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List of Chinese proverbs
[[fr:Proverbes chinois]]

These are the humble beginnings of a collection of [[China|Chinese]] [[Proverb|proverbs]] (&#27463;&#24460;&#35486; in [[pinyin]]: xie4 hou4 yu3; &#35578;&#35486; yan4 yu3) and idioms, given in (and sorted by) [[pinyin]] transcription. Formulaic saying/expression (&#25104;&#35486; cheng2 yu3) is the Chinese equivalent of the Japanese [[four-character idiom]].  

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:* Usage: When a leader loses power, his followers become disorganized. This proverb is anti-[[anarchistic]].

:&#27700;&#33021;&#36733;&#33311;&#20134;&#33021;&#35206;&#33311; (pinyin: shui3 neng2 zai4 zhou1, yi4 neng2 fu4 zhou1)
:* Literally: Not only can [[water]] can float a craft, it can sink it also.
:* Moral: There are opposite aspects of any tool or power.
:* Note: This concept is related to [[yin-yang]].


:&#21496;&#39532;&#26157;&#20043;&#24515;, &#36335;&#20154;&#30342;&#30693; (pinyin: si1 ma3 zhao1 zhi1 xin1, lu3 ren2 jie1 zhi1)
:* Literally: Even the pedestrians know the ambitions of [[Sima Zhao]].
:* Moral: Evil plots of an ambitious person are widely known.
:* Usage: Showing disapproval of an ambitious person. 
:* Source: Biography of the "Duke of Noble Town" (''Gongguixiang Gong Zhuan'') in the ''[[Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms]]''. [[Cao Mao]], emperor of the [[Kingdom of Wei]], raged to his few trusted officals about Sima Zhao ambition to took the throne.
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:&#22825;&#19979;&#20044;&#40486;&#19968;&#26679;&#40657; (pinyin: tian1 xia4 wu1 ya1 yi2 yang4 hei1)
:* Literally: All [[crow]]s in the world are [[black]].
:* Meanings: There are several possible interpretations:
:*# A [[natural]] interpretation: Some rules, like those natural forces of the [[Universe]], are unbendable, regardless how much you may want it to change.
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:* Literally: no one knows a [[son]] better than the [[father]].
:* Moral: Having spent [[decade]]s with each other, family members know what type of persons each others are. "Sons" and "fathers" also apply to the [[female]] equivalents.
:* Usage: Character witness in a trial. Despite his/her denial, an honest parent can tell if their children are capable of heinous [[crime]]s, like [[murder]].


:&#21496;&#39532;&#26157;&#20043;&#24515;, &#36335;&#20154;&#30342;&#30693; (pinyin: si1 ma3 zhao1 zhi1 xin1, lu3 ren2 jie1 zhi1)
:* Literally: Even the pedestrians know the ambitions of [[Sima Zhao]].
:* Moral: Evil plots of an ambitious person are widely known.
:* Usage: Showing disapproval of an ambitious person. 
:* Source: Biography of the "Duke of Noble Town" (''Gongguixiang Gong Zhuan'') in the ''[[Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms]]''. [[Cao Mao]], emperor of the [[Kingdom of Wei]], raged to his few trusted officals about Sima Zhao ambition to took the throne.
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==[[Cantonese language |Cantonese]] proverbs==
sorted alphabetically by the [[penkyamp]], a Cantonese Romanization.

:&#22909;&#24515;&#20871;&#22909;&#22577;&#65292;&#22909;&#26612;&#29138;&#29211;&#28790; (penkyamp: How2 samp1 mow5 how2 bow3, how2 cai4 siu1 lan6 zow3)
:* Meaning: Good deeds may not be rewarded; even good firewood may ruin the stove. 
:* Note: 'reward' and 'stove' rhyme in Cantonese.

(contracted; show full)* [[English proverbs]]
* [[French proverbs]]
* [[German proverbs]]
* [[Japanese proverbs]]
* [[Latin proverbs]]
* [[Polish proverbs]]
* [[Portuguese proverbs]]
* [[Spanish proverbs]]