諺語 · a single proverb
一樹不成林
Simplified: 一树不成林
What does 一樹不成林 (yī shù bù chéng lín) mean?
一樹不成林 (yī shù bù chéng lín) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "one tree does not make a forest." In use it means: A single tree cannot make a forest; collective effort is needed for great things. 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: "one tree does not make a forest."
The reading
The single tree is fine and it stands alone beautifully, but it cannot be a forest, and it cannot shelter a village in the way a forest can, or hold the rains, or be a home for the full range of creatures that a forest holds. Some purposes require density, require the gathered plurality. One tree knows this if you listen.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (yanyu)
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 一樹不成林 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 一樹不成林 (yī shù bù chéng lín) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (yanyu). 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 一樹不成林?
In Mandarin it is yī shù bù chéng lín. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 一樹不成林 aloud in Mandarin.