諺語 · a single proverb

吃chī虧kuī是shì福fú

chī kuī shì fú

What does 吃虧是福 (chī kuī shì fú) mean?

吃虧是福 (chī kuī shì fú) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "to suffer a loss is fortune." In use it means: Suffering loss now can be a blessing in disguise; what seems like a disadvantage may be good fortune. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Goat.

Literally: "to suffer a loss is fortune."

The reading

The moment of loss is never when its value can be known. The position conceded, the argument not pressed, the pride that yielded-these things take years to reveal their returns. The person who has learned to hold the small loss lightly has also learned to recognize the larger gain it cleared the way for.

What kind of proverb it is

Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (common in folk wisdom)

Sits beside

冬至陽生春又來

dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái

At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.

夜長夢多

yè cháng mèng duō

Delay leads to complications.

小洞不補，大洞受苦

xiǎo dòng bù bǔ dà dòng shòu kǔ

Fix small problems before they become large ones.

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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.

Questions

Is 吃虧是福 a real Chinese proverb?

Yes. 吃虧是福 (chī kuī shì fú) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (common in folk wisdom). 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 吃虧是福?

In Mandarin it is chī kuī shì fú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 吃虧是福 aloud in Mandarin.