諺語 · a single proverb
人生得意須盡歡
Simplified: 人生得意须尽欢
What does 人生得意須盡歡 (rén shēng dé yì xū jìn huān) mean?
人生得意須盡歡 (rén shēng dé yì xū jìn huān) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "when life goes well, enjoy it fully." In use it means: Savor the good moments when they arrive; do not postpone joy in anticipation of future trouble. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "when life goes well, enjoy it fully."
The reading
The good stretch is here. It will not announce its departure. The person who saves their celebration for a day that never has a shadow in it will never celebrate. Joy is not something you earn once the risk is gone. It is something you practice while the sun is out, because the clouds are not asking permission.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Li Bai 李白, Jiang Jin Jiu 將進酒
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 Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 人生得意須盡歡 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 人生得意須盡歡 (rén shēng dé yì xū jìn huān) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Li Bai 李白, Jiang Jin Jiu 將進酒. 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 人生得意須盡歡?
In Mandarin it is rén shēng dé yì xū jìn huān. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人生得意須盡歡 aloud in Mandarin.