諺語 · a single proverb
一年之計在於春
Simplified: 一年之计在于春
What does 一年之計在於春 (yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn) mean?
一年之計在於春 (yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a year's plan lies in spring." In use it means: Spring is the season for planning the whole year; seize the beginning to shape what follows. 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 Rabbit.
Literally: "a year's plan lies in spring."
The reading
Spring is not the first month but the first permission, the season in which the earth itself is participating in the idea of beginning again. The plan made when the seeds are chosen and the ground is turned carries the freshness of the season and the clarity of not-yet-having-started. This is the moment that shapes the rest.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Northern Qi Dynasty 北齊·顏之推《顏氏家訓》 (Yán Shì Jiā Xùn)
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 Nature, Seasons & Health, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 一年之計在於春 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一年之計在於春 (yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Northern Qi Dynasty 北齊·顏之推《顏氏家訓》 (Yán Shì Jiā Xùn). 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 一年之計在於春?
In Mandarin it is yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一年之計在於春 aloud in Mandarin.