魚趁生，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)
      • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hî-thàn-chhiⁿ, lâng-thàn-chíⁿ
      • Tâi-lô: hî-thàn-tshinn, lâng-thàn-tsínn
      • IPA (Xiamen): /hi²⁴⁻²² tʰan²¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰĩ⁴⁴ laŋ²⁴⁻²² tʰan²¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕĩ⁵³/
      • IPA (Quanzhou): /hi²⁴⁻²² tʰan⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ t͡ɕʰĩ³³ laŋ²⁴⁻²² tʰan⁴¹⁻⁵⁵⁴ t͡ɕĩ⁵⁵⁴/
      • IPA (Zhangzhou): /hi¹³⁻²² tʰan²¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰĩ⁴⁴ laŋ¹³⁻²² tʰan²¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕĩ⁵³/
      • IPA (Taipei): /hi²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰan¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰĩ⁴⁴ laŋ²⁴⁻¹¹ tʰan¹¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕĩ⁵³/
      • IPA (Kaohsiung): /hi²³⁻³³ tʰan²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡ɕʰĩ⁴⁴ laŋ²³⁻³³ tʰan²¹⁻⁴¹ t͡ɕĩ⁴¹/

Idiom

魚趁生，人趁茈

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

See also
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