諺語 · a single proverb
高處不勝寒
Simplified: 高处不胜寒
What does 高處不勝寒 (gāo chù bù shèng hán) mean?
高處不勝寒 (gāo chù bù shèng hán) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "at great heights, the cold is unbearable." In use it means: The higher you rise, the lonelier and more exposed it becomes. Success brings altitude, and altitude brings cold that people at ground level never feel. 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: "at great heights, the cold is unbearable."
The reading
The view from the top is extraordinary. The temperature at the top is also extraordinary, in the other direction. Every promotion, every new level of responsibility, removes a layer of warmth: the casual friendship, the honest feedback, the ability to fail quietly. The cold is the price of the view. Both are real.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Su Shi 蘇軾, 'Water Melody' 水調歌頭 (Song dynasty)
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 高處不勝寒 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 高處不勝寒 (gāo chù bù shèng hán) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Su Shi 蘇軾, 'Water Melody' 水調歌頭 (Song dynasty). 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 高處不勝寒?
In Mandarin it is gāo chù bù shèng hán. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 高處不勝寒 aloud in Mandarin.