諺語 · a single proverb
心有靈犀一點通
Simplified: 心有灵犀一点通
What does 心有靈犀一點通 (xīn yǒu líng xī yī diǎn tōng) mean?
心有靈犀一點通 (xīn yǒu líng xī yī diǎn tōng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "heart has spiritual rhinoceros horn, one point connected." In use it means: Two people with a deep connection understand each other without words; a meeting of minds. 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 Pig.
Literally: "heart has spiritual rhinoceros horn, one point connected."
The reading
The rhinoceros horn was said to carry a vein of spirit from base to tip, and two horns when placed together could transmit understanding through that shared channel. There are people whose minds meet yours in exactly this way: at a single point of contact, the whole meaning passes through, wordlessly and completely. This is what recognition feels like.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Li Shangyin 李商隱·《無題》 (Wú Tí, Untitled poem, Tang Dynasty)
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 Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 心有靈犀一點通 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 心有靈犀一點通 (xīn yǒu líng xī yī diǎn tōng) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Li Shangyin 李商隱·《無題》 (Wú Tí, Untitled poem, Tang Dynasty). 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 心有靈犀一點通?
In Mandarin it is xīn yǒu líng xī yī diǎn tōng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 心有靈犀一點通 aloud in Mandarin.