吉祥止止
吉祥止止 (jí xiáng zhǐ zhǐ) literally means “good fortune comes and stays” and expresses “blessings settle where the mind is calm”. This idiom is used when describing situations involving wisdom and learning.
Also searched as: ji xiang zhi zhi, ji xiang zhi zhi,吉祥止止 meaning, 吉祥止止 in english
Blessings settle where the mind is calm
Pronunciation: jí xiáng zhǐ zhǐ Literal meaning: Good fortune comes and stays
Origin & Usage
From Zhuangzi (《庄子·人间世》), in the passage on the 'fasting of the heart' (心斋). Confucius, as Zhuangzi imagines him, tells his disciple Yan Hui: 'look at that empty room — the empty chamber fills with light, and good fortune comes to rest there' (瞻彼阕者，虚室生白，吉祥止止). The first 止 means to stop and stay; the second is usually read as a particle. The point is that blessings settle in a mind that is still and empty, not one that races around chasing them. It is a literary blessing, mostly seen in calligraphy rather than spoken greetings, and its 祥 contains the sheep radical — in the Han dynasty 吉祥 was often written 吉羊.
Examples
English: "He hung a scroll reading "good fortune comes and stays" above his desk."
Chinese: 书房里挂着一幅“吉祥止止”的字，寓意福气常驻。
Related Chinese Idioms
Similar idioms about wisdom & learning
吉祥如意
jí xiáng rú yì
Good fortune and fulfilment
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洋洋大观
yáng yáng dà guān
A rich and impressive array
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吉星高照
jí xīng gāo zhào
May good fortune shine on you
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三阳开泰
sān yáng kāi tài
A fortunate new beginning
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喜气洋洋
xǐ qì yáng yáng
Radiating happiness
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美意延年
měi yì yán nián
Cheerfulness brings a long life
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善始善终
shàn shǐ shàn zhōng
See a thing through to a proper finish
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明镜止水
míng jìng zhǐ shuǐ
Clear and calm mind
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 吉祥止止 mean in English?
吉祥止止 (jí xiáng zhǐ zhǐ) literally translates to “Good fortune comes and stays” and is used to express “Blessings settle where the mind is calm”. This Chinese idiom belongs to the Wisdom & Learning category.
When is 吉祥止止 used?
Situation: He hung a scroll reading "good fortune comes and stays" above his desk.
What is the pinyin for 吉祥止止?
The pinyin pronunciation for 吉祥止止 is “jí xiáng zhǐ zhǐ”.
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