諺語 · a single proverb
近水樓台先得月
Simplified: 近水楼台先得月
What does 近水樓台先得月 (jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè) mean?
近水樓台先得月 (jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "the tower near the water gets the moonlight first." In use it means: Those in advantageous positions naturally benefit first; proximity to opportunity matters. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "the tower near the water gets the moonlight first."
The reading
The tower by the lake sees the moon before the tower on the hill. Position is not everything, but it is the first thing. If you want to catch the light, stand where it falls. Then add your own skill on top of geography.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Su Lin 蘇麟 (Song dynasty); Fan Zhongyan 范仲淹 context
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 近水樓台先得月 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 近水樓台先得月 (jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Su Lin 蘇麟 (Song dynasty); Fan Zhongyan 范仲淹 context. 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 近水樓台先得月?
In Mandarin it is jìn shuǐ lóu tái xiān dé yuè. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 近水樓台先得月 aloud in Mandarin.