諺語 · a single proverb
愛之欲深，則知其失
Simplified: 爱之欲深，则知其失
What does 愛之欲深，則知其失 (ài zhī yù shēn zé zhī qí shī) mean?
愛之欲深，則知其失 (ài zhī yù shēn zé zhī qí shī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "love deeply then know the loss." In use it means: The deeper the love, the more keenly felt the loss; deep attachment brings deep grief. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Goat.
Literally: "love deeply then know the loss."
The reading
What we hold most tightly we feel most acutely when the hand is empty. Love is not diminished by this truth but described by it, since only what mattered deeply can leave so large a space. The grief is the measure of what was there, and that is not a small thing.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Han Yu 韓愈·《祭十二郎文》 (Jì Shí'èr Láng Wén, Tang Dynasty memorial essay)
Sits beside
Keep reading
Return to the Proverb Pond to draw another of the eighty-seven, or hear one read aloud. Read the rest of its chapter in Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 愛之欲深，則知其失 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 愛之欲深，則知其失 (ài zhī yù shēn zé zhī qí shī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Han Yu 韓愈·《祭十二郎文》 (Jì Shí'èr Láng Wén, Tang Dynasty memorial essay). It is living Chinese heritage, given here with per-character pinyin and its source so you can trust the line, not a phrase invented in English.
How do you pronounce 愛之欲深，則知其失?
In Mandarin it is ài zhī yù shēn zé zhī qí shī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 愛之欲深，則知其失 aloud in Mandarin.