諺語 · a single proverb
剛柔相濟
Simplified: 刚柔相济
What does 剛柔相濟 (gāng róu xiāng jì) mean?
剛柔相濟 (gāng róu xiāng jì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "hard and soft mutually aid." In use it means: Strength and gentleness complement and balance each other. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "hard and soft mutually aid."
The reading
Iron alone will shatter; silk alone will drift. The bow works because its wood knows when to yield and when to hold. Every lasting thing in this world is made of two forces in conversation, not one force winning.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Yi Jing 易經·繫辭 (Xì Cí, 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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 剛柔相濟 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 剛柔相濟 (gāng róu xiāng jì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Yi Jing 易經·繫辭 (Xì Cí, 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 剛柔相濟?
In Mandarin it is gāng róu xiāng jì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 剛柔相濟 aloud in Mandarin.