This is a selection of my favorite Chinese quotes. The quotes themselves are inspiring, the people who said them legendary.
English | Chinese | Source |
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like | 生命是一连串的自发的自然变化。逆流而动只会徒增伤悲。接受现实,万物自然循着规律发展。 | Lao Zi |
It doesn’t matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice | 不管黑猫白猫,能抓到老鼠的就是好猫。 | Deng Xiao Ping |
To be rich is glorious. | 富裕光荣 | Deng Xiao Ping |
Never tire to study and teach others | 学而不厌,诲人不倦 | Confucius |
The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step | 千里之行,始于足下 | Lao Zi |
Opportunities multiply as they are seized | … | Sun Zi |
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall | … | Confucius |
Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared | … | Buddha |
Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are | 欲擒故纵 | Chinese proverb |
Holding on anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned | 一直生气就犹如抓住热碳一样,欲想将它扔给别人,但被烧伤的却是自己 | Buddha |
Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it | 万物皆有其美,唯慧眼能识之 | Confucious |
An inch of time cannot be bought with an inch of gold,an inch of time cannot be bought with an inch of gold | 一寸光阴一寸金,寸金难买寸光阴 | Wang Zhenbai |
Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand | 不闻不若闻之,闻之不若见之;见之不若知之,知之不若行之;学至於行而止矣。 | Confucious |
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them – that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like | 生命是一连串的自发的自然变化。逆流而动只会徒增伤悲。接受现实,万物自然循着规律发展。 | Zhuang zi |
Make happy those who are near, and those who are far will come | 近者悦,远者来 | Lunyu |
Never admire a man by his strength; judge him in how he uses it | … | … |
A way is made by walking it | Zhuang Zi | |
Right is not right; so is not so. If right were really right it would differ so clearly from not right that there would be no need for argument. If so were really so, it would differ so clearly from not so that there would be no need for argument. | … | Zhuang Zi |
If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a month, get married. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody | 假如你想快乐一个小时,就去睡个午觉;一整天,就去钓鱼;一个月,就去结婚;一整年,继承一笔遗产;一辈子,去帮助別人。 | … |
Knowing is not enough we must apply. Willing is not enough we must do | 光是知道是不够的,我们必须去应用;光是希望是不够,我们必须去做 | Bruce Lee |