諺語 · a single proverb
一尺一得
What does 一尺一得 (yī chǐ yī dé) mean?
一尺一得 (yī chǐ yī dé) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "one foot of measure, one foot of gain." In use it means: Progress matched precisely to effort; you get out exactly what you put in, no shortcuts and no penalties. 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 Ox.
Literally: "one foot of measure, one foot of gain."
The reading
The ruler does not lie. Measure one foot and you have one foot. Not one foot and a half from cleverness, not half a foot from bad luck. Effort works the same way when the measurement is honest: every unit of work returns a unit of result. The people who feel cheated are usually measuring with a bent ruler.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Folk maxim; echoes classical emphasis on honest measurement
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 Ox, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 一尺一得 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一尺一得 (yī chǐ yī dé) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Folk maxim; echoes classical emphasis on honest measurement. 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 一尺一得?
In Mandarin it is yī chǐ yī dé. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一尺一得 aloud in Mandarin.