# Japanese proverbs

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Linguistic family of idiomatic expressions

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A **Japanese proverb** ([諺](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%AB%BA), ことわざ, *kotowaza*) may take the form of:

- a short [saying](/source/Saying) (言い習わし, *iinarawashi*),

- an [idiomatic](/source/Idiom) phrase (慣用句, *kan'yōku*), or

- a four-character idiom (四字熟語, *[yojijukugo](/source/Yojijukugo)*).

Although "proverb" and "saying" are practically synonymous, the same cannot be said about "idiomatic phrase" and "four-character idiom". Not all *kan'yōku* and *yojijukugo* are proverbial. For instance, the *kan'yōku* *[kitsune no yomeiri](/source/Kitsune_no_yomeiri)* (狐の嫁入り, literally 'a [fox](/source/Fox)'s wedding', meaning "a [sunshower](/source/Sunshower)") and the *yojijukugo* *koharubiyori* (小春日和, literally 'small spring weather', meaning "[Indian summer](/source/Indian_summer)" – warm spring-like weather in early winter) are *not* proverbs. To be considered a proverb, a word or phrase must express a common [truth](/source/Truth) or [wisdom](/source/Wisdom); it cannot be a mere noun.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Origin

Numerous Asian proverbs, including Japanese, appear to be derived from older [Chinese proverbs](/source/Chinese_proverbs), although it often is impossible to be completely sure about the direction of cultural influences (and hence, the origins of a particular proverb or idiomatic phrase).[1]

Because traditional Japanese culture was tied to agriculture, many Japanese proverbs are derived from agricultural customs and practices. Some are from the board game [Go](/source/Go_(board_game)) (e.g., *fuseki o utsu* (布石を打つ)), the [tea ceremony](/source/Japanese_tea_ceremony) (e.g., *[ichi go ichi e](/source/Ichi-go_ichi-e)* (一期一会)), and [Buddhism](/source/Buddhism). Many four-character idioms are from [Chinese philosophy](/source/Chinese_philosophy) written in [Classical Chinese](/source/Classical_Chinese), in particular "The [Analects](/source/Analects)" by Confucius. (*I no naka no kawazu* (井の中の蛙, 'a frog in a well') is Classical Chinese, from the *[Zhuangzi](/source/Zhuangzi_(book))*.)

## Usage

Japanese commonly use proverbs, often citing just the first part of common phrases for brevity. For example, one might say *i no naka no kawazu* (井の中の蛙, 'a frog in a well') to refer to the proverb *i no naka no kawazu, taikai o shirazu* ([井の中の蛙、大海を知らず](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%BA%95%E3%81%AE%E4%B8%AD%E3%81%AE%E8%9B%99%E5%A4%A7%E6%B5%B7%E3%82%92%E7%9F%A5%E3%82%89%E3%81%9A), 'a frog in a well cannot conceive of the ocean'). Whereas proverbs in English are typically multi-worded phrases (e.g. "kill two birds with one stone"), Japanese *yojijukugo* borrow from Chinese and compactly convey the concept in one compound word (e.g., *isseki nichō* (一石二鳥, 'one stone two birds')).

## Examples

### Sayings

- 出る杭は打たれる。 - *Deru kui wa utareru* - Literally: The stake that sticks up gets hammered down. - Meaning: If you stand out, you will be subject to criticism.

- 知らぬが仏。 - *Shiranu ga hotoke* - Literally: Not knowing is Buddha. - Meaning: Ignorance is bliss. / What you don't know can't hurt you.

- 見ぬが花。 - *Minu ga hana* - Literally: Not seeing is a flower. - Meaning: Reality can't compete with imagination.

- 花は桜木人は武士 - *Hana wa sakuragi, hito wa bushi* - Literally: [Of flowers, the cherry blossom; of men, the warrior](/source/Hana_wa_sakuragi%2C_hito_wa_bushi). - Meaning: As the cherry blossom is considered foremost among flowers, so the warrior is foremost among men.

- 井の中の蛙大海を知らず - *I no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu* - Literally: The frog in the well knows nothing of the ocean. - Meaning: People who experience very little have a narrow world view. / He that stays in the valley shall never get over the hill.

- かわいい子には旅をさせよ - *Kawaii ko ni wa tabi wo saseyo* - Literally: Let your darling child travel. - Meaning: If you don't discipline your child, they will not learn obedience. / [Spare the rod and spoil the child](/source/Spare_the_rod_(disambiguation)).

- 案ずるより産むが易しい。 - *Anzuru yori umu ga yasashii* - Literally: Giving birth to a baby is easier than worrying about it. - Meaning: Fear is greater than the danger. / An attempt is sometimes easier than expected.

- 船頭多くして船山に登る - *Sendou ooku shite fune yama ni noboru* - Literally: Too many captains will steer the ship up a mountain. - Meaning: Something may not be successful if too many people work on it at the same time. / [Too many cooks spoil the broth](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/too_many_cooks_spoil_the_broth).

- 蛙の子は蛙 - *Kaeru no ko wa kaeru* - Literally: The child of a frog is frog. - Meaning: A child grows up similar to their parents. / Like father, like son. / The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

- 馬鹿は風邪を引かない - *[Baka wa kaze o hikanai](/source/Baka_wa_kaze_o_hikanai)* - Literally: Idiots don't catch colds. - Meaning: Carefree people are less likely to notice they are sick or to worry about being sick.

### Idiomatic phrases

- [猫に小判](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%8C%AB%E3%81%AB%E5%B0%8F%E5%88%A4) - *Neko ni koban* - Literally: Gold coins to a cat. - Meaning: Casting [pearls before swine](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cast_pearls_before_swine) / Giving something of value to a recipient that does not value it.

- 七転び八起き - *Nanakorobi yaoki* - Literally: Fall seven times and stand up eight - Meaning: When life knocks you down, stand back up; What matters is not the bad that happened, but what one does after.

- 猿も木から落ちる - *Saru mo ki kara ochiru* - Literally: Even [monkeys](/source/Monkey) fall from [trees](/source/Tree) - Meaning: Anyone can make a mistake.

- 花より団子 - *Hana yori dango* - Literally: [Dumplings](/source/Dango) rather than flowers - Meaning: To prefer substance over form, as in to prefer to be given functional, useful items (such as dumplings) instead of merely decorative items (such as flowers).

- 馬の耳に念仏 - *Uma no mimi ni nenbutsu* - Literally: Chanting nenbutsu to a horse. - Meaning: Attempting to make an argument to a party that will not listen. / Preaching to the deaf.

- 水と油 - *Mizu to abura* - Literally: Water and oil. - Meaning: Totally incompatible. / [Go together like] oil and water.

### Four-character idioms

Main article: [Yojijukugo](/source/Yojijukugo)

- 十人十色 - *jūnin toiro* - Literally: ten persons, ten colors - Meaning: To each his own. / Different strokes for different folks.

- 因果応報 - *inga ōhō* - Literally: Cause brings result / bad causes bring bad results - Meaning: what goes around comes around - Note: this is a Buddhist sentiment that emphasizes the idea of [karmic retribution](/source/Karmic_retribution).

- 弱肉強食 - *jaku niku kyō shoku* - Literally: The weak are meat; the strong eat. - Meaning: [Survival of the fittest](/source/Survival_of_the_fittest).

## See also

- [Chinese proverbs](/source/Chinese_proverbs)

- [Japanese culture](/source/Japanese_culture)

- [Japanese language](/source/Japanese_language)

- [Korean proverbs](/source/Korean_proverbs)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Stone, Jon R. (2006). [*The Routledge Book of World Proverbs*](https://archive.org/details/routledgebookofw0000ston/) (Taylor & Francis e-Library ed.). 270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10016: [Routledge](/source/Routledge). pp. xiv–xv. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780203968956](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780203968956). Retrieved 25 July 2024.{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: location ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location))

## Further reading

- De Lange, William. (2013). *A Dictionary of Japanese Proverbs*. TOYO Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-891640-51-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-891640-51-3)

## External links

Look up ***[Category:Japanese proverbs](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Japanese_proverbs)*** in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Japanese proverbs](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Special:Search/Japanese_proverbs)***.

- [故事ことわざ辞典](https://kotowaza-dictionary.jp/) (in Japanese)

- [Japanese Proverbs](https://web.archive.org/web/20110429040248/http://www.worldofquotes.com/proverb/Japanese/1/index.html)

- [Japanese Language Kotowaza – proverbs & sayings](https://web.archive.org/web/20140712134616/http://thejapanesepage.com/kotowaza.htm)

- [Words of Wisdom OK312 「英⇔日」対照・名言ことわざ辞典](http://www.ok312.com/)

- [Nihon no Kotowaza](https://web.archive.org/web/20000117055612/http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/5623/kotowjis.html)

- [ことわざ辞典](http://www4.airnet.ne.jp/swata/swkoto_a.html) (in Japanese)

- [Japanese Kotowaza](http://www.languagerealm.com/japanese/japaneseproverbs.php) (in Japanese and English)

- [Japanese / English / Dutch v.v. Proverb dictionary](http://www.kotowaza.org)

- [Golden Proverbs](http://www.goldenproverbs.com/tp_japanese.html) A nice collection of Japanese proverbs.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Japanese proverbs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_proverbs) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_proverbs?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.