諺語 · a single proverb
比中稱良
Simplified: 比中称良
What does 比中稱良 (bǐ zhōng chēng liáng) mean?
比中稱良 (bǐ zhōng chēng liáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "by comparison the good is named." In use it means: True quality is revealed by comparison; things are known by what they are measured against. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Monkey.
Literally: "by comparison the good is named."
The reading
The jade is appreciated most after the stone has been held alongside it. What is genuinely good does not fear the comparison but is defined by it; the standard is part of what gives the excellent thing its name. Do not hide the excellent behind modesty that serves no one.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk saying
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Frog, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 比中稱良 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 比中稱良 (bǐ zhōng chēng liáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk saying. 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 比中稱良?
In Mandarin it is bǐ zhōng chēng liáng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 比中稱良 aloud in Mandarin.