諺語 · a single proverb
眾口鑠金
Simplified: 众口铄金
What does 眾口鑠金 (zhòng kǒu shuò jīn) mean?
眾口鑠金 (zhòng kǒu shuò jīn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語). Word for word it reads "many mouths melt gold." In use it means: Public opinion can destroy even the most solid reputation. 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 Rooster.
Literally: "many mouths melt gold."
The reading
Gold that melts under no ordinary fire can be undone by the heat of enough tongues speaking at once. Reputation is strong but not invulnerable, and the force of collective voice is one of the few things that can soften what was hard. Be careful what you contribute to the chorus.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Guo Yu 國語·周語下 (Zhōu Yǔ, Zhou Speeches)
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 Friendship, Trust & Speech, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Rooster, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 眾口鑠金 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 眾口鑠金 (zhòng kǒu shuò jīn) is a four-character classical idiom (chéngyǔ 成語), and it comes from Guo Yu 國語·周語下 (Zhōu Yǔ, Zhou Speeches). 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 眾口鑠金?
In Mandarin it is zhòng kǒu shuò jīn. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 眾口鑠金 aloud in Mandarin.