諺語 · a single proverb
同聲相應，同氣相求
What does 同聲相應，同氣相求 (tóng shēng xiāng yìng tóng qì xiāng qiú) mean?
同聲相應，同氣相求 (tóng shēng xiāng yìng tóng qì xiāng qiú) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "same sound mutually respond, same chi mutually seek." In use it means: Those of the same nature resonate with each other; like seeks like. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "same sound mutually respond, same chi mutually seek."
The reading
The tuning forks that share a frequency will set each other vibrating across a room without being touched, drawn together only by the air between them. We are also vibrating things, and the ones who make us resonate are often the ones we did not know we had been looking for. The recognition is the resonance.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Yi Jing 易經·乾卦·文言 (Qián Guà, Wén Yán Commentary)
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 Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 同聲相應，同氣相求 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 同聲相應，同氣相求 (tóng shēng xiāng yìng tóng qì xiāng qiú) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Yi Jing 易經·乾卦·文言 (Qián Guà, Wén Yán Commentary). 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 同聲相應，同氣相求?
In Mandarin it is tóng shēng xiāng yìng tóng qì xiāng qiú. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 同聲相應，同氣相求 aloud in Mandarin.