一樣米養百樣人

One kind of rice provides for one hundred kinds of people.

ㄧ ㄧㄤˋ ㄇㄧˇ ㄧㄤˇ ㄅㄞˇ ㄧㄤˋ ㄖㄣˊ

jat¹ joeng⁶ mai⁵ joeng⁵ baak³ joeng⁶ jan⁴

yī yàng mǐ yǎng bǎi yàng rén [Phonetic:yíyàngmǐyángbǎiyàngrén]

ㄧ ㄧㄤˋ ㄇㄧˇ ㄧㄤˇ ㄅㄞˇ ㄧㄤˋ ㄖㄣˊ

и ян ми ян бай ян жэнь

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ jɑŋ⁵¹ mi²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɑŋ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ paɪ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ jɑŋ⁵¹ ʐən³⁵/

jat⁷ joeng⁶ mai⁵ joeng⁵ baak⁸ joeng⁶ jan⁴

/jɐt̚⁵ jœːŋ²² mɐi̯¹³ jœːŋ¹³ paːk̚³ jœːŋ²² jɐn²¹/

/(j)it̚² (j)i̯oŋ⁵⁵ mi³¹ (j)i̯oŋ²⁴ pak̚² (j)i̯oŋ⁵⁵ ŋin¹¹/

Everybody thinks and acts a little differently even when we are in the same environment


心想事成

ㄒㄧㄣ ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄕˋ ㄔㄥˊ

ㄒㄧㄣ ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄕˋ ㄔㄥˊ

синьсяншичэн

/ɕin⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵/

/sɐm⁵⁵ sœːŋ³⁵ siː²² sɪŋ²¹/

/ɕim⁴⁴⁻³⁵ ɕiɔŋ³¹ sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sən¹¹/

/ɕin⁵⁵ ɕi̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ³⁵/

/sɐm⁵⁵ sœːŋ³⁵ siː²² sɪŋ²¹/

/ɕim⁴⁴⁻³⁵ ɕiɔŋ³¹ sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sən¹¹/

may your dreams come true, wish you the best!; to have one's wishes come true


兒孫自有兒孫福

ㄦˊ ㄙㄨㄣ ㄗˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄦˊ ㄙㄨㄣ ㄈㄨˊ

ㄦˊ ㄙㄨㄣ ㄗˋ ㄧㄡˇ ㄦˊ ㄙㄨㄣ ㄈㄨˊ

эрсунь цзы ю эрсунь фу

/ˀɤɻ³⁵ su̯ən⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵¹ joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ˀɤɻ³⁵ su̯ən⁵⁵ fu³⁵/

/jiː²¹ syːn⁵⁵ t͡siː²² jɐu̯¹³ jiː²¹ syːn⁵⁵ fʊk̚⁵/

/i¹¹ sun²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sʰɨ⁵⁵ i̯u²⁴ i¹¹ sun²⁴ fuk̚²/

/(j)i¹¹ sun²⁴⁻¹¹ t͡sʰɨ⁵⁵ (j)i̯u²⁴ (j)i¹¹ sun²⁴ fuk̚²/

érsūn zì yǒu érsūn fú, mò wèi érsūn zuò mǎniú

兒孫自有兒孫福，莫為兒孫做馬牛

儿孙自有儿孙福，莫为儿孙做马牛

descendants will have their own fortune and happiness so parents should not worry for and toil for them


皇天不負苦心人

ㄏㄨㄤˊ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄅㄨˋ ㄈㄨˋ ㄎㄨˇ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄖㄣˊ

huángtiān bù fù kǔxīn rén [Phonetic:huángtiān bú fù kǔxīn rén]

ㄏㄨㄤˊ ㄊㄧㄢ ㄅㄨˋ ㄈㄨˋ ㄎㄨˇ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄖㄣˊ

хуантянь бу фу кусинь жэнь

/xu̯ɑŋ³⁵ tʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ fu⁵¹ kʰu²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕin⁵⁵ ʐən³⁵/

/wɔːŋ²¹ tʰiːn⁵⁵ pɐt̚⁵ fuː²² fuː³⁵ sɐm⁵⁵ jɐn²¹/

/foŋ¹¹ tʰi̯en²⁴ put̚² fu⁵⁵ kʰu³¹ sim²⁴ ŋin¹¹/

/hɔŋ²³⁻³³ tʰiɛn⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ hu³³⁻²¹ kʰɔ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ sim⁴⁴⁻³³ zin²³/

/hɔŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰiɛn⁴⁴ put̚³²⁻⁴ hu³³⁻¹¹ kʰɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sim⁴⁴⁻³³ lin²⁴/

Heaven helps those who help themselves
heaven helps those who help themselves

Heaven helps those who help themselves; Providence doesn't let down a man who does his best.


萬事起頭難

ㄨㄢˋ ㄕˋ ㄑㄧˇ ㄊㄡˊ ㄋㄢˊ

ㄨㄢˋ ㄕˋ ㄑㄧˇ ㄊㄡˊ ㄋㄢˊ

ваньши цитоу нань

/wän⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂʐ̩⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi²¹⁴⁻²¹ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ nän³⁵/

/maːn²² siː²² hei̯³⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ naːn²¹/

/ʋan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ hi³¹ tʰeu¹¹ nan¹¹/

/ban³³⁻²¹ su³³ kʰi⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ tʰau²³⁻³³ lan²³/

/ban³³⁻¹¹ su³³ kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰau²⁴⁻¹¹ lan²⁴/

/ban²²⁻²¹ su²² kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰau²⁴⁻²² lan²⁴/

/ban²²⁻²¹ su²² kʰi⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tʰau¹³⁻²² lan¹³/

/ban⁴¹⁻²² sɯ⁴¹ kʰi⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tʰau²⁴⁻²² lan²⁴/

/maːn²² siː²² hei̯³⁵ tʰɐu̯²¹ naːn²¹/

/ʋan⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ hi³¹ tʰeu¹¹ nan¹¹/

getting started is always the hardest part


人比人，氣死人

жэнь би жэнь

žɛnʹ bi žɛnʹ

/ʐən³⁵ pi²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹ sz̩²¹⁴⁻²¹ ʐən³⁵/

/ŋin¹¹ pi³¹ ŋin¹¹ hi⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sz̩³¹ ŋin¹¹/

/ŋin¹¹ pi³¹ ŋin¹¹ hi⁵³⁻⁵⁵ sz̩³¹ ŋin¹¹/

comparison is the thief of joy
comparison is the thief of joy

If you compare your lot to others, you will only torture yourself; comparison is the thief of joy.


上樑不正下樑歪

上梁不正下梁歪
上梁不正下梁歪

If the top beam is not straight, the lower beams will be crooked

ㄕㄤˋ ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄥˋ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄨㄞ

soeng⁶ loeng⁴ bat¹ zing³ haa⁶ loeng⁴ waai¹

shàngliáng bùzhèng xiàliáng wāi [Phonetic:shàngliáng búzhèng xiàliáng wāi]

ㄕㄤˋ ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄅㄨˋ ㄓㄥˋ ㄒㄧㄚˋ ㄌㄧㄤˊ ㄨㄞ

shang⁴-liang² pu⁴-chêng⁴ hsia⁴-liang² wai¹

шанлян бучжэн сялян вай

/ʂɑŋ⁵¹ li̯ɑŋ³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ ʈ͡ʂɤŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ɕi̯ä⁵¹ li̯ɑŋ³⁵ waɪ̯⁵⁵/

soeng⁶ loeng⁴ bat⁷ dzing³ haa⁶ loeng⁴ waai¹

/sœːŋ²² lœːŋ²¹ pɐt̚⁵ t͡sɪŋ³³ haː²² lœːŋ²¹ waːi̯⁵⁵/

/soŋ⁵⁵ li̯oŋ¹¹ put̚² t͡sɨn⁵⁵ ha²⁴ li̯oŋ¹¹ vai̯²⁴/

/sɔŋ⁵³⁻⁵⁵ liɔŋ¹¹ put̚¹ t͡saŋ⁵³ ha⁴⁴⁻³⁵ liɔŋ¹¹ ʋaɪ⁴⁴/

[Phonetic: shàngliáng búzhèng xiàliáng wāi]

(figurative) if leadership sets a bad example, their subordinates will follow suit


懶人多屎尿

/laːn¹³ jɐn²¹ tɔː⁵⁵ siː³⁵ niːu̯²²/

/lan²⁴ ŋin¹¹ to²⁴ sɨ³¹ ŋi̯au̯⁵⁵/

/lan⁴⁴⁻³⁵ ŋin¹¹ to⁴⁴⁻³⁵ sz̩³¹ ŋiau⁵³/

/laːn¹³ jɐn²¹ tɔː⁵⁵ siː³⁵ niːu̯²²/

/lan²⁴ ŋin¹¹ to²⁴ sɨ³¹ ŋi̯au̯⁵⁵/

/lan⁴⁴⁻³⁵ ŋin¹¹ to⁴⁴⁻³⁵ sz̩³¹ ŋiau⁵³/

Someone who is slacking off may use "going to the bathroom" as an excuse for not working.

2008, 李雪熒、彭文, 態度決定孩子, Sing Tao Publishing, →ISBN, page 10:

"You're really troublesome! Laan⁵ jan⁴ do¹ si² niu⁶!"

“nei⁵ zan¹ maa⁴ faan⁴! laan⁵ jan⁴ do¹ si² niu⁶!”

「你真麻煩！懶人多屎尿！」

「你真麻烦！懒人多屎尿！」

(Cantonese, Hakka) used to refer to a lazy person or someone who makes a lot of excuses


寧賣祖宗田，不忘祖宗言

rather sell the farmland of your ancestors, than forget their language

ㄋㄧㄥˋ ㄇㄞˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄊㄧㄢˊ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄤˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄧㄢˊ

ning⁴ maai⁶ zou² zung¹ tin⁴, bat¹ mong⁴ zou² zung¹ jin⁴

bùwàng zǔzōng yán [Phonetic:nìng mài zǔzōng tián

ㄋㄧㄥˋ ㄇㄞˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄊㄧㄢˊ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄨㄤˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄧㄢˊ

нин май цзуцзун тянь

буван цзуцзун янь

/niŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ maɪ̯⁵¹ t͡su²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ wɑŋ⁵¹ t͡su²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ jɛn³⁵/

nìhng maaih jóu jūng tìhn, bāt mòhng jóu jūng yìhn

ning⁴ maai⁶ dzou² dzung¹ tin⁴, bat⁷ mong⁴ dzou² dzung¹ jin⁴

ning⁴ mai⁶ zou² zung¹ tin⁴, bed¹ mong⁴ zou² zung¹ yin⁴

/nɪŋ²¹ maːi̯²² t͡sou̯³⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ tʰiːn²¹ pɐt̚⁵ mɔːŋ²¹ t͡sou̯³⁵ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ jiːn²¹/

nen² mai⁴ zu³ zung¹ tian², bud⁵ mong⁴ zu³ zung¹ ngian²

/nen¹¹ mai̯⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ tʰi̯en¹¹ put̚² moŋ⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ ŋi̯en¹¹/

/nen¹¹ mai̯⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ tʰi̯en¹¹ put̚² moŋ⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ ŋi̯an¹¹/

do not forget the Hakka language and one's roots


日時毋好講人，暗時毋好講鬼

head

日時毋好講人，暗時毋好講鬼

日时毋好讲人，暗时毋好讲鬼

[in the] day, don't speak ill of people, [and in the] night, don't speak ill of ghosts

ngid⁵ si² m² ho³ gong³ ngin², am⁴ si² m² ho³ gong³ gui³

/ŋit̚² sɨ¹¹ m¹¹ ho³¹ koŋ³¹ ŋin¹¹ am⁵⁵ sɨ¹¹ m¹¹ ho³¹ koŋ³¹ gu̯i³¹/

a closed mouth catches no flies
a closed mouth catches no flies


年到二十七，過年差三日

ngian² do⁴ ngi⁴ sib⁶ qid⁵, go⁴ ngian² ca¹ sam¹ ngid⁵

/ŋi̯en¹¹ to⁵⁵ ŋi⁵⁵ sɨp̚⁵ t͡sʰit̚² ko⁵⁵ ŋi̯en¹¹ t͡sʰa²⁴⁻¹¹ sam²⁴ ŋit̚²/

/ŋi̯an¹¹ to⁵⁵ ŋi⁵⁵ sɨp̚⁵ t͡sʰit̚² ko⁵⁵ ŋi̯an¹¹ t͡sʰa²⁴⁻¹¹ sam²⁴ ŋit̚²/

(Hakka) Waiting for Chinese New Year, everyone is eager.


十七十八無醜女

/sɨp̚⁵ t͡sʰit̚² sɨp̚⁵ pat̚² mo¹¹ t͡sʰu³¹ ŋ̍³¹/

(Hakka) young women are always attractive


寧賣祖宗田，不賣祖宗言

rather sell the farmland of your ancestors, than sell (forget) their language

ㄋㄧㄥˋ ㄇㄞˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄊㄧㄢˊ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄞˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄧㄢˊ

bù mài zǔzōng yán [Phonetic:nìng mài zǔzōng tián

ㄋㄧㄥˋ ㄇㄞˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄊㄧㄢˊ

ㄅㄨˋ ㄇㄞˋ ㄗㄨˇ ㄗㄨㄥ ㄧㄢˊ

нин май цзуцзун тянь

бу май цзуцзун янь

/niŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ maɪ̯⁵¹ t͡su²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ tʰi̯ɛn³⁵ pu⁵¹⁻³⁵ maɪ̯⁵¹ t͡su²¹⁴⁻²¹ t͡sʊŋ⁵⁵ jɛn³⁵/

nen² mai⁴ zu³ zung¹ tian², bud⁵ mai⁴ zu³ zung¹ ngian²

/nen¹¹ mai̯⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ tʰi̯en¹¹ put̚² mai̯⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ ŋi̯en¹¹/

/nen¹¹ mai̯⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ tʰi̯en¹¹ put̚² mai̯⁵⁵ t͡su³¹ t͡suŋ²⁴ ŋi̯an¹¹/

2014, 吴忠伟 (Wu Zhongwei), 《印尼棉兰美达村客家话调查记略》, in 《汉语方言在海外的播迁与变异：第四届海外汉语方言国际研讨会论文集》, →ISBN, page 203

Kèjiārén xiànglái yǒu “nìng mài zǔzōng tián, bù mài zǔzōng yán”, “nìng màishēn, bù mài yán” de zūnzhòng chuántǒng, kèshǒu gǔxùn de guānniàn, hǎiwài de kèjiārén yì rúcǐ.

客家人向來有「寧賣祖宗田，不賣祖宗言」、「寧賣身，不賣言」的尊重傳統、恪守古訓的觀念，海外的客家人亦如此。

客家人向来有「宁卖祖宗田，不卖祖宗言」、「宁卖身，不卖言」的尊重传统、恪守古训的观念，海外的客家人亦如此。


冬至羊，夏至狗

/tʊŋ⁴⁴⁻³⁵ t͡sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ iɔŋ¹¹ ha⁵³⁻⁵⁵ t͡sz̩⁵³⁻⁵⁵ keu³¹/

(Hakka) eat mutton on winter solstice and dog meat on summer solstice


靠山山會倒，靠水水會燥，靠人人會老

靠山山會倒，靠水水會燥，靠人人會老

靠山山会倒，靠水水会燥，靠人人会老

When one relies on the mountain, the mountain may fall. When one relies on water, water may dry up. When one relies on other people, they may get old.

kho sân sân voi tó, kho súi súi voi châu, kho ngìn ngìn voi ló

ko⁴ san¹ san¹ voi⁴ do³, ko⁴ sui³ sui³ voi⁴ zau¹, ko⁴ ngin² ngin² voi⁴ lo³

/kʰo⁵⁵ san²⁴⁻¹¹ san²⁴⁻¹¹ voi̯⁵⁵ to³¹ kʰo⁵⁵ su̯i³¹ su̯i³¹ voi̯⁵⁵ t͡sau̯²⁴ kʰo⁵⁵ ŋin¹¹ ŋin¹¹ voi̯⁵⁵ lo³¹/

(Hakka) Relying on yourself is better than relying on others because people may not help you forever.

en-靠山山會倒，靠水水會燥，靠人人會老-zh-proverb-f7WdX-sx


人同人好，鬼同鬼好

humans befriend similar humans, ghosts befriend similar ghosts

ngin^ˇ tung^ˇ ngin^ˇ ho^ˋ, gui^ˋ tung^ˇ gui^ˋ ho^ˋ

ngin² tung² ngin² ho³, gui³ tung² gui³ ho³

/ŋin¹¹ tʰuŋ¹¹ ŋin¹¹ ho³¹ ku̯i³¹ tʰuŋ¹¹ ku̯i³¹ ho³¹/

birds of a feather flock together
birds of a feather flock together

(Hakka) birds of a feather flock together