諺語 · a single proverb
人生何處不相逢
Simplified: 人生何处不相逢
What does 人生何處不相逢 (rén shēng hé chù bù xiāng féng) mean?
人生何處不相逢 (rén shēng hé chù bù xiāng féng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "in life, where will we not meet again." In use it means: The world is small and people cross paths more than once. Treat everyone well, because the stranger today may be important tomorrow. Every farewell is potentially temporary. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Pig.
Literally: "in life, where will we not meet again."
The reading
The rude email you sent to the vendor in 2019 walks into your job interview in 2024 as the hiring manager. The world is a smaller room than you think, and the room has a very long memory. Behave as if you will meet everyone again, because you will meet most of them again.
What kind of proverb it is
Source attributed to various Song poets; widespread classical expression
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 人生何處不相逢 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 人生何處不相逢 (rén shēng hé chù bù xiāng féng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from attributed to various Song poets; widespread classical expression. 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 人生何處不相逢?
In Mandarin it is rén shēng hé chù bù xiāng féng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 人生何處不相逢 aloud in Mandarin.