良禽擇木而棲

See also: 良禽择木而栖

Chinese
good; very; very much birds; fowl to choose one's own master
 
and; as well as; but (not)
and; as well as; but (not); yet (not); (shows causal relation); (shows change of state); (shows contrast)
 
to roost; to inhabit; to stay
to roost; to inhabit; to stay; habitat
trad. (良禽擇木而棲) 良 禽 擇木 而 棲
simp. (良禽择木而栖) 良 禽 择木 而 栖

Etymology
良禽擇木而棲，賢臣擇主而事。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
良禽择木而栖，贤臣择主而事。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
From: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, circa 14th century CE
Liángqín zémù ér qī, xiánchén zé zhǔ ér shì. [Pinyin]
A good bird chooses (for himself) the tree upon which to perch, the talented subject chooses (for himself) the lord that he shall serve.

Pronunciation

  • Mandarin
    (Pinyin): liángqín zé mù ér qī
    (Zhuyin): ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄗㄜˊ ㄇㄨˋ ㄦˊ ㄑㄧ
  • Mandarin
    • (Standard Chinese)+
      • Hanyu Pinyin: liángqín zé mù ér qī
      • Zhuyin: ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄗㄜˊ ㄇㄨˋ ㄦˊ ㄑㄧ
      • Tongyong Pinyin: liángcín zé mù ér ci
      • Wade–Giles: liang2-chʻin2 tsê2 mu4 êrh2 chʻi1
      • Yale: lyáng-chín dzé mù ér chī
      • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: liangchyn tzer muh erl chi
      • Palladius: лянцинь цзэ му эр ци (ljancinʹ czɛ mu er ci)
      • Sinological IPA (key): /li̯ɑŋ³⁵ t͡ɕʰin³⁵⁻⁵⁵ t͡sɤ³⁵⁻⁵⁵ mu⁵¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵⁵/

Proverb

良禽擇木而棲

  1. A talented person is free to choose his own boss.

Synonyms
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