諺語 · a single proverb
一個籬笆三個樁
Simplified: 一个篱笆三个桩
What does 一個籬笆三個樁 (yī gè lí ba sān gè zhuāng) mean?
一個籬笆三個樁 (yī gè lí ba sān gè zhuāng) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "one fence three stakes." In use it means: Even the strongest person needs support; everyone needs others to lean on. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Wood note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rat.
Literally: "one fence three stakes."
The reading
The fence that stands upright does so because it knows which posts to rest its weight against. Pride pretends to need nothing but it is always secretly braced against something. Knowing where your stakes are is honest, and honesty about need is the first gesture of true strength.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (suyu)
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 一個籬笆三個樁 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一個籬笆三個樁 (yī gè lí ba sān gè zhuāng) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (suyu). 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 一個籬笆三個樁?
In Mandarin it is yī gè lí ba sān gè zhuāng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一個籬笆三個樁 aloud in Mandarin.