諺語 · a single proverb
天時不如地利，地利不如人和
Simplified: 天时不如地利，地利不如人和
What does 天時不如地利，地利不如人和 (tiān shí bù rú dì lì dì lì bù rú rén hé) mean?
天時不如地利，地利不如人和 (tiān shí bù rú dì lì dì lì bù rú rén hé) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "heaven's timing is less than terrain advantage, and terrain is less than human harmony." In use it means: The most important factor in any endeavor is the unity and cooperation of the people involved, outweighing even favorable conditions or strategic position. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Pig.
Literally: "heaven's timing is less than terrain advantage, and terrain is less than human harmony."
The reading
The weather was perfect. The position was ideal. But the people were not aligned, and so the advantage collapsed from the inside. You can have everything going for you on paper and still fail if the humans in the equation are not pulling the same direction. People are the variable that outranks all others.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Mencius 孟子, Gongsun Chou Xia 公孫丑下
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 Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 天時不如地利，地利不如人和 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 天時不如地利，地利不如人和 (tiān shí bù rú dì lì dì lì bù rú rén hé) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Mencius 孟子, Gongsun Chou Xia 公孫丑下. 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 天時不如地利，地利不如人和?
In Mandarin it is tiān shí bù rú dì lì dì lì bù rú rén hé. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 天時不如地利，地利不如人和 aloud in Mandarin.