諺語 · a single proverb
二人同心，其利斷金
Simplified: 二人同心，其利断金
What does 二人同心，其利斷金 (èr rén tóng xīn qí lì duàn jīn) mean?
二人同心，其利斷金 (èr rén tóng xīn qí lì duàn jīn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "two people same heart, their sharpness cuts gold." In use it means: Two people united in purpose are sharp enough to cut through metal; the power of true partnership. 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 Horse.
Literally: "two people same heart, their sharpness cuts gold."
The reading
One edge can slice cleanly, but two edges meeting at the same angle can cut what neither could alone. Partnership is not the addition of two forces but the multiplication of alignment, and the product is something like a blade that the world's resistance cannot blunt. The meeting of two who are genuinely of the same mind is the beginning of almost anything.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Yi Jing 易經·繫辭上 (Xì Cí I, Commentary on Appended Judgments)
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 Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 二人同心，其利斷金 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 二人同心，其利斷金 (èr rén tóng xīn qí lì duàn jīn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Yi Jing 易經·繫辭上 (Xì Cí I, Commentary on Appended Judgments). 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 二人同心，其利斷金?
In Mandarin it is èr rén tóng xīn qí lì duàn jīn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 二人同心，其利斷金 aloud in Mandarin.