諺語 · a single proverb
紙包不住火
Simplified: 纸包不住火
What does 紙包不住火 (zhǐ bāo bù zhù huǒ) mean?
紙包不住火 (zhǐ bāo bù zhù huǒ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "paper cannot wrap fire." In use it means: The truth cannot be concealed forever; secrets will eventually come to light. You reach for it when you want that idea in one breath, and the Fire note it carries is why we hand it to those born in the Year of the Snake.
Literally: "paper cannot wrap fire."
The reading
You can fold the paper carefully. You can use thicker paper. You can hold it very still. But the fire is fire, and the paper is paper, and the outcome was decided the moment you tried to put one around the other. Some things cannot be contained by the container you chose.
What kind of proverb it is
Source folk proverb; common Chinese wisdom
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 Wisdom & Learning, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Snake, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 紙包不住火 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 紙包不住火 (zhǐ bāo bù zhù huǒ) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from folk proverb; common Chinese wisdom. 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 紙包不住火?
In Mandarin it is zhǐ bāo bù zhù huǒ. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 紙包不住火 aloud in Mandarin.