諺語 · a single proverb
三顧茅廬
Simplified: 三顾茅庐
What does 三顧茅廬 (sān gù máo lú) mean?
三顧茅廬 (sān gù máo lú) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "three visits to the thatched cottage." In use it means: Showing deep sincerity and persistence by visiting someone three times to seek their help. Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang's cottage three times before the strategist agreed to serve. Genuine effort to recruit talent requires humility and patience. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "three visits to the thatched cottage."
The reading
The first visit: the door was closed. The second visit: the master was sleeping. The third visit: the master woke and saw a ruler who had walked the same path three times in the rain. The talent was not for sale. It was for sincerity. And sincerity is measured in repetitions, not in offers.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Records of the Three Kingdoms 三國志, Shu Shu 蜀書, biography of Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮傳
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 三顧茅廬 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 三顧茅廬 (sān gù máo lú) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Records of the Three Kingdoms 三國志, Shu Shu 蜀書, biography of Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮傳. 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 三顧茅廬?
In Mandarin it is sān gù máo lú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 三顧茅廬 aloud in Mandarin.