諺語 · a single proverb
樹欲靜而風不止
Simplified: 树欲静而风不止
What does 樹欲靜而風不止 (shù yù jìng ér fēng bù zhǐ) mean?
樹欲靜而風不止 (shù yù jìng ér fēng bù zhǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "the tree wants to be still but the wind will not stop." In use it means: Some things are beyond your control no matter how much you wish for peace; external forces do not respect your preferences. 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 Goat.
Literally: "the tree wants to be still but the wind will not stop."
The reading
You want to be still. The world does not care. The wind will blow whether the tree wants it or not. The question is not how to stop the wind. It is how to be a tree that can stand in wind.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Han Shi Waizhuan 韓詩外傳; attributed to Confucius context
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 樹欲靜而風不止 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 樹欲靜而風不止 (shù yù jìng ér fēng bù zhǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Han Shi Waizhuan 韓詩外傳; attributed to Confucius context. 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 樹欲靜而風不止?
In Mandarin it is shù yù jìng ér fēng bù zhǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 樹欲靜而風不止 aloud in Mandarin.