諺語 · a single proverb

千qiān金jīn買mǎi骨gǔ

Simplified: 千金买骨

qiān jīn mǎi gǔ

What does 千金買骨 (qiān jīn mǎi gǔ) mean?

千金買骨 (qiān jīn mǎi gǔ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "pay a thousand gold for bones." In use it means: Investing heavily in a symbolic gesture shows sincerity and attracts real talent; demonstrate commitment to draw the best. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.

Literally: "pay a thousand gold for bones."

The reading

The king paid a fortune for dead horse bones. Everyone laughed. Then every living horse breeder in the kingdom brought their finest steeds to his door. The bones were worthless. The signal they sent was priceless. Sometimes the first investment is not in the thing itself, but in proving you are serious about the thing.

What kind of proverb it is

Source Strategies of the Warring States 戰國策, Yan Ce 燕策

Sits beside

一寸光陰一寸金

yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn

Time is as precious as gold.

一本萬利

yī běn wàn lì

A tiny investment yields an enormous return.

人為財死，鳥為食亡

rén wéi cái sǐ niǎo wéi shí wáng

The drive for material gain can be as fatal as any predator.

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 Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.

Questions

Is 千金買骨 a real Chinese proverb?

Yes. 千金買骨 (qiān jīn mǎi gǔ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Strategies of the Warring States 戰國策, Yan Ce 燕策. 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 千金買骨?

In Mandarin it is qiān jīn mǎi gǔ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 千金買骨 aloud in Mandarin.