諺語 · a single proverb
外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊）
Simplified: 外甥打灯笼——照舅（照旧）
What does 外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊） (wài shēng dǎ dēng long——zhào jiù (zhào jiù)) mean?
外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊） (wài shēng dǎ dēng long——zhào jiù (zhào jiù)) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語). Word for word it reads "A nephew carrying a lantern-illuminating his uncle (doing things the old way)." In use it means: A pun on 照舅 (illuminating the uncle) and 照舊 (as before). It means continuing with established customs or doing things the same old way. 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 Rat.
Literally: "A nephew carrying a lantern-illuminating his uncle (doing things the old way).."
The reading
Routine has its own quiet gravity; we repeat what we know because the familiar feels safe. The lantern lights the same path night after night, and there is comfort in that constancy. But comfort and growth do not always walk together. Knowing when tradition serves and when it merely persists is an ongoing negotiation. The light itself is neutral; direction is the choice we make.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional homophonic xiehouyu, common in northern dialects
Sits beside
家有黃金，不如有個好鄰居
jiā yǒu huáng jīn bù rú yǒu gè hǎo lín jū
A good neighbor is worth more than household gold.
龍生龍，鳳生鳳，老鼠生的兒子會打洞
lóng shēng lóng, fèng shēng fèng, lǎo shǔ shēng de ér zi huì dǎ dòng
Children tend to inherit or follow the traits and social standing of their parents.
一方水土養一方人
yī fāng shuǐ tǔ yǎng yī fāng rén
The land and water of a region shapes the people who live there.
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 Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊） a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊） (wài shēng dǎ dēng long——zhào jiù (zhào jiù)) is a two-part riddle-saying (xiēhòuyǔ 歇後語), and it comes from Traditional homophonic xiehouyu, common in northern dialects. 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 外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊）?
In Mandarin it is wài shēng dǎ dēng long——zhào jiù (zhào jiù). Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 外甥打燈籠——照舅（照舊） aloud in Mandarin.