諺語 · a single proverb
石頭之下有黃金
Simplified: 石头之下有黄金
What does 石頭之下有黃金 (shí tou zhī xià yǒu huáng jīn) mean?
石頭之下有黃金 (shí tou zhī xià yǒu huáng jīn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "Beneath the stone there is gold." In use it means: Valuable things are often hidden beneath what appears ordinary or obstructive. Effort spent digging past the obvious surface is rewarded with treasure underneath. 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 Goat.
Literally: "Beneath the stone there is gold.."
The reading
The stone on top is not the obstacle; it is the guardian. What is easy to reach is rarely worth reaching for. The miners who built fortunes were the ones willing to move what everyone else walked over. Surface appearances are nature's way of testing whether you deserve what lies beneath. Gold does not announce itself; it waits for someone stubborn enough to lift the rock.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Chinese mining folk proverb, traditional saying among Yúnnán and Guìzhōu miners
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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 石頭之下有黃金 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 石頭之下有黃金 (shí tou zhī xià yǒu huáng jīn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Chinese mining folk proverb, traditional saying among Yúnnán and Guìzhōu miners. 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 石頭之下有黃金?
In Mandarin it is shí tou zhī xià yǒu huáng jīn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 石頭之下有黃金 aloud in Mandarin.