諺語 · a single proverb
靜待花開
What does 靜待花開 (jìng dài huā kāi) mean?
靜待花開 (jìng dài huā kāi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "quietly wait for the flower to open." In use it means: Wait patiently for things to come to fruition in their own time. 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: "quietly wait for the flower to open."
The reading
The bud that is pried open before it is ready reveals a lesser version of what would have appeared on its own schedule, and the gardener's impatience has robbed the flower of its own timing. Some things ripen only when the conditions inside them are fully ready, and the most useful thing the waiting person can do is continue to water and trust the bud.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk saying
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 Timing & Fortune's Turning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rabbit, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 靜待花開 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 靜待花開 (jìng dài huā kāi) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk saying. 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 靜待花開?
In Mandarin it is jìng dài huā kāi. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 靜待花開 aloud in Mandarin.