諺語 · a single proverb
英雄所見略同
Simplified: 英雄所见略同
What does 英雄所見略同 (yīng xióng suǒ jiàn lüè tóng) mean?
英雄所見略同 (yīng xióng suǒ jiàn lüè tóng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "heroes see approximately the same thing." In use it means: Great minds think alike; competent people tend to reach similar conclusions. 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 Dragon.
Literally: "heroes see approximately the same thing."
The reading
When two people who have done the work arrive at the same answer independently, the answer is probably correct. Agreement between the prepared is different from agreement between the crowd. The first is convergence. The second is copying.
What kind of proverb it is
Source literary idiom; Three Kingdoms era 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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 英雄所見略同 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 英雄所見略同 (yīng xióng suǒ jiàn lüè tóng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from literary idiom; Three Kingdoms era 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 英雄所見略同?
In Mandarin it is yīng xióng suǒ jiàn lüè tóng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 英雄所見略同 aloud in Mandarin.