諺語 · a single proverb
心口如一
What does 心口如一 (xīn kǒu rú yī) mean?
心口如一 (xīn kǒu rú yī) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "heart and mouth like one." In use it means: What you say matches what you think and feel; sincerity and consistency between thought and speech. 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 Rooster.
Literally: "heart and mouth like one."
The reading
The person whose words and interior agree with each other does not need to remember what they said, because it was already what they meant. This alignment is not a virtue performed but a state of being that simplifies everything around it. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk saying
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 Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 心口如一 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 心口如一 (xīn kǒu rú yī) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk saying. 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 心口如一?
In Mandarin it is xīn kǒu rú yī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 心口如一 aloud in Mandarin.