魚趁生，人趁茈

See also: 鱼趁生，人趁茈

Chinese

		fish	avail oneself of; take advantage of	to be born; to give birth; life to be born; to give birth; life; to grow; student; raw		man; person; people	avail oneself of; take advantage of	Lithospermum officinale; water chestnut
trad. (魚趁生，人趁茈)		魚	趁	生	，	人	趁	茈
simp. (鱼趁生，人趁茈)		鱼	趁	生	，	人	趁	茈

Etymology

Literally, "fish (should be eaten) while fresh, people (should endeavour) while young".

Pronunciation

• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): hî-thàn-chhiⁿ, lâng-thàn-chíⁿ

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• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hî-thàn-chhiⁿ, lâng-thàn-chíⁿ
    • Tâi-lô: hî-thàn-tshinn, lâng-thàn-tsínn
    • IPA (Xiamen): /hi²⁴⁻²² tʰan²¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰĩ⁴⁴ laŋ²⁴⁻²² tʰan²¹⁻⁵³ t͡sĩ⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hi²⁴⁻²² tʰan⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ t͡sʰĩ³³ laŋ²⁴⁻²² tʰan⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ t͡sĩ⁵⁵⁴/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /hi¹³⁻²² tʰan²¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰĩ⁴⁴ laŋ¹³⁻²² tʰan²¹⁻⁵³ t͡sĩ⁵³/
    • IPA (Taipei): /hi²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰan¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡sʰĩ⁴⁴ laŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰan¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡sĩ⁵³/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /hi²³⁻³³ tʰan²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡sʰĩ⁴⁴ laŋ²³⁻³³ tʰan²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡sĩ⁴¹/

Idiom

魚趁生，人趁茈

1. (Southern Min) strike while the iron is hot

See also

• (Mandarin) 打鐵趁熱／打铁趁热 (dǎtiěchènrè)