諺語 · a single proverb
因人而異
Simplified: 因人而异
What does 因人而異 (yīn rén ér yì) mean?
因人而異 (yīn rén ér yì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "because of person, therefore different." In use it means: Varies according to the individual; treat each person differently as the situation requires. 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: "because of person, therefore different."
The reading
The teacher who teaches every student identically is not teaching but broadcasting into an empty room. Each person learns by a different door, and the one who finds that door is not favoring the student but serving them. The instruction that fits becomes the instruction that enters.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese idiom in educational philosophy
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 Rabbit, Year of the Frog, and Year of the Rat.
Questions
Is 因人而異 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 因人而異 (yīn rén ér yì) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese idiom in educational philosophy. 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 因人而異?
In Mandarin it is yīn rén ér yì. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 因人而異 aloud in Mandarin.