諺語 · a single proverb
一帆風順
Simplified: 一帆风顺
What does 一帆風順 (yī fān fēng shùn) mean?
一帆風順 (yī fān fēng shùn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "one sail, fair wind." In use it means: Smooth sailing from start to finish, with the wind always at your back. The rare and fortunate journey where nothing goes wrong. 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 Horse.
Literally: "one sail, fair wind."
The reading
The fair wind is not a plan. It is a gift. The sailor who has only known fair wind does not know how to tack, how to reef, how to read the change in the air. The fair wind is lovely. It is also a poor teacher. Count the blessing but do not count on it.
What kind of proverb it is
Source classical expression; Tang-Song literary usage
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 一帆風順 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一帆風順 (yī fān fēng shùn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from classical expression; Tang-Song literary usage. 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 一帆風順?
In Mandarin it is yī fān fēng shùn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一帆風順 aloud in Mandarin.