Building

BY | 08-10-2017

安得广厦千万间,大庇天下寒士俱欢颜
How I wish there were tens of millions of spacious mansions, to protect all the poor scholars of the world.
The phrase comes from a poem of Du Fu, a prominent Chinese poet of the Tang Dynasty. The phrase shows Du’s sympathy for scholars. 

 

屋漏偏逢连夜雨 ,船迟又遇打头风
A leaking room met with a continuous rain and a weather-beaten ship sailed against the contrary wind.
This saying is commonly used to indicate that when a misfortune happens, others of a similar kind will inevitably follow.

 

屋漏在上,知之在下
When the roof of a house leaks, those who perceive it are below.
The saying is usually used to mean that the mistakes of one’s superior are often easily sensed by his subordinates.

 

良匠不能斫金,巧冶不能铄木
A fine carpenter cannot carve metal, and a skillful blacksmith cannot smith wood.
This saying indicates that people are unlikely to be skilled outside of their area of expertise.

 

万丈高楼平地起
A high building, a low foundation.
This phrase is used to mean that immense things can come from small sources.

 

大厦将倾,一木难扶
It is impossible for a log to support a building that is on the verge of collapse.
This proverb is used to mean that even a very talented person cannot fix a big problem alone.

 

身安茅屋隐,性定菜根香
With a healthy body a thatched cottage is comfortable; with a settled disposition even cabbage roots are fragrant.
This proverb stresses the importance of having a kind heart and settled disposition.