諺語 · a single proverb
物以類聚，人以群分
Simplified: 物以类聚，人以群分
What does 物以類聚，人以群分 (wù yǐ lèi jù rén yǐ qún fēn) mean?
物以類聚，人以群分 (wù yǐ lèi jù rén yǐ qún fēn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "things gather by category; people divide into groups." In use it means: Like attracts like; people naturally form groups with those who share their values and character. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Monkey.
Literally: "things gather by category; people divide into groups."
The reading
You do not choose your people by accident. They arrive because something in you is already resonating at the same frequency. Pay attention to who keeps appearing in your life-it tells you something true about who you are becoming.
What kind of proverb it is
Source I Ching 易經, Xi Ci Zhuan 繫辭傳 (commentary on the hexagrams)
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 Monkey, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 物以類聚，人以群分 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 物以類聚，人以群分 (wù yǐ lèi jù rén yǐ qún fēn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from I Ching 易經, Xi Ci Zhuan 繫辭傳 (commentary on the hexagrams). 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 物以類聚，人以群分?
In Mandarin it is wù yǐ lèi jù rén yǐ qún fēn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 物以類聚，人以群分 aloud in Mandarin.