諺語 · a single proverb
只掌難鳴
Simplified: 只掌难鸣
What does 只掌難鳴 (zhī zhǎng nán míng) mean?
只掌難鳴 (zhī zhǎng nán míng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "a single palm cannot clap." In use it means: One person alone cannot create the effect that requires two; some outcomes need a partner or a counterpart. 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 Goat.
Literally: "a single palm cannot clap."
The reading
The hand is strong. The hand is willing. But it cannot produce a sound alone. The clap requires a second hand, and the sound belongs equally to both. Every achievement that requires collaboration is a clap: the credit goes to the space between two palms.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Buddhist philosophical tradition; common folk proverb
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 Harmony, Virtue & Balance, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Goat, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 只掌難鳴 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 只掌難鳴 (zhī zhǎng nán míng) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Buddhist philosophical tradition; common folk proverb. 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 只掌難鳴?
In Mandarin it is zhī zhǎng nán míng. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 只掌難鳴 aloud in Mandarin.