諺語 · a single proverb
毛遂自薦
Simplified: 毛遂自荐
What does 毛遂自薦 (máo suì zì jiàn) mean?
毛遂自薦 (máo suì zì jiàn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "Mao Sui recommends himself." In use it means: Recommend oneself for a role or task; bold self-promotion at the right moment. 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 Tiger.
Literally: "Mao Sui recommends himself."
The reading
Mao Sui had waited three years in the prince's retinue without being noticed, and when the moment arrived where his skill could be of use, he did not wait to be chosen. He offered himself plainly and the prince's resistance dissolved when the offer proved true. Sometimes the door must be knocked on by the one who needs it open.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Shi Ji 史記·平原君虞卿列傳 (Píngyuán Jūn biography)
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 毛遂自薦 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 毛遂自薦 (máo suì zì jiàn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Shi Ji 史記·平原君虞卿列傳 (Píngyuán Jūn biography). 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 毛遂自薦?
In Mandarin it is máo suì zì jiàn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 毛遂自薦 aloud in Mandarin.