飲水思源

Chinese

		to drink water	to think; to consider	root; source; origin
trad. (飲水思源)		飲水	思	源
simp. (饮水思源)		饮水	思	源
Literally: “drink water, consider the source”.

Etymology

Literally "when you drink water, think of its source", i.e. remember where and how the water came from. Don’t just be thankful for the water: be thankful for all the elements and processes (both past and present) that allowed you to enjoy that humble cup of water.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): yǐnshuǐsīyuán

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄣˇ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄙ ㄩㄢˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jam² seoi² si¹ jyun⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yǐnshuǐsīyuán [Phonetic: yínshuǐsīyuán]
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄣˇ ㄕㄨㄟˇ ㄙ ㄩㄢˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yǐnshuěisihyuán
    • Wade–Giles: yin³-shui³-ssŭ¹-yüan²
    • Yale: yǐn-shwěi-sz̄-ywán
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yiinshoeisyyuan
    • Palladius: иньшуйсыюань (inʹšujsyjuanʹ)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /in²¹⁴⁻³⁵ ʂu̯eɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ sz̩⁵⁵ ɥɛn³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jam² seoi² si¹ jyun⁴
    • Yale: yám séui sī yùhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jam² soey² si¹ jyn⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: yem² sêu² xi¹ yun⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jɐm³⁵ sɵy̯³⁵ siː⁵⁵ jyːn²¹/

Idiom

(deprecated template usage) 飲水思源

1. to remember where one's happiness comes from; to not forget one's roots or heritage

Descendants

• → Vietnamese: uống nước nhớ nguồn (calque)

(deprecated template usage)