諺語 · a single proverb
吃水不忘挖井人
What does 吃水不忘挖井人 (chī shuǐ bù wàng wā jǐng rén) mean?
吃水不忘挖井人 (chī shuǐ bù wàng wā jǐng rén) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "when drinking water, do not forget the person who dug the well." In use it means: Remember and be grateful to those whose past efforts benefit you today. 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 Dog.
Literally: "when drinking water, do not forget the person who dug the well."
The reading
The well was dug by someone you never met, in weather you never stood in, for a reason you benefit from daily without thinking about it. Gratitude is the minimum rent for the things you inherited.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb; modern political usage from Mao era, classical roots
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 Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 吃水不忘挖井人 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 吃水不忘挖井人 (chī shuǐ bù wàng wā jǐng rén) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from folk proverb; modern political usage from Mao era, classical roots. 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 吃水不忘挖井人?
In Mandarin it is chī shuǐ bù wàng wā jǐng rén. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 吃水不忘挖井人 aloud in Mandarin.