諺語 · a single proverb
用人不疑，疑人不用
What does 用人不疑，疑人不用 (yòng rén bù yí yí rén bù yòng) mean?
用人不疑，疑人不用 (yòng rén bù yí yí rén bù yòng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "use someone without doubting them; if you doubt someone, do not use them." In use it means: Once you have decided to trust someone, trust them fully; and if you cannot trust them, do not put them in the position at all. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Metal note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dog.
Literally: "use someone without doubting them; if you doubt someone, do not use them."
The reading
Half-trust is worse than no trust. The person working under suspicion will perform like someone being watched, which is to say: carefully, defensively, and never at their best. Decide before the assignment, not during it. The interview is for doubting. The job is for trusting.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common leadership proverb; attributed to various historical figures
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 Dog, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 用人不疑，疑人不用 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 用人不疑，疑人不用 (yòng rén bù yí yí rén bù yòng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common leadership proverb; attributed to various historical figures. 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 用人不疑，疑人不用?
In Mandarin it is yòng rén bù yí yí rén bù yòng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 用人不疑，疑人不用 aloud in Mandarin.