諺語 · a single proverb
禮多人不怪
What does 禮多人不怪 (lǐ duō rén bù guài) mean?
禮多人不怪 (lǐ duō rén bù guài) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "much politeness, people not blame." In use it means: Being overly polite never causes offense; courtesy is always appropriate. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "much politeness, people not blame."
The reading
The extra bow, the additional pleasantry, the attentiveness that slightly exceeds what was expected-none of these have ever caused a quarrel. Politeness is one of the few things that can be overdone without causing harm, and in an underdone world, the slight excess is often simply received as care. More courtesy is rarely a mistake.
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 禮多人不怪 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 禮多人不怪 (lǐ duō rén bù guài) 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 禮多人不怪?
In Mandarin it is lǐ duō rén bù guài. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 禮多人不怪 aloud in Mandarin.