諺語 · a single proverb
赤子之心
What does 赤子之心 (chì zǐ zhī xīn) mean?
赤子之心 (chì zǐ zhī xīn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "the heart of a newborn infant." In use it means: A pure, guileless heart without pretension; childlike sincerity and innocence. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "the heart of a newborn infant."
The reading
The infant does not know yet how to perform itself for an audience. It cries when it is hungry and laughs when something delights it, without any calculation of the impression this makes. To keep this directness while becoming capable is the rare achievement of those we call truly good. The innocence that survives experience has been tested and earns its name.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Mencius 孟子·離婁下 (Lí Lóu II)
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 Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 赤子之心 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 赤子之心 (chì zǐ zhī xīn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Mencius 孟子·離婁下 (Lí Lóu II). 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 赤子之心?
In Mandarin it is chì zǐ zhī xīn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 赤子之心 aloud in Mandarin.