諺語 · a single proverb
言過其實
Simplified: 言过其实
What does 言過其實 (yán guò qí shí) mean?
言過其實 (yán guò qí shí) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "words exceed reality." In use it means: Someone who exaggerates or overpromises; talk that outpaces what can actually be delivered. 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 Rooster.
Literally: "words exceed reality."
The reading
The bridge between what you say and what you do has a weight limit. Load it with promises heavier than your capacity and it collapses, taking your credibility with it. Speak within your means.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義; Records of Three Kingdoms 三國志, Ma Su 馬謖
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 言過其實 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 言過其實 (yán guò qí shí) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三國演義; Records of Three Kingdoms 三國志, Ma Su 馬謖. 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 言過其實?
In Mandarin it is yán guò qí shí. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 言過其實 aloud in Mandarin.