树高千丈，叶落归根 shù gāo qiān zhàng ， yè luò guī gēn

no matter how far you go, you return home

Word data

HSK Not in HSK
Frequency Unknown

Definitions

  1. 1. fig. a tree may grow a thousand zhang high, but its leaves return to their roots (proverb)
  2. 2. in old age, an expatriate returns home
  3. 3. fig. everything has its ancestral home

Characters

Character Meaning
树 shù HSK 3
tree; to set up; to cultivate
高 gāo HSK 1
high; tall; above average
千 qiān HSK 2
thousand; see 秋千qiū qiān
丈 zhàng HSK 2
husband; measure of length, ten Chinese feet (3.3 m)
叶 yè HSK 4
leaf; surname Ye; page
落 luò HSK 4
to fall or drop; to lower; to lag or fall behind
归 guī HSK 5
to return; to go back to; to belong to
根 gēn HSK 3
root; basis