薑越老越辣

Chinese

		ginger	to exceed; to climb over; to surpass to exceed; to climb over; to surpass; the more ... the more	old; aged; venerable old; aged; venerable; outdated; experienced; (affectionate prefix)	to exceed; to climb over; to surpass to exceed; to climb over; to surpass; the more ... the more	hot (spicy); pungent
trad. (薑越老越辣)		薑	越	老	越	辣
simp. (姜越老越辣)		姜	越	老	越	辣
Literally: “The older ginger becomes, the spicier it gets.”

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): jiāngyuèlǎoyuèlà

(Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄤㄩㄝˋ ㄌㄠˇ ㄩㄝˋ ㄌㄚˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): goeng¹ jyut⁶ lou⁵ jyut⁶ laat⁶

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: jiāngyuèlǎoyuèlà
  - Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄤㄩㄝˋ ㄌㄠˇ ㄩㄝˋ ㄌㄚˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jiangyuèlǎoyuèlà
  - Wade–Giles: chiang¹-yüeh⁴-lao³-yüeh⁴-la⁴
  - Yale: jyāng-ywè-lǎu-ywè-là
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jiangyuehlaoyuehlah
  - Palladius: цзянъюэлаоюэла (czjanʺjuelaojuela)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ɑŋ⁵⁵ ɥɛ⁵¹ lɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɥɛ⁵¹⁻⁵³ lä⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: goeng¹ jyut⁶ lou⁵ jyut⁶ laat⁶
  - Yale: gēung yuht lóuh yuht laaht
  - Cantonese Pinyin: goeng¹ jyt⁹ lou⁵ jyt⁹ laat⁹
  - Guangdong Romanization: gêng¹ yud⁶ lou⁵ yud⁶ lad⁶
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /kœːŋ⁵⁵ jyːt̚² lou̯¹³ jyːt̚² laːt̚²/

Proverb

薑越老越辣

(chiefly Cantonese) The older the person is, the more seasoned (wiser or more treacherous) they are.

Synonyms

薑還是老的辣／姜还是老的辣 (jiāng háishì lǎo de là)
薑是老的辣／姜是老的辣 (jiāng shì lǎo de là)

Descendants

→ Vietnamese: gừng càng già càng cay (calque)