諺語 · a single proverb
魚躍龍門
Simplified: 鱼跃龙门
What does 魚躍龍門 (yú yuè lóng mén) mean?
魚躍龍門 (yú yuè lóng mén) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "The fish leaps over the Dragon Gate." In use it means: A dramatic rise in status, especially through passing examinations or achieving a breakthrough. The carp that clears the waterfall becomes a dragon. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Water note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Dragon.
Literally: "The fish leaps over the Dragon Gate.."
The reading
There are moments in life where everything you have practised converges into one leap. You either clear the falls or you fall back into the current. Nobody sees the years of swimming against the river. They only see the leap. But you know. And that knowing is the part of you that is already dragon, whether the gate opens or not.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Chinese folk legend, referenced in 《三秦记》and other classical texts
Sits beside
冬至陽生春又來
dōng zhì yáng shēng chūn yòu lái
At the darkest moment of winter, yang energy is reborn and spring begins its return.
夜長夢多
yè cháng mèng duō
Delay leads to complications.
太公釣魚，願者上鉤
tài gōng diào yú yuàn zhě shàng gōu
The best way to attract people is not through trickery but through genuine worth.
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 Dragon, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 魚躍龍門 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 魚躍龍門 (yú yuè lóng mén) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Chinese folk legend, referenced in 《三秦记》and other classical texts. 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 魚躍龍門?
In Mandarin it is yú yuè lóng mén. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 魚躍龍門 aloud in Mandarin.