諺語 · a single proverb
桃之夭夭，灼灼其華
Simplified: 桃之夭夭，灼灼其华
What does 桃之夭夭，灼灼其華 (táo zhī yāo yāo zhuó zhuó qí huá) mean?
桃之夭夭，灼灼其華 (táo zhī yāo yāo zhuó zhuó qí huá) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "the peach tree young and fair, its blossoms burning bright." In use it means: A blessing for vitality, beauty, and flourishing, especially for a young woman starting a new chapter. The image of a peach tree in full bloom, radiant and full of life. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "the peach tree young and fair, its blossoms burning bright."
The reading
The peach tree does not bloom to impress anyone. It blooms because that is what peach trees do in spring. The blossoms are not trying. They are just being, and the being is so full that it looks like burning. Some people carry that same quality: the glow is not effort. It is overflow.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Book of Songs 詩經, Zhou Nan 周南, Tao Yao 桃夭
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 Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 桃之夭夭，灼灼其華 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 桃之夭夭，灼灼其華 (táo zhī yāo yāo zhuó zhuó qí huá) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Book of Songs 詩經, Zhou Nan 周南, Tao Yao 桃夭. 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 桃之夭夭，灼灼其華?
In Mandarin it is táo zhī yāo yāo zhuó zhuó qí huá. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 桃之夭夭，灼灼其華 aloud in Mandarin.