諺語 · a single proverb
後來居上
Simplified: 后来居上
What does 後來居上 (hòu lái jū shàng) mean?
後來居上 (hòu lái jū shàng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "those who come later rise above." In use it means: Latecomers sometimes surpass those who started earlier. The advantage of going second is seeing the mistakes of the first. Starting late is not always a disadvantage. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "those who come later rise above."
The reading
The first company builds the market and makes all the expensive mistakes. The second company watches, learns, and builds something better. Starting first gives you a head start. Starting second gives you a map of the potholes. History does not always reward the pioneer. Sometimes it rewards the student of the pioneer.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Records of the Grand Historian 史記, biography of Jishi 汲黯傳
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 Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 後來居上 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 後來居上 (hòu lái jū shàng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Records of the Grand Historian 史記, biography of Jishi 汲黯傳. 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 後來居上?
In Mandarin it is hòu lái jū shàng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 後來居上 aloud in Mandarin.