諺語 · a single proverb

有yǒu備bèi無wú患huàn

Simplified: 有备无患

yǒu bèi wú huàn

What does 有備無患 (yǒu bèi wú huàn) mean?

有備無患 (yǒu bèi wú huàn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "having prepared, no calamity." In use it means: Proper preparation prevents disaster; those who plan ahead face no unforeseen trouble. 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 Dragon.

Literally: "having prepared, no calamity."

The reading

The roof does not leak in the dry season. It is only when the rain arrives that you learn whether someone was thinking ahead. Preparation is the quiet form of courage-the choice made on the calm day for the benefit of the stormy one.

What kind of proverb it is

Source Zuozhuan 左傳, Duke Xiang year 11 (襄公十一年)

Sits beside

人心齊，泰山移

rén xīn qí tài shān yí

When people are united in purpose, even the greatest obstacles can be overcome.

寸土必爭

cùn tǔ bì zhēng

Fight for every inch of ground.

一以當萬

yī yǐ dāng wàn

One exceptional person or principle can handle what ten thousand cannot.

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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Dragon, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.

Questions

Is 有備無患 a real Chinese proverb?

Yes. 有備無患 (yǒu bèi wú huàn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Zuozhuan 左傳, Duke Xiang year 11 (襄公十一年). 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 有備無患?

In Mandarin it is yǒu bèi wú huàn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 有備無患 aloud in Mandarin.