諺語 · a single proverb
退一步海闊天空
Simplified: 退一步海阔天空
What does 退一步海闊天空 (tuì yī bù hǎi kuò tiān kōng) mean?
退一步海闊天空 (tuì yī bù hǎi kuò tiān kōng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "step back one pace and the sea and sky open up." In use it means: Sometimes yielding or stepping back reveals vast new possibilities; letting go creates space. 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: "step back one pace and the sea and sky open up."
The reading
The argument fills the room until one person steps back, and suddenly there is room for both of them. The view from one step behind is always wider than the view from the front line. Retreat is sometimes the largest room in the house.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb; also attributed to Buddhist wisdom
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 退一步海闊天空 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 退一步海闊天空 (tuì yī bù hǎi kuò tiān kōng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from folk proverb; also attributed to Buddhist wisdom. 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 退一步海闊天空?
In Mandarin it is tuì yī bù hǎi kuò tiān kōng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 退一步海闊天空 aloud in Mandarin.