諺語 · a single proverb
有緣千里來相會
What does 有緣千里來相會 (yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì) mean?
有緣千里來相會 (yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "with fate, a thousand li come to meet." In use it means: Those destined to meet will find each other across great distances. 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: "with fate, a thousand li come to meet."
The reading
The distance that separates two people who are meant to meet is not a barrier but simply the measure of what fate had to arrange in order for the meeting to happen in the right place at the right time. A thousand li of geography is a small objection for two people who share a page in the book of fated encounters.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk saying (common in love and destiny contexts)
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 有緣千里來相會 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 有緣千里來相會 (yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk saying (common in love and destiny contexts). 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 有緣千里來相會?
In Mandarin it is yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 有緣千里來相會 aloud in Mandarin.