦一般黑– Tian1 Xia4 Wu1 Ya1 Yi1 Ban1 Hei1 (Tin ha wu nga yat bun hak)

Lit. All crows regarless of the origin are equally black

All bad people are equally bad regardless of place, background or situation. Human nature never changes. 

乌鸦口–Wu1 Ya1 Kou3 (Wu Nga Hau)

Lit. A crow’s mouth

Describes a person who said something negative/unwanted and actually came true or happened. 

笑里藏刀– Xiao4 Li3 Cang2 Dao1 (Xiu lui cong dou)

Lit. A dagger hidden in a smile

When you say that a person has a dagger hidden in his smile, it means that the person is a dangerous person and harm even if he smiles to you.  A hypocrite.

一东不如一静 – Yi1 Dong4 Bu4 Ru2 Yi1 Jing4 (Yat Dong Pat Yu Yat Jing)

Lit. Staying put/No action is better than action

A deliberate inaction is better than a blind action

远水救不了近火– Yuan3 Shui3 Jiu4 Bu4 Liao3 Jin4 Huo (Yuen Sui Kau Pat Liu Kan Fo)

Lit. Distant water will not be able to put out a close fire

当着矮人, 别说矮话– Dang1 Zhe4 Ai3 Ren2 Bie2 Shuo1 Ai3 Hua4 (Dong Cheok Ngai Yan Bit Shuet Ngai Wa)

Lit. Do not mention the word short in front of a short person

Do not discuss on a topic that is sensitive/of concern to the listener/one of the listeners as it may hurt the person. In other words, think before you speak.

要想人不知, 除非己莫为- Yao4 Xiang3 Ren2 bu4 Zhi1, Chu2 Fei Ji3 Mo4 Wei2 (Yew Siong Yan Pat Chi, Chui Fei Gei Mok Wai)

Lit. If you don’t want other’s to know what you have done, unless you don’t allow yourself to do it/Don't do it if you don't want others tro know.

酒逢知己千杯少, 话不投机半句多 – Jiu3 Feng2 zhi1 Ji3 Qian1 Bei1 Shao3, Hua4 Bu Tou2 Ji Ban4 Ju4 Duo1 (Zhau Fong ji gei chin bui siu, Wa pat tau gei buen gui do)

Lit. When drinking with a bossom friend, a thousand cups of wine are too few.  However, if there is no common topic, half a sentence is too many.

Describes a situation when a person feels at pleasure when accompanied by a good friend/or a person of same interest but feels left out/bored when accompanied by/chats with a person of different interest or uncommon topic.

以毒攻毒– Yi3 Du2 Gong1 Du2 (Yi Duk Gong Duk)

Lit. Fight Poison with Poison

Use opponent’s tactics to attack himself/ Use poison to heal a poisoned person (Chinese medicine).

大海捞针– Da4 Hai3 Lao1 Zhen1 (Dai Hoi Lao Zham)

Lit. Fish a Needle in Deep Sea

A futile effort to search for something in a unknown place. A extremely difficult search task.

水中捞月– Shui3 Zhong1 Lao1 Yue (Sui Zhong Lao Yuet)

Lit. To fish get the moon from the water reflection

Means a useless attempt/ An attempt which will never be successful.      

狐假虎威– hu3 Jia3 Hu3 Wei1 (Wu Ga Fu Wai)

Lit. A fox imitating a tiger’s Might

A bully who have the support of another bigger bully and uses his might/name to intimidate others    

花香不一定美丽, 能说不一定能做 – Hua1 xiang1 Bu4 Yi1 Ding4 Mei3 Li4, Neng2 Shuo1 Bu2 Yi1 Ding4 Huei4 Zuo4

                                                                   (Fa Hiong Pat Yat Ding Mei Lai, Nang Shuet Pat Yat Ding Wui Zhou)

Lit. A fragrant flower is not necessarily beautiful while a person who speaks/boasts of his ability may not necessarily know how to perform/do practically.

恶有恶报, 善有善报- Shan4 You3 Shan4 Bao4, Er4 you3 Er4 Bao4(Xin yau xin bou, ngok yau ngok bou)

Lit. Good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil.

善恶到头终有报,只等来早与来迟- Shan4 Er4 Dao4 Tou2 Zhong1 You3 Bao4, Zhi3 Deng3 Lai2 Zao3 Yu4 Lai2 Chi2

                            (Xin Ngok dou tau Zhong Yau bou, ji dang loi zhou yu loi chi)

Lit. Good will be rewarded with good, and evil with evil. Its only a matter of time

玉不琢不成器, 人不教难成材- Yu4 Bu4 zhuo1 Bu4 Cheng2 Qi4, Ren2 Bu2 Jiao4 Nan2 Cheng2 Cai2

                            (Yuk Pat Chok Pat Seng Hei, Yan Pat Kao Nan Seng Choi

Lit. A Raw jade is worthless if not crafted, A man is good for nothing until he is educated.

对牛弹琴- Dui4 Niu2 Tan2 Qin2 (Dui Ngau Tan Kam)

Lit. Playing harp to a cow. …

Talking to a person who fails to understand what you’re saying is just like playing music to a cow who know no music.

无风不起浪- Wu2 Feng1 Bu4 Qi3 Lang4 (Mou fung pat hei long)

Lit. If there’s no wind, there’s no waves

Rumors will not start if there’s no ground/base to it. 

无火不起烟- Wu2 Hup3 bu4 Qi3 Yian1 (Mou fo pat hei Yin)

Lit. There will be no smoke, in the absence of fire

There must be a cause for everything that happens.

无事不登三宝殿- Wu2 Shi4 Bu4 Deng1 San1 Bao3 Dian4 (Mou si pat dang sam bou din)

Lit. One never prays without favours to ask

When someone who rarely contacts you suddenly come knocking at your door, he/she must have come with a purpose.

纸包不住火- Zhi3 Bao1 Bu2 Zhu4 Huo3 (Ji bao pat ju fo)

Lit. Paper cannot wrap fire

Others will (sooner or later) find out about your secret

抛砖引玉- Pao1 Zhuan1 Yin3 Yu4 (Pau Jun Yan Yuk)

Lit. Throw out a brick to attract a jade

Equivalent to a bait or a lure.  One tries to offer a modest item to lure in something bigger.  Can also explain a person offering a modest opinion in hope that others will come up with better ideas.