Japanese proverbs

Sayings

A wise man hears one and understands ten.

• 案ずるより産むが易し。
  • Anzuru yori umu ga yasashi.
  • Literally: Attempt is sometimes easier than expected.

• 馬鹿は死ななきゃ治らない。
  • Baka wa shinanakya naoranai.
  • Literally: Unless an idiot dies, he won't be cured.

• 出る杭は打たれる。
  • Deru kui wa utareru.
  • Literally: The stake that sticks out gets hammered down.
  • or Deru kugi wa utareru
  • Literally: The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

• 挨拶は時の氏神。
  • Aisatsu wa toki no ujigami.
  • Literally: Greetings are the people who turn up at the right moment.

• 秋茄子は嫁に食わすな。
  • Akinasu wa yome ni kuwasuna.
  • Literally: Don't let your daughter-in-law eat your autumn eggplants.

• 悪妻は百年の不作。
  • Akusai wa hyaku-nen no fusaku.
  • Literally: A bad wife spells a hundred years of bad harvest.

• 残り物には福がある。
  • Nokorimono ni wa fuku ga aru.
  • Literally: Luck exists in the leftovers.

• 虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。
  • Koketsu ni irazunba koji wo ezu.
  • Literally: If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub.

• 晴天の霹靂
  • Seiten no heki-reki.
  • Literally: Thunderclap from a clear sky.

• 猿も木から落ちる。
  • Saru mo ki kara ochiru.
  • Literally: Even monkeys fall from trees.

• 蓼食う虫も好き好き
  • Tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki
  • Literally: There are even bugs that eat knotweed.

• 井の中の蛙大海を知らず。
  • I no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu.
  • Literally: A frog in a well does not know the great sea.

• 蛙の子は蛙。
  • Kaeru no ko wa kaeru.
  • Literally: Child of a frog is a frog.

• 鳶が鷹を産む。
  • Tonbi (or Tobi) ga taka wo umu.
  • Literally: A kite breeding a hawk.

• 覆水盆に帰らず。
  • Fukusui bon ni kaerazu.
  • Literally: Spilt water will not return to the tray.

• 二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず。
  • Ni usagi wo ou mono wa ichi usagi wo mo ezu.
  • Literally: One who chases after two hares won't catch even one.

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• 継続は力なり。
  • Keizoku wa chikara nari.
  • Literally: Continuance is strength.

• 門前の小僧習わぬ経を読む。
  • Mon zen no kozō narawanu kyō wo yomu.
  • Literally: The young monk before the gate can read sutra without studying them.

• 知らぬが仏
  • Shiranu ga hotoke.
  • Literally: Not knowing is Buddha.

• 見ぬが花
  • Minu ga hana.
  • Literally: Not seeing is a flower.

• 能ある鷹は爪を隠す。
  • Nō aru taka wa tsume wo kakusu.
  • Literally: The talented hawk hides its claws
    • A wise man keeps some of his talents in reserve