諺語 · a single proverb
年年有餘
Simplified: 年年有余
What does 年年有餘 (nián nián yǒu yú) mean?
年年有餘 (nián nián yǒu yú) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "year after year have surplus." In use it means: May every year bring abundance and surplus; a traditional blessing for prosperity. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Pig.
Literally: "year after year have surplus."
The reading
Surplus is not about greed but sufficiency that overflows-the harvest that feeds the table and still has enough to store for the hungry month. The household with余 is a household that can give rather than one that is always calculating whether there is enough. That extra capacity is what makes generosity possible.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese New Year blessing (very common in festive culture)
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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 年年有餘 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 年年有餘 (nián nián yǒu yú) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese New Year blessing (very common in festive culture). 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 年年有餘?
In Mandarin it is nián nián yǒu yú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 年年有餘 aloud in Mandarin.