諺語 · a single proverb
絕處逢生
Simplified: 绝处逢生
What does 絕處逢生 (jué chù féng shēng) mean?
絕處逢生 (jué chù féng shēng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "at the dead end, meet life." In use it means: When everything seems lost, a way out appears. Survival shows up at the last possible moment. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "at the dead end, meet life."
The reading
The road ends. The cliff is behind you. And then a door opens in the rock wall. This happens more often than logic predicts, because desperation sharpens the eyes. The exit was always there. You just could not see it when you still had room to retreat.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common idiom; used in Journey to the West 西遊記 and folk sayings
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 Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 絕處逢生 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 絕處逢生 (jué chù féng shēng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common idiom; used in Journey to the West 西遊記 and folk sayings. 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 絕處逢生?
In Mandarin it is jué chù féng shēng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 絕處逢生 aloud in Mandarin.