諺語 · a single proverb
水漲船高
Simplified: 水涨船高
What does 水漲船高 (shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo) mean?
水漲船高 (shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "when the water rises, the boat rises too." In use it means: As conditions improve for the group, every individual benefits; a rising tide carries all vessels upward. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "when the water rises, the boat rises too."
The reading
You did not lift the boat. The water did. And the water rose because everyone contributed to raising the level. Individual success inside collective improvement is not diminished by acknowledging that the rising was shared. It is simply the honest description of what happened.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk proverb; economic and social commentary
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 Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 水漲船高 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 水漲船高 (shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common folk proverb; economic and social commentary. 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 水漲船高?
In Mandarin it is shuǐ zhǎng chuán gāo. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 水漲船高 aloud in Mandarin.