諺語 · a single proverb
殊途同歸
Simplified: 殊途同归
What does 殊途同歸 (shū tú tóng guī) mean?
殊途同歸 (shū tú tóng guī) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "different routes, same destination." In use it means: Different paths lead to the same end; various approaches can arrive at the same conclusion. 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: "different routes, same destination."
The reading
The mountain has as many paths to its peak as there are people who have climbed it, and the summit is the same summit regardless of which face was chosen. The road that works for one person does not need to be the road for every person; what matters is that the road leads where it claims to lead. Different does not mean wrong.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Yi Jing 易經·繫辭下 (Xì Cí II)
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 Frog, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 殊途同歸 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 殊途同歸 (shū tú tóng guī) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Yi Jing 易經·繫辭下 (Xì Cí II). 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 殊途同歸?
In Mandarin it is shū tú tóng guī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 殊途同歸 aloud in Mandarin.