要yào得dé小xiǎo兒ér安ān,，三sān分fēn飢jī與yǔ寒hán

What does 要得小兒安，三分飢與寒 (yào dé xiǎo ér ān, sān fēn jī yǔ hán) mean?

要得小兒安，三分飢與寒 (yào dé xiǎo ér ān, sān fēn jī yǔ hán) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "For the child to be well, keep three parts hungry and cold." In use it means: Children thrive when slightly underfed rather than overfed, and lightly dressed rather than overdressed. Overfeeding burdens the immature spleen, and overheating traps internal heat. A touch of want builds resilience in the young. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dog.

Literally: "For the child to be well, keep three parts hungry and cold."

The reading

Well-meaning parents overfeed and overwrap their children, believing that abundance equals safety. Traditional pediatric medicine teaches the opposite. A child's digestive system is delicate, easily overwhelmed by rich food. A child's metabolism runs warm and does not need the same bundling as an adult. Allowing slight hunger sharpens appetite and strengthens the spleen. Allowing slight coolness toughens the skin and builds resistance to seasonal illness.

What kind of proverb it is

• Typeyànyǔ 諺語
• FocusPresent-minded
• Element土 Earth
• Zodiac tie狗 Year of the Dog

Source Traditional Chinese pediatric medicine saying, attributed to Qian Yi (Song dynasty pediatrician), Xiaoer Yaozheng Zhijue

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 Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.