諺語 · a single proverb
一日為師，終身為父
Simplified: 一日为师，终身为父
What does 一日為師，終身為父 (yī rì wéi shī zhōng shēn wéi fù) mean?
一日為師，終身為父 (yī rì wéi shī zhōng shēn wéi fù) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "one day as teacher, lifelong as father." In use it means: Even a single day of teaching creates a bond as deep as parenthood; honor your teachers. 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 day as teacher, lifelong as father."
The reading
The lesson received in a single afternoon can reorder an entire life, and the person who gave it deserves to be held with the same reverence as a parent, because what was transmitted was also a kind of birth. Those who shaped your thinking shaped your world as surely as those who shaped your body.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (common in educational culture)
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Frog, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 一日為師，終身為父 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一日為師，終身為父 (yī rì wéi shī zhōng shēn wéi fù) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (common in educational culture). 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 一日為師，終身為父?
In Mandarin it is yī rì wéi shī zhōng shēn wéi fù. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一日為師，終身為父 aloud in Mandarin.