諺語 · a single proverb
居安思危
What does 居安思危 (jū ān sī wēi) mean?
居安思危 (jū ān sī wēi) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "dwelling in peace, think of danger." In use it means: In times of comfort and safety, do not forget to prepare for difficulty; complacency invites disaster. 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 Snake.
Literally: "dwelling in peace, think of danger."
The reading
The house that feels most safe is the one where someone, once, thought about what could go wrong. Not out of fear-out of care. Peaceful seasons are when the roof should be checked, the stores replenished, the path out of the valley cleared.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Zuozhuan 左傳, Duke Xiang year 11 (襄公十一年); Shu Xiang's advice
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 居安思危 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 居安思危 (jū ān sī wēi) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Zuozhuan 左傳, Duke Xiang year 11 (襄公十一年); Shu Xiang's advice. 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 居安思危?
In Mandarin it is jū ān sī wēi. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 居安思危 aloud in Mandarin.