諺語 · a single proverb
精打細算，油鹽不斷
Simplified: 精打细算，油盐不断
What does 精打細算，油鹽不斷 (jīng dǎ xì suàn, yóu yán bù duàn) mean?
精打細算，油鹽不斷 (jīng dǎ xì suàn, yóu yán bù duàn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "Calculate carefully and precisely, and oil and salt will never run out." In use it means: Meticulous budgeting of household expenses ensures that basic necessities are always available. Careful accounting prevents want. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "Calculate carefully and precisely, and oil and salt will never run out.."
The reading
The hand that counts carefully never reaches into an empty jar. Budgeting is not deprivation but a quiet act of foresight. A household that tracks every grain of rice will weather famines that destroy the careless. Precision with small amounts is the habit that scales up into real wealth. The daily arithmetic of oil and salt is where financial character is forged.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Northern Chinese folk proverb, commonly used in household management teachings
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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 精打細算，油鹽不斷 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 精打細算，油鹽不斷 (jīng dǎ xì suàn, yóu yán bù duàn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Northern Chinese folk proverb, commonly used in household management teachings. 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 精打細算，油鹽不斷?
In Mandarin it is jīng dǎ xì suàn, yóu yán bù duàn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 精打細算，油鹽不斷 aloud in Mandarin.