諺語 · a single proverb
功成身退
What does 功成身退 (gōng chéng shēn tuì) mean?
功成身退 (gōng chéng shēn tuì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "achievement complete, self withdraws." In use it means: After success, gracefully step back; do not cling to position after accomplishing the task. 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 Snake.
Literally: "achievement complete, self withdraws."
The reading
The greatest compliment to the work is to let it stand on its own once it is finished. The one who stays past the completion of their purpose becomes a different kind of presence, one that diminishes rather than honors what was built. To step back at the right moment is not diminishment but the final, perfect stroke.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Tao Te Ching 道德經·第九章 (Chapter 9)
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 Humility & Self-Mastery, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 功成身退 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 功成身退 (gōng chéng shēn tuì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Tao Te Ching 道德經·第九章 (Chapter 9). 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 功成身退?
In Mandarin it is gōng chéng shēn tuì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 功成身退 aloud in Mandarin.