諺語 · a single proverb
以卵擊石
Simplified: 以卵击石
What does 以卵擊石 (yǐ luǎn jī shí) mean?
以卵擊石 (yǐ luǎn jī shí) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "strike a stone with an egg." In use it means: Attacking something far stronger than yourself is reckless and self-destructive. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "strike a stone with an egg."
The reading
Courage without proportion is just waste. The egg is brave. The egg is also broken. There is no honor in a fight you cannot win and no wisdom in mistaking stubbornness for valor. Choose your battles by what you can actually move, not by what angers you most.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Attributed to Mozi 墨子 and other Warring States texts
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 以卵擊石 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 以卵擊石 (yǐ luǎn jī shí) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Attributed to Mozi 墨子 and other Warring States texts. 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 以卵擊石?
In Mandarin it is yǐ luǎn jī shí. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 以卵擊石 aloud in Mandarin.