ProverbHuman NatureChinese origin

One kind word can warm three winter months

Meaning: A single act of kindness has an impact far greater and longer-lasting than the moment it was given.

Origin: Often labeled Japanese, but it comes from a Chinese couplet in the Zengguang Xianwen, a collection of maxims long used to teach children: liáng yán yī jù sān dōng nuǎn — one kind word warms three winters — while a cruel word can chill even the heat of the sixth month.

Equivalents in German

  • German: Ein gutes Wort findet einen guten Ort (literally: A good word finds a good place)

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