諺語 · a single proverb
斷絲續連
Simplified: 断丝续连
What does 斷絲續連 (duàn sī xù lián) mean?
斷絲續連 (duàn sī xù lián) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "a broken thread tied again." In use it means: Resuming a relationship or connection after a break; the mend that shows but still holds. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "a broken thread tied again."
The reading
The thread snapped. Someone tied it back. The knot is visible, and the thread is shorter, and neither of those facts prevents it from functioning. Repaired connections are not the same as unbroken ones, but they are often stronger at the point where they broke, because the repair was deliberate.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary expression; folk and relationship tradition
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 Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 斷絲續連 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 斷絲續連 (duàn sī xù lián) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common literary expression; folk and relationship tradition. 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 斷絲續連?
In Mandarin it is duàn sī xù lián. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 斷絲續連 aloud in Mandarin.