諺語 · a single proverb
入鄉隨俗
Simplified: 入乡随俗
What does 入鄉隨俗 (rù xiāng suí sú) mean?
入鄉隨俗 (rù xiāng suí sú) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "enter the village, follow its customs." In use it means: When you are a guest somewhere, adapt to the local ways; respect the practices of wherever you find yourself. 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 Pig.
Literally: "enter the village, follow its customs."
The reading
The traveler who arrives demanding that a new place be like the old one has not truly arrived anywhere. To enter a place is to agree to be changed by it slightly. That willingness is not weakness-it is the whole point of going somewhere new.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Chinese folk proverb 民間諺語; medieval 佛祖統紀 (Buddhist chronicle)
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 入鄉隨俗 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 入鄉隨俗 (rù xiāng suí sú) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Chinese folk proverb 民間諺語; medieval 佛祖統紀 (Buddhist chronicle). 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 入鄉隨俗?
In Mandarin it is rù xiāng suí sú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 入鄉隨俗 aloud in Mandarin.