諺語 · a single proverb
要想富，先修路
What does 要想富，先修路 (yào xiǎng fù, xiān xiū lù) mean?
要想富，先修路 (yào xiǎng fù, xiān xiū lù) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "If you want to get rich, first build a road." In use it means: Infrastructure and access precede prosperity. Before wealth can flow, the channels for trade must be established. 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 Horse.
Literally: "If you want to get rich, first build a road.."
The reading
The village cut off from the highway stays poor no matter how fertile its soil. Building roads is an act of faith in future commerce. This proverb is about more than asphalt; it speaks to removing obstacles before expecting results. Every merchant who opens a new trade route is a road builder in spirit. The investment that seems to produce nothing today creates everything tomorrow.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Modern Chinese folk saying, widely popularized in reform-era rural development campaigns
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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 要想富，先修路 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 要想富，先修路 (yào xiǎng fù, xiān xiū lù) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Modern Chinese folk saying, widely popularized in reform-era rural development campaigns. 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 要想富，先修路?
In Mandarin it is yào xiǎng fù, xiān xiū lù. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 要想富，先修路 aloud in Mandarin.