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Proverbs & idioms

936 entries

Japanese proverbs (ことわざ), four-character idioms (四字熟語), and idioms — from JMdict.

Proverbs Four-character idioms Idioms

Theme:All themes Animal143 Body206 Nature189 Food76 Emotion95 Money84 Time118 Number317 Color75

浮世は夢うきよはゆめlife is but a dream; this too shall pass; everything is transient
涓滴岩を穿つけんてきいわをうがつslow but steady wins the race; constant effort will result in success; constant dripping wears away a stone
深い川は静かに流れるふかいかわはしずかにながれるstill waters run deep
渇しても盗泉の水を飲まずかっしてもとうせんのみずをのまずbetter starve than fatten on ill-gotten wealth; don't lower yourself to unjust acts, no matter how desperate you are; refraining to drink from a spring called Robber's Spring even if thirsty
渇に臨みて井を穿つかつにのぞみてせいをうがつto fail to make timely preparations; to not dig a well until one is thirsty
渡る世間に鬼はないわたるせけんにおにはないall people aren't evil; don't distrust everyone; there is kindness to be found everywhere

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満は損を招くまんはそんをまねく

every flow has its ebb; arrogance leads to downfall

溺れる者は藁をも掴むおぼれるものはわらをもつかむa drowning man will clutch at a straw

火のないところに煙は立たないひのないところにけむりはたたないthere's no smoke without fire

火のない所に煙は立たぬひのないところにけむりはたたぬthere's no smoke without fire

火を見たら火事と思えひをみたらかじとおもえyou can never be too careful

火事と喧嘩は江戸の華かじとけんかはえどのはなfires and fistfights are the flowers of Edo

灯台下暗しとうだいもとくらしit is darkest under the lamp post; it's hard to see what is under your nose; go abroad to hear of home; you must go into the country to hear what news at London

灰吹きから蛇が出るはいふきからじゃがでるunexpected things can come from unexpected places; small things can lead to unexpectedly large consequences

為せば成るなせばなるif you have a mind to do something, you can do it

無い袖は振れぬないそではふれぬyou can't give (use) what you don't have; nothing comes from nothing; you can't shake sleeves you don't have

無くて七癖なくてななくせevery person has their eccentricities

無くて七癖有って四十八癖なくてななくせあってしじゅうはっくせevery person has their eccentricities

無理が通れば道理が引っ込むむりがとおればどうりがひっこむwhere might is master, justice is servant

無知は幸福むちはこうふくignorance is bliss

無精者の一時働きぶしょうもののいっときばたらきthe ambition of the lazy does not last

焼き餅焼くとて手を焼くなやきもちやくとててをやくなkeep your jealousy in check, lest you invite misfortune; even if you burn yakimochi, don't burn your hands as well

煩悩の犬は追えども去らずぼんのうのいぬはおえどもさらずone cannot escape from one's worldly desires; the hounds of earthly desires would return each time they are driven away

煽てと畚には乗り易いおだてともっこにはのりやすいit's dangerous to fall for flattery

燕雀安んぞ鴻鵠の志を知らんやえんじゃくいずくんぞこうこくのこころざしをしらんやonly a hero can understand a hero; swallows and sparrows can't understand the aspirations of phoenixes and swans

父母の恩は山よりも高く海よりも深しふぼのおんはやまよりもたかくうみよりもふかしour debt to our parents is higher than the mountain and deeper than the sea

牛の歩みも千里うしのあゆみもせんりslow and steady wins the race; little by little, one goes far; consistency is key

牛は牛連れ馬は馬連れうしはうしづれうまはうまづれbirds of a feather flock together; don't mix your horses with your cows

物は使いようものはつかいようthings depend on how you use them; all things have their uses when they are used in the right way

物は言いようものはいいようsmooth words make smooth ways; it's not what you say; it's how you say it

物は試しものはためしthe proof of the pudding is in the eating; the proof is in the pudding; don't knock it till you've tried it; you can't tell unless you try

物も言い様ものもいいようbe careful what you say; consider your words

物も言い様で角が立つものもいいようでかどがたつharsh words make the going rough; consider your words; people may be offended (or not) by the way you speak

物言えば唇寒し秋の風ものいえばくちびるさむしあきのかぜsilence is golden

犬も歩けば棒に当たるいぬもあるけばぼうにあたるbad things happen to those who attempt things; if a dog walks they will hit a stick; good luck may come unexpectedly

狐の子は頬白きつねのこはつらじろlike father, like son; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree; fox pups have white cheeks

狐死して兎泣くきつねししてうさぎなくpeople have sympathy for kindred in distress; (when) the fox dies, the rabbit cries

狭き門より入れせまきもんよりいれenter through the narrow gate (for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction); enter ye in at the strait gate

猫が顔を洗うと雨が降るねこがかおをあらうとあめがふるif a cat washes its face, rain is coming

猫にまたたびお女郎に小判ねこにまたたびおじょろうにこばんeveryone has their favorite; pick the right thing to please someone; catnip for cats, gold coins for prostitutes

猫耳を洗うと雨が降るねこみみをあらうとあめがふるif a cat washes its ears, rain is coming

猿も木から落ちるさるもきからおちるeven monkeys fall from trees; anyone can make a mistake; pride comes before a fall; even Homer sometimes nods

獅子は我が子を千尋の谷に落とすししはわがこをせんじんのたににおとすmake your dear ones face trials so that they may grow; spare the rod, spoil the child; the lion drops its cubs into the abyss (only raising the ones who climb back up)

玉磨かざれば光なしたまみがかざればひかりなしsuccess does not come from talent alone; an uncut gem does not sparkle

王侯将相いずくんぞ種あらんやおうこうしょうしょういずくんぞしゅあらんやhigh status does not depend on birth; every man can achieve great power if he exerts himself

理屈と膏薬はどこへでもつくりくつとこうやくはどこへでもつくone can give a plausible argument for anything

瑠璃も玻璃も照らせば光るるりもはりもてらせばひかるcream rises to the top; great talent will stand out anywhere; lapis lazuli and crystals shine when lit up

瑠璃も玻璃も照らせば分かるるりもはりもてらせばわかるcream rises to the top; great talent will stand out anywhere; you realize what things are lapis lazuli and crystal when they are lit up

瓜の蔓に茄子はならぬうりのつるになすびはならぬlike begets like; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree; eggplants don't grow on gourd vines

瓜田に履を納れずかでんにくつをいれずavoid compromising situations