諺語 · a single proverb
業精於勤，荒於嬉
Simplified: 业精于勤，荒于嬉
What does 業精於勤，荒於嬉 (yè jīng yú qín huāng yú xī) mean?
業精於勤，荒於嬉 (yè jīng yú qín huāng yú xī) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞). Word for word it reads "craft is refined by diligence, wasted by play." In use it means: Skills sharpen through hard work and dull through idleness. The craft does not maintain itself. It improves with use and decays with neglect. 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 Rooster.
Literally: "craft is refined by diligence, wasted by play."
The reading
The pianist who practices daily hears something new in the same piece every month. The pianist who stopped practicing hears nothing at all because the fingers forgot where to go. Skill is not a possession. It is a relationship that requires regular visits. Stop visiting and the skill will not be there when you come back.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Han Yu 韓愈, 'Exhortation to Study' 進學解 (Tang dynasty)
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 Wealth, Work & Diligence, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 業精於勤，荒於嬉 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 業精於勤，荒於嬉 (yè jīng yú qín huāng yú xī) is a line of classical verse (shīcí 詩詞), and it comes from Han Yu 韓愈, 'Exhortation to Study' 進學解 (Tang dynasty). 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 業精於勤，荒於嬉?
In Mandarin it is yè jīng yú qín huāng yú xī. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 業精於勤，荒於嬉 aloud in Mandarin.