諺語 · a single proverb
獨木橋
Simplified: 独木桥
What does 獨木橋 (dú mù qiáo) mean?
獨木橋 (dú mù qiáo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a single-log bridge." In use it means: A precarious, narrow path with no room for error and no alternative route; the only way forward is across, one step at a time. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Horse.
Literally: "a single-log bridge."
The reading
The bridge is one log wide and the drop is significant. There is no handrail, no second path, and no reversing. The crossing requires exactly one thing: looking at the next step and not at the drop. Focus narrows the log into a road. Fear narrows it into a thread.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk metaphor; widely used in Chinese literature
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 獨木橋 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 獨木橋 (dú mù qiáo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common folk metaphor; widely used in Chinese literature. 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 獨木橋?
In Mandarin it is dú mù qiáo. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 獨木橋 aloud in Mandarin.