Sān nián bù fēi, fēi jiāng chōng tiān; sān nián bù míng, míng jiāng jīngrén.

三年不飛, 飛將沖天; 三年不鳴, 鳴將驚人。

Lit [If] birds have not flown for three years, [they] will soar into the clouds; [if they] have not sung for three years, their songs will take everyone by surprise.

Note [This rhyme is usually said of an author, artist, or scholar who comes out with a work after a long silence.]

Topics ARTISTS AUTHORS rhyme SCHOLARS SILENCE SURPRISE TIME