諺語 · a single proverb
日久天長
Simplified: 日久天长
What does 日久天長 (rì jiǔ tiān cháng) mean?
日久天長 (rì jiǔ tiān cháng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "days accumulate and heaven extends." In use it means: With enough time, anything is possible; patience and persistence over long periods produce results. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Ox.
Literally: "days accumulate and heaven extends."
The reading
One day changes nothing. A thousand days change everything. The accumulation is invisible on any given morning and undeniable over any given decade. Do not ask what a single day can accomplish. Ask what a thousand days of the same quiet effort will build. The answer is usually: more than you imagine.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common idiomatic expression; widespread in classical and vernacular Chinese
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 Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 日久天長 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 日久天長 (rì jiǔ tiān cháng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common idiomatic expression; widespread in classical and vernacular Chinese. 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 日久天長?
In Mandarin it is rì jiǔ tiān cháng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 日久天長 aloud in Mandarin.