諺語 · a single proverb
龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞
Simplified: 龙生龙，凤生凤，老鼠生的儿子会打洞
What does 龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞 (lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ shēng de ér zi huì dǎ dòng) mean?
龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞 (lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ shēng de ér zi huì dǎ dòng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and the son of a mouse knows how to dig holes." In use it means: Children tend to inherit or follow the traits and social standing of their parents. The proverb reflects both a belief in hereditary nature and a commentary on social reproduction. 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 Rat.
Literally: "Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and the son of a mouse knows how to dig holes.."
The reading
Every family passes down more than just a name. The son of a scholar breathes books; the daughter of a farmer knows soil. Whether this is fate or environment is a question that runs through all of Chinese thought. Breaking the pattern requires more than talent alone; it requires the courage to dig a different kind of hole.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional folk proverb, widely known across Chinese-speaking regions
Sits beside
外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊）
wài shēng dǎ dēng long——zhào jiù (zhào jiù)
A pun on 照舅 (illuminating the uncle) and 照舊 (as before).
家有黃金，不如有個好鄰居
jiā yǒu huáng jīn bù rú yǒu gè hǎo lín jū
A good neighbor is worth more than household gold.
一方水土養一方人
yī fāng shuǐ tǔ yǎng yī fāng rén
The land and water of a region shapes the people who live there.
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 Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞 (lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ shēng de ér zi huì dǎ dòng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional folk proverb, widely known across Chinese-speaking regions. 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 龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞?
In Mandarin it is lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ shēng de ér zi huì dǎ dòng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞 aloud in Mandarin.