諺語 · a single proverb
貴人相助
Simplified: 贵人相助
What does 貴人相助 (guì rén xiāng zhù) mean?
貴人相助 (guì rén xiāng zhù) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a noble person comes to your aid." In use it means: At a critical moment, someone of influence or kindness appears to help; the right person at the right time. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "a noble person comes to your aid."
The reading
You were stuck and then someone appeared who knew the way. You did not summon them. You could not have predicted them. But they arrived, and the door that was locked swung open. Some people call this luck. Others call it the return on every act of kindness you performed when no one was counting. Either way, be the noble person for someone else when you can.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk and fortune-telling expression; deeply embedded in Chinese culture
Sits beside
冬至陽生春又來
dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái
At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.
夜長夢多
yè cháng mèng duō
Delay leads to complications.
太公釣魚，願者上鉤
tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu
The best way to attract people is not through trickery but through genuine worth.
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 貴人相助 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 貴人相助 (guì rén xiāng zhù) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common folk and fortune-telling expression; deeply embedded in Chinese culture. 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 貴人相助?
In Mandarin it is guì rén xiāng zhù. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 貴人相助 aloud in Mandarin.