諺語 · a single proverb
家有一老，如有一寶
Simplified: 家有一老，如有一宝
What does 家有一老，如有一寶 (jiā yǒu yī lǎo rú yǒu yī bǎo) mean?
家有一老，如有一寶 (jiā yǒu yī lǎo rú yǒu yī bǎo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a household with one elder is like having one treasure." In use it means: An elderly person in the family is a priceless treasure of wisdom and experience. 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 Dog.
Literally: "a household with one elder is like having one treasure."
The reading
The elder does not give you information-they give you pattern recognition across a longer span of time than you have lived. What looks like a crisis to you is a version of something they have already watched resolve. That perspective is worth more than any object in the house.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Chinese folk proverb 民間諺語
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 Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 家有一老，如有一寶 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 家有一老，如有一寶 (jiā yǒu yī lǎo rú yǒu yī bǎo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Chinese folk proverb 民間諺語. 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 家有一老，如有一寶?
In Mandarin it is jiā yǒu yī lǎo rú yǒu yī bǎo. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 家有一老，如有一寶 aloud in Mandarin.