諺語 · a single proverb
口說無憑
Simplified: 口说无凭
What does 口說無憑 (kǒu shuō wú píng) mean?
口說無憑 (kǒu shuō wú píng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "words alone carry no proof." In use it means: Verbal promises without evidence are unreliable; what matters is what can be shown, not just said. 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 Rooster.
Literally: "words alone carry no proof."
The reading
Talk is the cheapest construction material in the world. You can build anything with it and none of it holds weight. The person who shows you the finished work is more trustworthy than the one who describes the blueprint. Ask for the work. If the work exists, the words were true. If it does not, the words were decoration.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common legal and folk maxim; widely used in Chinese contracts and agreements
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 口說無憑 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 口說無憑 (kǒu shuō wú píng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common legal and folk maxim; widely used in Chinese contracts and agreements. 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 口說無憑?
In Mandarin it is kǒu shuō wú píng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 口說無憑 aloud in Mandarin.