諺語 · a single proverb
一路順風
Simplified: 一路顺风
What does 一路順風 (yī lù shùn fēng) mean?
一路順風 (yī lù shùn fēng) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語). Word for word it reads "smooth wind the whole way." In use it means: A wish for safe travels. May nothing block your path. 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 Horse.
Literally: "smooth wind the whole way."
The reading
You cannot control the wind. But you can wish for it to blow the right direction for someone you care about. That is what this phrase does: it wraps the traveler in a hope that the road cooperates.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common blessing; found in Yuan drama 元曲
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 Horse, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 一路順風 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一路順風 (yī lù shùn fēng) is a colloquial saying (súyǔ 俗語), and it comes from Common blessing; found in Yuan drama 元曲. 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 一路順風?
In Mandarin it is yī lù shùn fēng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一路順風 aloud in Mandarin.