諺語 · a single proverb
馬到成功
Simplified: 马到成功
What does 馬到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) mean?
馬到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "horse arrives, success achieved." In use it means: Immediate success upon arrival; success from the moment of engagement. 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 Horse.
Literally: "horse arrives, success achieved."
The reading
The horse of action and the field of success are the same place at the same time; arrival and accomplishment collapse into one event when preparation is complete. The luck celebrated at the finish line was the readiness that preceded the starting signal. Success often looks sudden from outside.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Yuan Dynasty 元·關漢卿雜劇 (Guān Hàn Qīng dramatic works)
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 馬到成功 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 馬到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Yuan Dynasty 元·關漢卿雜劇 (Guān Hàn Qīng dramatic works). 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 馬到成功?
In Mandarin it is mǎ dào chéng gōng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 馬到成功 aloud in Mandarin.