Just as distance tests a horse’s strength, time can reveal a person’s heart. - This proverb tells us that time tries all. So do not give a subjective assertion on anything blindly. Just let your cognition grow as time goes on.
One meal won’t make a fat man. - It means that you can’t build up the constitution on one mouthful. Nobody could get instant benefits, and success comes from the regular accumulation.
It takes more than one cold day for the river to freeze three feet deep. - There is a proverb in English which is universally known: “Rome was not built in a day.” The meaning of these two proverbs is exactly the same. So keep on working hard and be stick to it. Long-term efforts can contribute to achievement.
Clothing is cherishable when new, but relationship when old. - It tells us that we should cherish those people around us. So please be aware that how important the old friends are and if it is possible, try to reconnect with them.
It is easy to you to adapt it if your living condition ascends from economical to luxurious; conversely, that becomes hard. - Life contains many ups and downs, no one can go smoothly. So we should keep a gentle attitude to life. No matter in what kind of living condition, developing a good habit of thrift is necessary. Only in this way can you respond to changes in life calmly.
If you work hard enough at it, you can grind even an iron rod down to a needle. - It means that constant dropping will wear away a stone. So be patient with any issue, and persistent efforts can solve any problem.
Do not choose the one you don’t trust and trust the one you chose. - If you are suspicious of somebody, do not employ them or make friends with them, for the doubt between you will lead more troubles. But if you have chosen them as working partners or friends, please give them your basic respect and trust, thus you can establish favorable and harmonious interpersonal relationship.
Never judge a person by his appearance. - It presents the same meaning as “never judge a book by its cover”.
Aged ginger is more pungent. - It means that the older, the wiser. So you’d better not close your ears to the elders, or you may be suffer losses.
What you hear about may be false; what you see is true. - This proverb tells us that we’d better not believe rumors easily. It’s more reliable if we could verify it by ourselves.
These ten Chinese proverbs about life just show us a restricted view of the wisdom of Chinese people. By learning these Chinese old sayings, I believe that you could get resonance. Because these proverbs present not only Chinese culture and view of value, but also life philosophy which could make sense in the whole world. I hope that we could communicate not only by Chinese language, but also interlinked culture.