諺語 · a single proverb
無事生非
Simplified: 无事生非
What does 無事生非 (wú shì shēng fēi) mean?
無事生非 (wú shì shēng fēi) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "creating trouble out of nothing." In use it means: Stirring up problems where none exist; the destructive habit of manufacturing conflict during peaceful times. 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 Monkey.
Literally: "creating trouble out of nothing."
The reading
Everything was fine. Then someone decided fine was boring, and now there is a situation that did not exist ten minutes ago. Some people experience peace as a vacuum and fill it with chaos. The chaos is not natural. It was manufactured, and the manufacturer is standing right there, looking concerned.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common literary expression; political and social 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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 無事生非 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 無事生非 (wú shì shēng fēi) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Common literary expression; political and social 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 無事生非?
In Mandarin it is wú shì shēng fēi. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 無事生非 aloud in Mandarin.