諺語 · a single proverb
山不厭高，海不厭深
Simplified: 山不厌高，海不厌深
What does 山不厭高，海不厭深 (shān bù yàn gāo hǎi bù yàn shēn) mean?
山不厭高，海不厭深 (shān bù yàn gāo hǎi bù yàn shēn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "mountains do not tire of height, seas do not tire of depth." In use it means: A great person never stops growing and never refuses more talent, wisdom, or people. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "mountains do not tire of height, seas do not tire of depth."
The reading
The mountain does not say that is enough height. The sea does not say that is enough water. They keep receiving. The person who says I know enough or I have enough people around me has capped themselves. Keep the door open. The next person, the next lesson, might be the one that changes the shape of everything.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Cao Cao 曹操, 短歌行 (Three Kingdoms period)
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 Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 山不厭高，海不厭深 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 山不厭高，海不厭深 (shān bù yàn gāo hǎi bù yàn shēn) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Cao Cao 曹操, 短歌行 (Three Kingdoms period). 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 山不厭高，海不厭深?
In Mandarin it is shān bù yàn gāo hǎi bù yàn shēn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 山不厭高，海不厭深 aloud in Mandarin.