諺語 · a single proverb
渾水摸魚
Simplified: 浑水摸鱼
What does 渾水摸魚 (hún shuǐ mō yú) mean?
渾水摸魚 (hún shuǐ mō yú) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "fish in muddy water." In use it means: Profit from disorder or confusion; exploit a chaotic situation for personal gain. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Pig.
Literally: "fish in muddy water."
The reading
The fish cannot be seen in clouded water, and the hand that knows this reaches in where a clear view would have warned it off. Turbulence has its beneficiaries, and they are usually the ones who created the turbulence. Clear water is the friend of the honest and the adversary of those who prefer invisibility.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (suyu)
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 渾水摸魚 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 渾水摸魚 (hún shuǐ mō yú) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (suyu). 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 渾水摸魚?
In Mandarin it is hún shuǐ mō yú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 渾水摸魚 aloud in Mandarin.