諺語 · a single proverb
鐵杵磨成針
Simplified: 铁杵磨成针
What does 鐵杵磨成針 (tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn) mean?
鐵杵磨成針 (tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "grind an iron pestle into a needle." In use it means: With enough persistence, even the most difficult task can be accomplished. 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 Ox.
Literally: "grind an iron pestle into a needle."
The reading
The bar of iron does not look like a needle. It looks like impossibility. But the woman at the river was not grinding the iron against the stone because she thought it would be fast. She was grinding it because she knew it would be done.
What kind of proverb it is
Source attributed to Li Bai 李白 legend; folk tradition
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 Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 鐵杵磨成針 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 鐵杵磨成針 (tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from attributed to Li Bai 李白 legend; folk tradition. 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 鐵杵磨成針?
In Mandarin it is tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 鐵杵磨成針 aloud in Mandarin.