諺語 · a single proverb
物極必反
Simplified: 物极必反
What does 物極必反 (wù jí bì fǎn) mean?
物極必反 (wù jí bì fǎn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "when a thing reaches its extreme, it reverses." In use it means: Anything pushed to its limit turns into its opposite. 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 Monkey.
Literally: "when a thing reaches its extreme, it reverses."
The reading
Push anything far enough and it turns into its opposite. The height that will not stop climbing is already leaning toward the fall, so learn when full is full.
The story
The principle is recorded in the 呂氏春秋 and runs through Daoist and Yijing thinking about cycles: anything pushed to its far extreme turns into its opposite. The full moon is already tilting toward waning; the height that will not stop climbing is leaning toward the fall.
When something in your life is cresting, learn to feel where full is full. Ease off before the peak forces its own reversal, because the discipline of stopping at enough is what keeps the good season from flipping on you.
What kind of proverb it is
Source 呂氏春秋; Daoist cyclical thought
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Monkey, Year of the Horse, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Rabbit.
Questions
Is 物極必反 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 物極必反 (wù jí bì fǎn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from 呂氏春秋; Daoist cyclical thought. 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 物極必反?
In Mandarin it is wù jí bì fǎn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 物極必反 aloud in Mandarin.