諺語 · a single proverb
人老珠黃
Simplified: 人老珠黄
What does 人老珠黃 (rén lǎo zhū huáng) mean?
人老珠黃 (rén lǎo zhū huáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "as a person ages, pearls turn yellow." In use it means: The cruel passage of time that dims outward beauty; a reminder that the world's valuation often shifts as surfaces change. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "as a person ages, pearls turn yellow."
The reading
The pearl was white. Now it is yellow. The person was young. Now they are not. The market that priced both based on surface appearance has adjusted its offer. But the pearl is still a pearl, and the person is still a person, and value that depends entirely on the current market is the shallowest kind of value there is.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk expression; literary and social commentary
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 Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 人老珠黃 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 人老珠黃 (rén lǎo zhū huáng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common folk expression; literary and social commentary. 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 人老珠黃?
In Mandarin it is rén lǎo zhū huáng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人老珠黃 aloud in Mandarin.