諺語 · a single proverb
一鳥在手，勝過雙鳥在林
Simplified: 一鸟在手，胜过双鸟在林
What does 一鳥在手，勝過雙鳥在林 (yī niǎo zài shǒu, shèng guò shuāng niǎo zài lín) mean?
一鳥在手，勝過雙鳥在林 (yī niǎo zài shǒu, shèng guò shuāng niǎo zài lín) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "one bird in hand surpasses two birds in the forest." In use it means: What you already possess is worth more than uncertain possibilities, however attractive they seem. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Earth note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "one bird in hand surpasses two birds in the forest."
The reading
The two in the forest are beautiful. They are also in the forest. The one in your hand is real. It is warm. It is here. The gamble of releasing what you have for what you might get is not always wrong, but it is always a gamble. Know the difference between opportunity and fantasy.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Parallel to Western proverb; Chinese variant in Zengguang Xianwen 增廣賢文
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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 一鳥在手，勝過雙鳥在林 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一鳥在手，勝過雙鳥在林 (yī niǎo zài shǒu, shèng guò shuāng niǎo zài lín) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Parallel to Western proverb; Chinese variant in Zengguang Xianwen 增廣賢文. 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 一鳥在手，勝過雙鳥在林?
In Mandarin it is yī niǎo zài shǒu, shèng guò shuāng niǎo zài lín. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一鳥在手，勝過雙鳥在林 aloud in Mandarin.