諺語 · a single proverb
一波未平，一波又起
What does 一波未平，一波又起 (yī bō wèi píng yī bō yòu qǐ) mean?
一波未平，一波又起 (yī bō wèi píng yī bō yòu qǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "one wave has not settled before another rises." In use it means: Troubles come in succession; before one problem is resolved, the next one arrives. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "one wave has not settled before another rises."
The reading
The first wave is still draining when the second one hits. You do not get a break between problems because problems do not schedule themselves around your recovery time. The skill is not in waiting for calm water. It is in learning to swim between waves.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修; common literary expression
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 Adversity & Resilience, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 一波未平，一波又起 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一波未平，一波又起 (yī bō wèi píng yī bō yòu qǐ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Ouyang Xiu 歐陽修; common literary expression. 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 一波未平，一波又起?
In Mandarin it is yī bō wèi píng yī bō yòu qǐ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一波未平，一波又起 aloud in Mandarin.