无心插柳柳成阴
Traditional form:
無心插柳柳成陰
Pinyin (reading):
wúxīnchāliǔliǔchéngyīn
Definitions:
- lit. idly poke a stick in the mud and it grows into a tree to shade you
- (fig.) unintentional actions may bring unexpected success
- also written 無心插柳柳成蔭／无心插柳柳成荫
Characters:
- 无 - no, not; lacking, -less
- 心 - heart; mind; soul
- 插 - to insert, to stick in; to pierce; to plant
- 柳 - willow tree; pleasure; surname
- 柳 - willow tree; pleasure; surname
- 成 - to accomplish; to become; to complete, to finish; to succeed
- 阴 - the female principle; dark, shaded; hidden, implicit, secret
Traditional characters: