諺語 · a single proverb
無風起浪
Simplified: 无风起浪
What does 無風起浪 (wú fēng qǐ làng) mean?
無風起浪 (wú fēng qǐ làng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "waves rising without wind." In use it means: Trouble starting from nothing; someone stirring up problems where none existed. 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 Snake.
Literally: "waves rising without wind."
The reading
The sea was calm and then it was not, and there was no wind to explain it. Some disturbances are manufactured by people who need the calm to break, because calm does not serve their interests. Before you react to the wave, ask who benefits from the turbulence. The answer tells you more than the wave does.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk expression; related to 無風不起浪 but opposite meaning
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 無風起浪 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 無風起浪 (wú fēng qǐ làng) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common folk expression; related to 無風不起浪 but opposite meaning. 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 無風起浪?
In Mandarin it is wú fēng qǐ làng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 無風起浪 aloud in Mandarin.