諺語 · a single proverb
同心同德
What does 同心同德 (tóng xīn tóng dé) mean?
同心同德 (tóng xīn tóng dé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "same heart, same virtue." In use it means: Share the same goals and values; united in heart and purpose. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Horse.
Literally: "same heart, same virtue."
The reading
The team whose hearts point in the same direction and whose standards for good conduct agree with each other is not merely efficient but harmonious, and harmony is the multiplier that effort alone cannot provide. What is truly aligned does not need to be managed; it moves as one thing toward one place.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Shang Shu 尚書·泰誓 (Tài Shì, Book of Documents)
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 同心同德 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 同心同德 (tóng xīn tóng dé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Shang Shu 尚書·泰誓 (Tài Shì, Book of Documents). 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 同心同德?
In Mandarin it is tóng xīn tóng dé. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 同心同德 aloud in Mandarin.