諺語 · a single proverb
良禽擇木而棲
Simplified: 良禽择木而栖
What does 良禽擇木而棲 (liáng qín zé mù ér qī) mean?
良禽擇木而棲 (liáng qín zé mù ér qī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "good bird chooses wood to perch on." In use it means: A person of talent chooses where to work and who to serve; choose your environment wisely. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "good bird chooses wood to perch on."
The reading
The excellent bird does not perch on every branch that appears. It circles and assesses before it chooses, because where it lands will shape how it lives and what it can become. Choosing the situation is as important as performing within it. The branch that seems lower and more convenient may be the wrong tree entirely.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Zuo Zhuan 左傳·哀公十一年 (Āi Gōng Year 11)
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Frog, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 良禽擇木而棲 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 良禽擇木而棲 (liáng qín zé mù ér qī) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Zuo Zhuan 左傳·哀公十一年 (Āi Gōng Year 11). 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 良禽擇木而棲?
In Mandarin it is liáng qín zé mù ér qī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 良禽擇木而棲 aloud in Mandarin.