Basic Info
Chinese Idiom: 千里之行，始于足下
Pinyin: qiān lǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià
Literal meaning: “A journey of a thousand li begins beneath one’s feet.”
(千里 = a thousand li / a very long distance; 之 = of; 行 = journey / travel; 始 = begins; 于 = at / from; 足下 = beneath the feet / the first step)
Figurative Definition
It means that every great undertaking, however ambitious, must start with a single, concrete first step. No matter how distant or daunting the goal, progress begins with the small, ordinary action you can take right now. It encourages practical action over grand intentions – do not wait for perfect conditions or feel overwhelmed by the scale of the task; simply begin.
Cultural & Historical Origin
This idiom comes from the Dao De Jing (《道德经》), Chapter 64, by Laozi (老子).
The original passage says:
合抱之木，生于毫末；九层之台，起于累土；千里之行，始于足下。
A tree so large that it takes both arms to embrace it grows from a tiny sprout. A nine‑story tower rises from a heap of earth. A journey of a thousand li begins beneath one’s feet.
Laozi was illustrating a core Daoist principle: great things emerge from small beginnings. Nothing vast appears overnight; everything grows through gradual accumulation. The final line – “a journey of a thousand li begins beneath one’s feet” – became the best‑known part of the passage and evolved into the idiom.
Key Lesson
Start where you are, with what you have. Grand plans mean nothing without the first step. The idiom cures both procrastination and intimidation: you do not need to see the whole road – you only need to take the next step. Small, consistent actions, repeated over time, are what carry you across a thousand miles.
Cultural Note
In modern Chinese, “千里之行，始于足下” is widely used in education, career advice, entrepreneurship, and personal development. It is often quoted to encourage students beginning a long course of study, employees starting a new project, or anyone facing a daunting goal. It pairs naturally with another famous Laozi line: “九层之台，起于累土” (a nine‑story tower rises from a heap of earth).
It is the practical counterpart to its warning‑style cousin “千里之堤，溃于蚁穴” (a thousand‑mile dike collapses from an ant hole): one says small steps build great things, the other says small flaws destroy them. Together they show the Chinese appreciation for the power of small things.
Similar English Expressions
- A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – The direct, widely known English rendering of this very idiom.
- Rome wasn’t built in a day. – Great achievements take time and gradual effort.
- Every long journey starts with one step. – A common English saying.
- Start small. – Direct advice to begin with modest action.
- The first step is the hardest. – Beginning is the main obstacle.
- One step at a time. – Progress gradually, without rushing.
- From little acorns, mighty oaks grow. – Great things come from small beginnings.
- Just do it. – A modern, blunt push to take action.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” – this idiom is so famous that it is already widely quoted in English.
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