諺語 · a single proverb
不以善小而不為
Simplified: 不以善小而不为
What does 不以善小而不為 (bù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi) mean?
不以善小而不為 (bù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "do not neglect a good deed just because it is small." In use it means: Even small acts of kindness matter; tiny good deeds accumulate into something meaningful. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Pig.
Literally: "do not neglect a good deed just because it is small."
The reading
Hold the door. Return the call. Notice the person no one else notices. None of these changes the world. All of them change a moment, and enough changed moments eventually change the world anyway. The person waiting for a grand opportunity to do good will wait forever. The person doing small good every day has already started.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義, attributed to Liu Bei's deathbed words
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 不以善小而不為 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 不以善小而不為 (bù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義, attributed to Liu Bei's deathbed words. 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 不以善小而不為?
In Mandarin it is bù yǐ shàn xiǎo ér bù wéi. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 不以善小而不為 aloud in Mandarin.