不积跬步，无以至千里 — "Without small steps, no thousand-mile journey is ever made." | Chinese Proverb Explained
From Xunzi · 荀子: "Without small steps, no thousand-mile journey is ever made."
What it means
"Without small steps, no thousand-mile journey is ever made." This timeless Chinese saying has guided readers for over two millennia.
Where it comes from
Xunzi · 荀子. The original text is classical Chinese; this is a faithful modern English rendering.
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Character by character
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 不 | bù | no, not; un-; negative prefix | 4 |
| 积 | jī | accumulate, store up, amass | 10 |
| 跬 | kuǐ | to step; a stride equal to half a pace | 13 |
| 步 | bù | step, pace; walk, stroll | 7 |
| 无 | wú | negative, no, not; Kangxi radical 71 | 4 |
| 以 | yǐ | by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to | 4 |
| 至 | zhì | reach, arrive; extremely, very; Kangxi radical 133 | 6 |
| 千 | qiān | thousand; many, numerous; very; (Cant.) a cheater, swindler | 3 |
| 里 | lǐ | unit of distance; village; lane; Kangxi radical 166 | 7 |
Character data: Unihan (Unicode).
Reading it in context
This line comes from Xunzi · 荀子. Classical Chinese is compact: each character carries meaning, and the sense of the sentence depends on how they are read together. The usual translation is: “Without small steps, no thousand-mile journey is ever made.”. Because the grammar is compressed, translations differ — which is also why a literal character-by-character reading can go wrong.
Using this saying
At 9 characters, this is a full sentence rather than a slogan — from Xunzi · 荀子. It suits a larger canvas (a framed piece, a back or rib placement) where the whole line can be read in one glance. Compressing it into a small area tends to break it into fragments that lose the sense. Keep the whole line together: a fragment can change the meaning, and the source is part of the value. If you adapt it for a design or inscription, have the exact wording checked by a native reader.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean?
Without small steps, no thousand-mile journey is ever made.
Where does it come from?
It is recorded in Xunzi · 荀子.
Can I use just part of the line?
It is safer to use the whole phrase. Classical lines are often quoted in full because the meaning depends on the whole construction.
Is the translation exact?
No short translation is exact. Classical Chinese compresses grammar, so translations vary — check with a native reader if the wording matters.
Why we can say that: how we verify our characters