諺語 · a single proverb
一波未平一波又起
What does 一波未平一波又起 (yī bō wèi píng yī bō yòu qǐ) mean?
一波未平一波又起 (yī bō wèi píng yī bō yòu qǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "one wave has not settled before the next one rises." In use it means: Problems come in succession without pause; one challenge follows another continuously. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "one wave has not settled before the next one rises."
The reading
You finished solving the first one and the second one was already halfway formed. That is not bad luck. That is the rhythm. The person who is waiting for a period of no problems is waiting for the ocean to stop being wet.
What kind of proverb it is
Source literary idiom; Song dynasty usage
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 一波未平一波又起 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一波未平一波又起 (yī bō wèi píng yī bō yòu qǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from literary idiom; Song dynasty usage. 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 一波未平一波又起?
In Mandarin it is yī bō wèi píng yī bō yòu qǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一波未平一波又起 aloud in Mandarin.