諺語 · a single proverb
大水沖了龍王廟
Simplified: 大水冲了龙王庙
What does 大水沖了龍王廟 (dà shuǐ chōng le lóng wáng miào) mean?
大水沖了龍王廟 (dà shuǐ chōng le lóng wáng miào) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語). Word for word it reads "The flood washed away the Dragon King's temple." In use it means: A conflict or misunderstanding between people who are actually on the same side. Allies accidentally harming their own people through miscommunication. 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: "The flood washed away the Dragon King's temple.."
The reading
The flood does not read the signs on the door. Even the god of water is not safe from water itself. When your own strength turns against your own house, the lesson is not about power but about recognition. Know your people before you unleash the current.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional folk xiehouyu, widely used across northern China; recorded in Qing-era folk saying collections.
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 大水沖了龍王廟 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 大水沖了龍王廟 (dà shuǐ chōng le lóng wáng miào) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語), and it comes from Traditional folk xiehouyu, widely used across northern China; recorded in Qing-era folk saying collections.. 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 大水沖了龍王廟?
In Mandarin it is dà shuǐ chōng le lóng wáng miào. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 大水沖了龍王廟 aloud in Mandarin.