諺語 · a single proverb
舉頭三尺有神明
Simplified: 举头三尺有神明
What does 舉頭三尺有神明 (jǔ tóu sān chǐ yǒu shén míng) mean?
舉頭三尺有神明 (jǔ tóu sān chǐ yǒu shén míng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "three feet above your head, the spirits are watching." In use it means: Your actions are always observed, even when no human is present; conscience and consequence are inescapable. 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 Dog.
Literally: "three feet above your head, the spirits are watching."
The reading
No one is looking. Or so you think. But the ceiling is lower than you imagine, and what sits above it sees everything. Call it conscience, call it consequence, call it whatever framework you need. The practical truth is the same: behavior in private is still behavior, and it still produces results.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional folk-religious proverb, widespread in Chinese popular morality
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 舉頭三尺有神明 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 舉頭三尺有神明 (jǔ tóu sān chǐ yǒu shén míng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional folk-religious proverb, widespread in Chinese popular morality. 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 舉頭三尺有神明?
In Mandarin it is jǔ tóu sān chǐ yǒu shén míng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 舉頭三尺有神明 aloud in Mandarin.