諺語 · a single proverb
衆人拾柴火焰高
Simplified: 众人拾柴火焰高
What does 衆人拾柴火焰高 (zhòng rén shí chái huǒ yàn gāo) mean?
衆人拾柴火焰高 (zhòng rén shí chái huǒ yàn gāo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "when many people gather firewood, the flames leap high." In use it means: When everyone contributes even a small effort, the collective result is far greater than what any one person could achieve alone. 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 Pig.
Literally: "when many people gather firewood, the flames leap high."
The reading
No single piece of firewood makes a fire. But the same piece, placed among the others, becomes part of something that can warm a whole house. The contribution looks small until you see what it is part of.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Chinese folk proverb 民間諺語
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 Pig, Year of the Rat, and Year of the Ox.
Questions
Is 衆人拾柴火焰高 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 衆人拾柴火焰高 (zhòng rén shí chái huǒ yàn gāo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Chinese folk proverb 民間諺語. 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 衆人拾柴火焰高?
In Mandarin it is zhòng rén shí chái huǒ yàn gāo. Read the pinyin above each character to follow the tones, or press the speaker beside the calligraphy to hear your browser read 衆人拾柴火焰高 aloud in Mandarin.