諺語 · a single proverb
入木三分
What does 入木三分 (rù mù sān fēn) mean?
入木三分 (rù mù sān fēn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "penetrating the wood three-tenths of an inch." In use it means: Writing or speaking with extraordinary force and depth; profound and incisive. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "penetrating the wood three-tenths of an inch."
The reading
The calligrapher pressed so hard the ink went into the wood. That is not force. That is concentration made physical. The work that penetrates the surface and embeds itself in the material is work that was done with the full weight of the maker behind it.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Book of Jin 晉書, Wang Xizhi 王羲之傳
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 入木三分 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 入木三分 (rù mù sān fēn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Book of Jin 晉書, Wang Xizhi 王羲之傳. 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 入木三分?
In Mandarin it is rù mù sān fēn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 入木三分 aloud in Mandarin.