諺語 · a single proverb
一生勤儉，萬事可成
What does 一生勤儉，萬事可成 (yī shēng qín jiǎn wàn shì kě chéng) mean?
一生勤儉，萬事可成 (yī shēng qín jiǎn wàn shì kě chéng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a lifetime of diligence and frugality, ten thousand matters can be accomplished." In use it means: A life of hard work and thrift makes all things possible. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Ox.
Literally: "a lifetime of diligence and frugality, ten thousand matters can be accomplished."
The reading
The life organized around what is genuinely needed, without excess, and the work applied consistently without interruption, compounds quietly over the years into a foundation that surprises even the one who built it. This is not the exciting story but it is the complete one: the whole life spent well is the whole life achieved. Nothing withheld, everything given, everything possible.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk wisdom (common in family tradition)
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 Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 一生勤儉，萬事可成 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一生勤儉，萬事可成 (yī shēng qín jiǎn wàn shì kě chéng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk wisdom (common in family tradition). 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 一生勤儉，萬事可成?
In Mandarin it is yī shēng qín jiǎn wàn shì kě chéng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一生勤儉，萬事可成 aloud in Mandarin.