諺語 · a single proverb
得魚忘筌
Simplified: 得鱼忘筌
What does 得魚忘筌 (dé yú wàng quán) mean?
得魚忘筌 (dé yú wàng quán) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "catch the fish, forget the trap." In use it means: Once you grasp the meaning, let go of the method; the tool is not the goal. 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 Rat.
Literally: "catch the fish, forget the trap."
The reading
The net exists to catch the fish. Once the fish is in your hands, why carry the net? People who cling to the method after reaching the destination are dragging their boat overland.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Zhuangzi 莊子, External Things 外物
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 Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 得魚忘筌 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 得魚忘筌 (dé yú wàng quán) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Zhuangzi 莊子, External Things 外物. 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 得魚忘筌?
In Mandarin it is dé yú wàng quán. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 得魚忘筌 aloud in Mandarin.