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Proverbs & idioms

930 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 Animal142 Body204 Nature188 Food75 Emotion95 Money84 Time116 Number315 Color74

一盗二婢三妾四妓五妻いっとうにひさんしょうしぎごさい(the most thrilling relationships for a man are) another man's wife, a maidservant, a mistress, a prostitute, and finally his own wife
一葉落ちて天下の秋を知るいちようおちててんかのあきをしるa straw will show which way the wind blows; a falling leaf shows that autumn has come
一銭を笑う者は一銭に泣くいっせんをわらうものはいっせんになくtake care of the penny; he who makes fun of one sen will cry at one sen
七度尋ねて人を疑えななたびたずねてひとをうたがえsearch thoroughly for something lost before you suspect someone of stealing it; be on sure ground before you accuse someone
万緑叢中紅一点ばんりょくそうちゅうこういってんone red flower standing out in a sea of green vegetation; one item of quality standing out among many; one woman among many men
三つ子の魂百までみつごのたましいひゃくまでa leopard cannot change its spots; the child is father to the man; the soul of a child of three (is the same) at 100

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三人寄れば文殊の知恵さんにんよればもんじゅのちえthree heads are better than two; three ordinary people together have great wisdom; if three people gather; the wisdom of Manjushri

三人行けば必ず我が師有りさんにんゆけばかならずわがしありsomething can be learned from anyone; if three walk together, I'll have a teacher

三十六計逃げるに如かずさんじゅうろっけいにげるにしかずthe smartest thing in a tight situation is to beat a retreat

三尺下がって師の影を踏まずさんじゃくさがってしのかげをふまずa student must never forget to honor their teacher (honour)

三尺去って師の影を踏まずさんじゃくさってしのかげをふまずa student must never forget to honor their teacher (honour)

三度目の正直さんどめのしょうじきthird time lucky; third time's the charm

三歩下がって師の影を踏まずさんぽさがってしのかげをふまずa student must never forget to honor their teacher (honour)

三遍回って煙草にしょさんべんまわってタバコにしょmeasure twice and cut once; don't slack off until the job's done properly; go around three times before you take a smoke

上には上があるうえにはうえがあるgreatness is comparative; there is always someone better than you; there is always a bigger fish

上には上がいるうえにはうえがいるgreatness is comparative; there is always someone better than you; there is always a bigger fish

上戸は毒を知らず下戸は薬を知らずじょうごはどくをしらずげこはくすりをしらずdrinkers drink too much (and harm themselves in the process), nondrinkers drink too little (and miss out on the medicinal benefits of alcohol)

上手の手から水が漏れるじょうずのてからみずがもれるanyone can make a mistake; even Homer nods

下戸と化け物はないげことばけものはないeveryone drinks at least a little bit; ghosts and non-drinkers do not exist

下戸の建てた蔵はないげこのたてたくらはないdon't act all high and mighty just because you don't drink; no teetotaler has (ever) built a storehouse

下手な考え休むに似たりへたなかんがえやすむににたりit's hard to tell a poor thinker from a sleeping one; they to whom only bad ideas come might as well be asleep; inadequate ideas are worse than none at all

下手な鉄砲も数撃ちゃ当たるへたなてっぽうもかずうちゃあたるeven the unskilled can succeed by a fluke given enough tries; even a poor marksman will hit the target with enough shots

下手な鉄砲も数撃てば当たるへたなてっぽうもかずうてばあたるeven the unskilled can succeed by a fluke given enough tries; even a poor marksman will hit the target with enough shots

下手の考え休むに似たりへたのかんがえやすむににたりit's hard to tell a poor thinker from a sleeping one; they to whom only bad ideas come might as well be asleep; inadequate ideas are worse than none at all

下手の長談義へたのながだんぎpoor speakers make long speeches; brevity is the soul of wit

下衆の後知恵げすのあとぢえhindsight is 20-20 (even for a fool); an afterwit is everybody's wit

世間の口に戸は立てられぬせけんのくちにとはたてられぬpeople will talk

世間は広いようで狭いせけんはひろいようでせまいthough it seems big, it's a small world

世間は張り物せけんははりものeveryone is putting on appearances; society is all show

両雄並び立たずりょうゆうならびたたずif two ride upon a horse, one must sit behind; when Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war; two great rivals cannot coexist

中流に舟を失えば一壺も千金ちゅうりゅうにふねをうしなえばいっこもせんきんany port will do in a storm; when you've lost your boat midstream, even a pot is worth a fortune

丸い卵も切りようで四角まるいたまごもきりようでしかくharsh words make the going rough; consider your words; a round egg can be cut into a square

九層の台は累土より起こるきゅうそうのうてなはるいどよりおこるmany a little makes a mickle; every little helps; the tower of nine storeys (stories) rose from a small heap of earth

乞食を三日すればやめられぬこじきをみっかすればやめられぬonce a beggar, always a beggar; if one begs for three days, one cannot stop

亀の年を鶴が羨むかめのとしをつるがうらやむsome people are never satisfied; the crane envies the longevity of the turtle

亀の甲より年の功かめのこうよりとしのこうthe older, the wiser

事実は小説よりも奇なりじじつはしょうせつよりもきなりtruth is stranger than fiction

事実は小説より奇なりじじつはしょうせつよりきなりtruth is stranger than fiction

二人は伴侶、三人は仲間割れふたりははんりょ、さんにんはなかまわれtwo is a company, three is a crowd; one companion is better than two

二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ずにとをおうものはいっとをもえずif you run after two hares you will catch neither

二君に仕えずにくんにつかえずone can not serve two masters

二度あることは三度あるにどあることはさんどあるwhat happens twice will happen thrice

井の中の蛙、大海を知らずいのなかのかわず、たいかいをしらずthe frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean

井蛙は以って海を語る可からずせいあはもってうみをかたるべからずa narrow-minded person cannot understand the ways of the world; a frog in the well cannot understand the ocean even if it is explained to it

京に田舎ありきょうにいなかありeven in bustling cities there are places that have a rural quality to them; (even) Kyoto is rustic in places

京男に伊勢女きょうおとこにいせおんなthe best men are from Kyoto; the best women from Ise

亭主の好きな赤烏帽子ていしゅのすきなあかえぼしeven an eccentric head of family must be obeyed

人には添うてみよ馬には乗ってみよひとにはそうてみようまにはのってみよyou can't judge someone until you've spent time with them; you can't judge something until you've tried it; judge a man by living with him, and try a horse by riding him

人に善言を与うるは布帛よりも煖かなりひとにぜんげんをあたうるはふはくよりもあたたかなりwords provide more warmth than cloth

人に歴史ありひとにれきしありeveryone has a past; every person has their own history