諺語 · a single proverb
以身作則
Simplified: 以身作则
What does 以身作則 (yǐ shēn zuò zé) mean?
以身作則 (yǐ shēn zuò zé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "use body as example." In use it means: Lead by personal example. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Rooster.
Literally: "use body as example."
The reading
The teacher who merely speaks of virtue and the one who lives it occupy different rooms entirely. A body in motion through the world leaves a trace that words cannot. Children learn what they watch, and so does everyone else.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Analects of Confucius 論語·子路 (Zǐ Lù XIII)
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 以身作則 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 以身作則 (yǐ shēn zuò zé) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Analects of Confucius 論語·子路 (Zǐ Lù XIII). 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 以身作則?
In Mandarin it is yǐ shēn zuò zé. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 以身作則 aloud in Mandarin.