諺語 · a single proverb
天有不測風雲
Simplified: 天有不测风云
What does 天有不測風雲 (tiān yǒu bù cè fēng yún) mean?
天有不測風雲 (tiān yǒu bù cè fēng yún) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "heaven has unpredictable winds and clouds." In use it means: Life is full of sudden, unforeseen changes; no one can predict every turn. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "heaven has unpredictable winds and clouds."
The reading
The forecast was clear. The storm arrived anyway. The universe does not owe you a warning. It owes you nothing at all. Build for the weather you expect, but make the roof strong enough for the weather you do not.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb; paired with 人有旦夕禍福
Sits beside
冬至陽生春又來
dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái
At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.
夜長夢多
yè cháng mèng duō
Delay leads to complications.
太公釣魚，願者上鉤
tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu
The best way to attract people is not through trickery but through genuine worth.
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 天有不測風雲 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 天有不測風雲 (tiān yǒu bù cè fēng yún) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from folk proverb; paired with 人有旦夕禍福. 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 天有不測風雲?
In Mandarin it is tiān yǒu bù cè fēng yún. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 天有不測風雲 aloud in Mandarin.