諺語 · a single proverb
根深葉茂
Simplified: 根深叶茂
What does 根深葉茂 (gēn shēn yè mào) mean?
根深葉茂 (gēn shēn yè mào) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "deep roots produce lush foliage." In use it means: When the foundation is strong, what grows from it thrives; invest in the base and the canopy takes care of itself. 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 Ox.
Literally: "deep roots produce lush foliage."
The reading
You cannot see the roots. They are underground, in the dark, doing unremarkable work. But every leaf on every branch is a receipt from the root system. The visible success is funded by the invisible investment. Always has been. Always will be.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary expression; Daoist and Confucian 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 Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 根深葉茂 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 根深葉茂 (gēn shēn yè mào) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common literary expression; Daoist and Confucian 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 根深葉茂?
In Mandarin it is gēn shēn yè mào. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 根深葉茂 aloud in Mandarin.