諺語 · a single proverb
久病成良醫
Simplified: 久病成良医
What does 久病成良醫 (jiǔ bìng chéng liáng yī) mean?
久病成良醫 (jiǔ bìng chéng liáng yī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "long illness becomes good doctor." In use it means: Those who suffer from a condition long enough become expert in it. 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 Snake.
Literally: "long illness becomes good doctor."
The reading
The body that has been educated by years of illness has been taught by the most thorough teacher available. The knowledge is unwanted but it is complete, lived into from the inside, and the understanding of the condition that emerges cannot be replicated by study alone. Sometimes depth of experience substitutes for degree.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (yanyu)
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 久病成良醫 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 久病成良醫 (jiǔ bìng chéng liáng yī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (yanyu). 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 久病成良醫?
In Mandarin it is jiǔ bìng chéng liáng yī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 久病成良醫 aloud in Mandarin.