諺語 · a single proverb
與時俱進
Simplified: 与时俱进
What does 與時俱進 (yǔ shí jù jìn) mean?
與時俱進 (yǔ shí jù jìn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "advance together with the times." In use it means: Move forward in step with the changing era; do not cling to outdated ways. 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 Horse.
Literally: "advance together with the times."
The reading
The river that carved this valley is not the same water that flows through it today. What worked in the last season is not guaranteed passage through this one. Keep your principles, but update your map.
What kind of proverb it is
Source literary idiom; modern usage from Jiang Zemin era, classical roots
Sits beside
冬至陽生春又來
dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái
At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.
夜長夢多
yè cháng mèng duō
Delay leads to complications.
太公釣魚，願者上鉤
tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu
The best way to attract people is not through trickery but through genuine worth.
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 與時俱進 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 與時俱進 (yǔ shí jù jìn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from literary idiom; modern usage from Jiang Zemin era, classical roots. 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 與時俱進?
In Mandarin it is yǔ shí jù jìn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 與時俱進 aloud in Mandarin.