諺語 · a single proverb
寒門出貴子
Simplified: 寒门出贵子
What does 寒門出貴子 (hán mén chū guì zǐ) mean?
寒門出貴子 (hán mén chū guì zǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a cold door produces a noble child." In use it means: Hardship in upbringing can produce people of exceptional character and achievement. 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 Ox.
Literally: "a cold door produces a noble child."
The reading
The cold house taught the child what the warm house could not: how to build a fire from nothing. The difficulty was not an obstacle to their success. It was the raw material. Not every hard beginning leads to a great ending, but many great endings started with one.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb; common examination-era wisdom
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 寒門出貴子 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 寒門出貴子 (hán mén chū guì zǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from folk proverb; common examination-era wisdom. 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 寒門出貴子?
In Mandarin it is hán mén chū guì zǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 寒門出貴子 aloud in Mandarin.