諺語 · a single proverb
薑是老的辣
Simplified: 姜是老的辣
What does 薑是老的辣 (jiāng shì lǎo de là) mean?
薑是老的辣 (jiāng shì lǎo de là) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "Old ginger is spicier." In use it means: Experience makes a person sharper and more capable. Just as aged ginger has a stronger bite, an older person who has lived through more tends to be wiser and more formidable. 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 Tiger.
Literally: "Old ginger is spicier.."
The reading
Time concentrates what is essential and burns away what is not. The young root has volume but the old one has intensity, and intensity is what changes the flavor of a dish. Experience does not make people gentler by default; it makes them more precise. Every year strips away another layer of hesitation until what remains is pure and concentrated. The spice of age is not bitterness but clarity.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Chinese folk proverb, attested in Ming dynasty vernacular literature
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 薑是老的辣 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 薑是老的辣 (jiāng shì lǎo de là) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Chinese folk proverb, attested in Ming dynasty vernacular literature. 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 薑是老的辣?
In Mandarin it is jiāng shì lǎo de là. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 薑是老的辣 aloud in Mandarin.