諺語 · a single proverb
鐵公雞——一毛不拔
Simplified: 铁公鸡——一毛不拔
What does 鐵公雞——一毛不拔 (tiě gōng jī——yī máo bù bá) mean?
鐵公雞——一毛不拔 (tiě gōng jī——yī máo bù bá) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語). Word for word it reads "An iron rooster-not a single feather can be plucked." In use it means: Describes an extremely stingy person. Since the rooster is made of iron, no feather (毛, also slang for small coin) can be pulled from it. 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 Rooster.
Literally: "An iron rooster-not a single feather can be plucked.."
The reading
Holding too tightly to what we have is a way of telling the world we do not trust it to provide. Generosity is not measured by the size of the gift but by the looseness of the grip. The iron rooster is safe from loss but also from connection. Wealth that never circulates becomes weight, not resource. Even a single feather given freely carries more warmth than a whole bird held in a fist.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional folk xiehouyu, referenced in classical novels
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 Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 鐵公雞——一毛不拔 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 鐵公雞——一毛不拔 (tiě gōng jī——yī máo bù bá) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語), and it comes from Traditional folk xiehouyu, referenced in classical novels. 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 鐵公雞——一毛不拔?
In Mandarin it is tiě gōng jī——yī máo bù bá. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 鐵公雞——一毛不拔 aloud in Mandarin.