諺語 · a single proverb
慈母手中線，遊子身上衣
Simplified: 慈母手中线，游子身上衣
What does 慈母手中線，遊子身上衣 (cí mǔ shǒu zhōng xiàn, yóu zǐ shēn shàng yī) mean?
慈母手中線，遊子身上衣 (cí mǔ shǒu zhōng xiàn, yóu zǐ shēn shàng yī) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "Thread in the hands of a loving mother, clothes on the body of a wandering child." In use it means: A mother's love is woven into every stitch she sews for her child who must leave home. The image captures the quiet, selfless devotion of maternal care. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "Thread in the hands of a loving mother, clothes on the body of a wandering child.."
The reading
The love a mother stitches into cloth cannot be seen but is always felt. Every child who travels far carries something their mother put together in silence. The thread is thin but it stretches across any distance. Some forms of love are so constant they become invisible until you look down at what you are wearing.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Mèng Jiāo (孟郊), Yóu Zǐ Yín (遊子吟), Táng Dynasty
Sits beside
外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊）
wài shēng dǎ dēng long——zhào jiù (zhào jiù)
A pun on 照舅 (illuminating the uncle) and 照舊 (as before).
家有黃金，不如有個好鄰居
jiā yǒu huáng jīn bù rú yǒu gè hǎo lín jū
A good neighbor is worth more than household gold.
龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞
lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ shēng de ér zi huì dǎ dòng
Children tend to inherit or follow the traits and social standing of their parents.
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 Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 慈母手中線，遊子身上衣 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 慈母手中線，遊子身上衣 (cí mǔ shǒu zhōng xiàn, yóu zǐ shēn shàng yī) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Mèng Jiāo (孟郊), Yóu Zǐ Yín (遊子吟), Táng Dynasty. 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 慈母手中線，遊子身上衣?
In Mandarin it is cí mǔ shǒu zhōng xiàn, yóu zǐ shēn shàng yī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 慈母手中線，遊子身上衣 aloud in Mandarin.