諺語 · a single proverb
鶴立雞群
Simplified: 鹤立鸡群
What does 鶴立雞群 (hè lì jī qún) mean?
鶴立雞群 (hè lì jī qún) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "a crane standing among chickens." In use it means: Someone of outstanding talent or appearance who stands out among ordinary company. 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 Rooster.
Literally: "a crane standing among chickens."
The reading
The crane did not try to be tall. It simply was. Standing out is not always a choice. Sometimes your proportions do not fit the yard you were born in, and the only honest thing is to stop crouching.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Book of Jin 晉書, Ji Shao 嵇紹傳
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 鶴立雞群 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 鶴立雞群 (hè lì jī qún) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Book of Jin 晉書, Ji Shao 嵇紹傳. 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 鶴立雞群?
In Mandarin it is hè lì jī qún. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 鶴立雞群 aloud in Mandarin.