諺語 · a single proverb
人為財死，鳥為食亡
Simplified: 人为财死，鸟为食亡
What does 人為財死，鳥為食亡 (rén wéi cái sǐ niǎo wéi shí wáng) mean?
人為財死，鳥為食亡 (rén wéi cái sǐ niǎo wéi shí wáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "people die for wealth as birds die for food." In use it means: The drive for material gain can be as fatal as any predator; greed destroys. 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 Rat.
Literally: "people die for wealth as birds die for food."
The reading
The bird flies into the net because it sees grain. The person walks into the trap because they see gold. Both traps work the same way: they put the reward in front and the cost behind. By the time you see the cost, the net has already closed.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb; common Chinese moral warning
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 Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 人為財死，鳥為食亡 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 人為財死，鳥為食亡 (rén wéi cái sǐ niǎo wéi shí wáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from folk proverb; common Chinese moral warning. 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 人為財死，鳥為食亡?
In Mandarin it is rén wéi cái sǐ niǎo wéi shí wáng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人為財死，鳥為食亡 aloud in Mandarin.