諺語 · a single proverb
吉祥如意
What does 吉祥如意 (jí xiáng rú yì) mean?
吉祥如意 (jí xiáng rú yì) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "auspicious and as one wishes." In use it means: A universal blessing: may fortune smile and may things go as you hope. The simplest, warmest wish that covers everything. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "auspicious and as one wishes."
The reading
The blessing does not promise perfection. It promises alignment: that what happens and what you hoped would happen land in the same place. This is the rarest and most generous thing anyone can wish for you, because it acknowledges that your wishes matter and that the universe sometimes listens.
What kind of proverb it is
Source traditional Chinese blessing; Buddhist and folk origins
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 吉祥如意 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 吉祥如意 (jí xiáng rú yì) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from traditional Chinese blessing; Buddhist and folk origins. 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 吉祥如意?
In Mandarin it is jí xiáng rú yì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 吉祥如意 aloud in Mandarin.