諺語 · a single proverb
山有路，海有舟
What does 山有路，海有舟 (shān yǒu lù hǎi yǒu zhōu) mean?
山有路，海有舟 (shān yǒu lù hǎi yǒu zhōu) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "mountains have paths and seas have boats." In use it means: Every obstacle has a way through; nature provides the means if you look for them. 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 Horse.
Literally: "mountains have paths and seas have boats."
The reading
The mountain looks impassable until you find the path the goats already know. The sea looks uncrossable until you build the boat the fishermen already use. Every problem that seems new to you has been solved by someone before you. Find them. Ask them. The path and the boat already exist. You just have not found them yet.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk proverb; widely used in Chinese encouragement expressions
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 Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 山有路，海有舟 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 山有路，海有舟 (shān yǒu lù hǎi yǒu zhōu) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from Common folk proverb; widely used in Chinese encouragement expressions. 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 山有路，海有舟?
In Mandarin it is shān yǒu lù hǎi yǒu zhōu. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 山有路，海有舟 aloud in Mandarin.