諺語 · a single proverb
人憑志大
Simplified: 人凭志大
What does 人憑志大 (rén píng zhì dà) mean?
人憑志大 (rén píng zhì dà) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "a person relies on great ambition." In use it means: What separates people is not talent or luck but the size of what they are willing to try. 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: "a person relies on great ambition."
The reading
Two people stand in the same rain. One sees mud. The other sees a reason to build a roof. The rain did not decide. The ambition decided. Talent is common. Ambition large enough to use it is not.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Folk proverb; appears in Qing-era collections
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 人憑志大 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 人憑志大 (rén píng zhì dà) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from Folk proverb; appears in Qing-era collections. 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 人憑志大?
In Mandarin it is rén píng zhì dà. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人憑志大 aloud in Mandarin.