諺語 · a single proverb
眾人拾柴火焰高
Simplified: 众人拾柴火焰高
What does 眾人拾柴火焰高 (zhòng rén shí chái huǒ yàn gāo) mean?
眾人拾柴火焰高 (zhòng rén shí chái huǒ yàn gāo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語). Word for word it reads "many people gather firewood, flames rise high." In use it means: Many hands make light work; collective effort makes great achievement. 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 Horse.
Literally: "many people gather firewood, flames rise high."
The reading
One log smolders alone and barely holds a flame. Three logs breathe together and you have a fire that cooks and warms and holds back the dark. Every contribution, however small, changes the height of what is possible. This is why gathering together is itself a form of action.
What kind of proverb it is
Source Traditional Chinese folk proverb (suyu)
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 Courage & Decisive Action, or follow the years these lines belong to: Year of the Horse, Year of the Ox, and Year of the Tiger.
Questions
Is 眾人拾柴火焰高 a real Chinese proverb?
Yes. 眾人拾柴火焰高 (zhòng rén shí chái huǒ yàn gāo) is a folk proverb (yànyǔ 諺語), and it comes from Traditional Chinese folk proverb (suyu). 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 眾人拾柴火焰高 aloud in Mandarin.