諺語 · a single proverb
三人行，必有我師焉
Simplified: 三人行，必有我师焉
What does 三人行，必有我師焉 (sān rén xíng bì yǒu wǒ shī yān) mean?
三人行，必有我師焉 (sān rén xíng bì yǒu wǒ shī yān) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "among three walking together, one can surely be my teacher." In use it means: There is something to learn from everyone; wisdom is not confined to experts. 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 Monkey.
Literally: "among three walking together, one can surely be my teacher."
The reading
The person sitting next to you knows something you do not. It might be small, it might be life-changing, but it is there. The refusal to learn from someone because of their title, their age, or their appearance is the most expensive pride available.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Analects 論語, Book 7 (Shu Er 述而, ch. 22)
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 三人行，必有我師焉 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 三人行，必有我師焉 (sān rén xíng bì yǒu wǒ shī yān) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Analects 論語, Book 7 (Shu Er 述而, ch. 22). 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 三人行，必有我師焉?
In Mandarin it is sān rén xíng bì yǒu wǒ shī yān. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 三人行，必有我師焉 aloud in Mandarin.