諺語 · a single proverb

平píng地dì起qǐ風fēng波bō

Simplified: 平地起风波

píng dì qǐ fēng bō

What does 平地起風波 (píng dì qǐ fēng bō) mean?

平地起風波 (píng dì qǐ fēng bō) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "flat ground raises wind and waves." In use it means: Trouble arising from nowhere; unexpected disturbance in calm conditions. 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 Dragon.

Literally: "flat ground raises wind and waves."

The reading

The calm was real and then it was not, and no map predicted this. Flat ground is no guarantee and still water is no promise; some turbulences are internal before they are visible. The one who stays ready in the calm is not paranoid but simply realistic about the nature of any surface.

What kind of proverb it is

Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb

Sits beside

世態炎涼

shì tài yán liáng

The ways of the world are warm when you prosper and cold when you fall.

人有志氣不怕窮

rén yǒu zhì qì bù pà qióng

A person with determination is not afraid of poverty.

冬天來了，春天還會遠嗎

dōng tiān lái le chūn tiān hái huì yuǎn ma

After hardship, good times are coming.

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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.

Questions

Is 平地起風波 a real Chinese proverb?

Yes. 平地起風波 (píng dì qǐ fēng bō) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb. 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 平地起風波?

In Mandarin it is píng dì qǐ fēng bō. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 平地起風波 aloud in Mandarin.