諺語 · a single proverb
蠶食鯨吞
Simplified: 蚕食鲸吞
What does 蠶食鯨吞 (cán shí jīng tūn) mean?
蠶食鯨吞 (cán shí jīng tūn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "Nibbling like a silkworm, swallowing like a whale." In use it means: Two strategies of taking over: gradual encroachment or sudden annexation. Warns that loss can come slowly or all at once. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "Nibbling like a silkworm, swallowing like a whale.."
The reading
Not every threat arrives with a roar. Some eat away at what you have so quietly you mistake the loss for normalcy. Others strike in one overwhelming gulp. Knowing which danger you face determines whether you need vigilance or speed. The wise watch for both the small bite and the wide mouth.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Classical literary idiom, used in historical texts on statecraft
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 Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 蠶食鯨吞 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 蠶食鯨吞 (cán shí jīng tūn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Classical literary idiom, used in historical texts on statecraft. 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 蠶食鯨吞?
In Mandarin it is cán shí jīng tūn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 蠶食鯨吞 aloud in Mandarin.