諺語 · a single proverb
問心無愧
Simplified: 问心无愧
What does 問心無愧 (wèn xīn wú kuì) mean?
問心無愧 (wèn xīn wú kuì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "ask the heart, no shame." In use it means: Act so that when you examine your own conscience, you find nothing to be ashamed of. 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 Dog.
Literally: "ask the heart, no shame."
The reading
Before any external judge arrives, there is always the inner one. If that one can look at what you did and find nothing to hide from, the external verdict matters far less. A clear conscience is the only kind of ease that cannot be taken away.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common Chinese idiom; Qing dynasty novel usage
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 Humility & Self-Mastery, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 問心無愧 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 問心無愧 (wèn xīn wú kuì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common Chinese idiom; Qing dynasty novel usage. 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 問心無愧?
In Mandarin it is wèn xīn wú kuì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 問心無愧 aloud in Mandarin.