諺語 · a single proverb
求人不如求己
What does 求人不如求己 (qiú rén bù rú qiú jǐ) mean?
求人不如求己 (qiú rén bù rú qiú jǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "asking others is not as good as asking yourself." In use it means: Self-reliance is more dependable than depending on others; your own effort is the surest path. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Tiger.
Literally: "asking others is not as good as asking yourself."
The reading
The request went out. No one came. And then you did it yourself, and it was done. Not better, not worse, but done, and without the waiting. Other people's help is welcome. Other people's help is also unreliable. Your own hands are always available. Start there.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Proverbial; appears in Liji 禮記 and Zengguang Xianwen 增廣賢文
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Tiger, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 求人不如求己 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 求人不如求己 (qiú rén bù rú qiú jǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Proverbial; appears in Liji 禮記 and Zengguang Xianwen 增廣賢文. 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 求人不如求己?
In Mandarin it is qiú rén bù rú qiú jǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 求人不如求己 aloud in Mandarin.