諺語 · a single proverb
遠親不如近鄰
Simplified: 远亲不如近邻
What does 遠親不如近鄰 (yuǎn qīn bù rú jìn lín) mean?
遠親不如近鄰 (yuǎn qīn bù rú jìn lín) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a distant relative is not as useful as a close neighbor." In use it means: In times of need, nearby friends and neighbors matter more than faraway family; proximity creates practical support. 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 Pig.
Literally: "a distant relative is not as useful as a close neighbor."
The reading
Your cousin lives three provinces away. Your neighbor lives through the wall. When the pipe bursts at midnight, which one answers the door? Kinship is meaningful, but distance is expensive. The people who can actually reach you in the moment of need are the people who matter most in that moment. Build those relationships. Water those roots.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Common folk proverb; widely used across all Chinese regions
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 Home, Family & Roots, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 遠親不如近鄰 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 遠親不如近鄰 (yuǎn qīn bù rú jìn lín) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Common folk proverb; widely used across all Chinese regions. 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 遠親不如近鄰?
In Mandarin it is yuǎn qīn bù rú jìn lín. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 遠親不如近鄰 aloud in Mandarin.