In China, as Ms. Trump’s tweet made the rounds, many people were baffled, with some calling it a “fake proverb.” But criticism was more muted, with many people appearing more interested in helpfully trying to guess which actual Chinese idiom she might have intended to use.

On popular social media sites like Weibo, tens of thousands of people discussed genuine Chinese sayings that might convey something similar to Ms. Trump’s post.

Some suggested classic idioms like “A true gentleman should keep silent while watching a chess game.” Others pointed to more informal phrases that are popular in China, such as “If you can do it, do it; if you can’t, shut up.”

Ms. Trump, as first daughter and a senior adviser to her father, has frequently emphasized her connection to China and Chinese culture. She hired a Chinese-speaking nanny to tutor her daughter, Arabella. She has cultivated a loyal following among young Chinese women, many of whom admire her success in starting a fashion brand and see her as a symbol of elegance.

It’s not the first time Ms. Trump has incorrectly described a quotation as Chinese. In 2013, for example, she posted on Twitter, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” attributing the phrase to Confucius. But experts said the saying was not Chinese.