諺語 · a single proverb
循序漸進
Simplified: 循序渐进
What does 循序漸進 (xún xù jiàn jìn) mean?
循序漸進 (xún xù jiàn jìn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "follow order, gradually advance." In use it means: Proceed step by step in proper order; make gradual progress. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rabbit.
Literally: "follow order, gradually advance."
The reading
The staircase does not ask you to fly; it only asks you to lift your foot one step higher than before. Order is not a cage but a kindness, preserving energy for the long climb. Those who skip steps find the missing ones waiting somewhere ahead.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Zhu Xi 朱熹·《近思錄》 (Jìn Sī Lù, Reflections on Things at Hand)
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 Perseverance & the Long Road, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 循序漸進 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 循序漸進 (xún xù jiàn jìn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Zhu Xi 朱熹·《近思錄》 (Jìn Sī Lù, Reflections on Things at Hand). 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 循序漸進?
In Mandarin it is xún xù jiàn jìn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 循序漸進 aloud in Mandarin.