諺語 · a single proverb
守口如瓶
What does 守口如瓶 (shǒu kǒu rú píng) mean?
守口如瓶 (shǒu kǒu rú píng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "guard your mouth like a sealed bottle." In use it means: Keep secrets securely; discretion protects trust. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dog.
Literally: "guard your mouth like a sealed bottle."
The reading
The bottle holds everything inside until someone removes the stopper. Your mouth works the same way. The secret that survives is the one that never found an audience. Silence is the most reliable container ever built.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Buddhist saying; common folk proverb
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 Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 守口如瓶 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 守口如瓶 (shǒu kǒu rú píng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Buddhist saying; common folk proverb. 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 守口如瓶?
In Mandarin it is shǒu kǒu rú píng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 守口如瓶 aloud in Mandarin.