大器晚成 Late Bloomers

“大器晚成dà qì wǎn chéng”出自chūzì《道德经Dàodéjīng》，意思yìsi是shì真正zhēnzhèng的de大才dàcái往往wǎngwǎng需要xūyào漫长màncháng的de岁月suìyuè才cái能néng成熟chéngshú。

The phrase 'great talent matures late' comes from the Tao Te Ching, meaning that true greatness often needs long years to ripen.

在zài这个zhège崇尚chóngshàng少年得志shàonián dézhì的de时代shídài，这zhè四sì个gè字zì仿佛fǎngfú是shì一剂yí jì良药liángyào。

In an era that worships early success, these four characters feel like a dose of good medicine.

画家huàjiā齐白石Qí Báishí五十七wǔshíqī岁suì才cái定居dìngjū北京Běijīng，年近nián jìn六十liùshí还hái在zài改变gǎibiàn画风huàfēng，最终zuìzhōng成为chéngwéi一代宗师yí dài zōngshī。

The painter Qi Baishi did not settle in Beijing until he was fifty-seven, was still reinventing his style at nearly sixty, and ultimately became the master of his generation.

他tā并非bìngfēi天赋异禀tiānfù yìbǐng，而是érshì几十年如一日jǐshí nián rú yí rì地de磨炼móliàn笔墨bǐmò，把bǎ寂寞jìmò熬成áochéng了le功力gōnglì。

He was by no means exceptionally gifted; rather, he honed his brushwork day after day for decades, slowly simmering loneliness into mastery.

反观fǎnguān今天jīntiān，许多xǔduō年轻人niánqīngrén一旦yídàn三十sānshí岁suì还hái没有méiyǒu“成功chénggōng”，就jiù断定duàndìng自己zìjǐ这辈子zhè bèizi一事无成yí shì wú chéng。

Look at today, by contrast: many young people, if they have not 'succeeded' by thirty, conclude that they will never amount to anything.

其实qíshí，人生rénshēng并非bìngfēi短跑duǎnpǎo，而是érshì一场yì chǎng漫长màncháng的de马拉松mǎlāsōng，起跑qǐpǎo慢màn的de人rén未必wèibì输shū在zài终点zhōngdiǎn。

In truth, life is not a sprint but a long marathon, and a slow starter does not necessarily lose at the finish line.

社会shèhuì的de时钟shízhōng固然gùrán滴答作响dīdā zuò xiǎng，但dàn每个人měi gè rén都dōu有yǒu自己zìjǐ的de时区shíqū。

Society's clock is ticking, admittedly, but each of us lives in a time zone of our own.

有的yǒude花huā春天chūntiān开放kāifàng，有的yǒude花huā却què要yào等到děngdào深秋shēnqiū才cái肆意sìyì绽放zhànfàng。

Some flowers bloom in spring, while others wait until late autumn before bursting into full flower.

与其yǔqí为wèi年龄niánlíng焦虑jiāolǜ，不如bùrú默默mòmò深耕shēngēng；大器dàqì之所以zhī suǒyǐ晚成wǎn chéng，正是zhèngshì因为yīnwèi它tā足够zúgòu大dà。

Rather than agonize over your age, quietly keep cultivating your craft; a great vessel is finished late precisely because it is so great.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

大器晚成dà qì wǎn chénggreat talent matures late

崇尚chóngshàngto esteem; to advocate

磨炼móliànto hone; to temper

一事无成yí shì wú chéngto achieve nothing

焦虑jiāolǜanxiety; anxious

绽放zhànfàngto bloom

Grammar note 语法点

与其A，不如B

'Rather than A, it is better to B' — weighs two options and prefers the second. 与其为年龄焦虑，不如默默深耕。

与其抱怨，不如行动。— Rather than complain, it is better to act.

并非……，而是……

'is by no means A, but rather B' — 并非 is the formal, literary version of 不是, often correcting an assumption.

他并非天赋异禀，而是几十年如一日地磨炼。— He was by no means born gifted; rather, he trained relentlessly for decades.

Check yourself 小测验

1. At what age did Qi Baishi finally settle in Beijing?

2. According to the closing line, why is a great vessel finished late?

3. What does the author say life really is?

大器晚成Dà qì wǎn chéngLate Bloomers

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

More HSK 6 reading practice