諺語 · a single proverb
龍生龍，鳳生鳳
Simplified: 龙生龙，凤生凤
What does 龍生龍，鳳生鳳 (lóng shēng lóng fèng shēng fèng) mean?
龍生龍，鳳生鳳 (lóng shēng lóng fèng shēng fèng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "dragon begets dragon, phoenix begets phoenix." In use it means: Like begets like; children inherit the nature and qualities of their parents. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "dragon begets dragon, phoenix begets phoenix."
The reading
The dragon's child does not emerge as a sparrow; what is seeded in one generation rises in the next in recognizable form. This is not merely genetics but pattern, the way a way of moving through the world transmits itself through the quality of attention the young receive from the old. The fire passes forward if it is tended.
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 Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 龍生龍，鳳生鳳 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 龍生龍，鳳生鳳 (lóng shēng lóng fèng shēng fèng) 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 龍生龍，鳳生鳳?
In Mandarin it is lóng shēng lóng fèng shēng fèng. 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 aloud in Mandarin.