諺語 · a single proverb
青梅竹馬
Simplified: 青梅竹马
What does 青梅竹馬 (qīng méi zhú mǎ) mean?
青梅竹馬 (qīng méi zhú mǎ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "green plums and bamboo horses." In use it means: Childhood sweethearts. Two people who grew up playing together and later fell in love. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "green plums and bamboo horses."
The reading
She picked green plums. He rode a bamboo stick like a horse. Neither of them knew that what they were building in the courtyard was a foundation for the rest of their lives. The best relationships are the ones that started before either person knew what a relationship was.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Li Bai 李白, 長干行 (Tang dynasty)
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 Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 青梅竹馬 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 青梅竹馬 (qīng méi zhú mǎ) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Li Bai 李白, 長干行 (Tang dynasty). 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 青梅竹馬?
In Mandarin it is qīng méi zhú mǎ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 青梅竹馬 aloud in Mandarin.