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日本語
Proverbs & idioms
317 entries
Japanese proverbs (ことわざ), four-character idioms (四字熟語), and idioms — from JMdict.
Proverbs
Four-character idioms
Idioms
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206
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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
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
人に歴史あり
ひとにれきしあり
everyone has a past; every person has their own history
人のふり見てわがふり直せ
ひとのふりみてわがふりなおせ
one man's fault is another's lesson
人の噂も七十五日
ひとのうわさもしちじゅうごにち
a wonder lasts but nine days; gossip lasts just 75 days
人の蠅を追うより己の蠅を追え
ひとのはえをおうよりおのれのはえをおえ
take care of yourself before you take care of others; wave off your own flies before you wave off someone else's flies
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人はパンのみにて生くるにあらず
ひとはパンのみにていくるにあらず
man shall not live by bread alone
人はパンのみにて生くる者に非ず
ひとはパンのみにていくるものにあらず
man shall not live by bread alone
人は一代名は末代
ひとはいちだいなはまつだい
the worthy will be remembered; humans (last) one generation; names (last) forever
人は情け
ひとはなさけ
be kind to others; one good turn deserves another
人を呪わば穴二つ
ひとをのろわばあなふたつ
curses come home to roost; if you curse someone, dig two graves
人木石に非ず
ひとぼくせきにあらず
man is not made of stone; man is made of flesh and blood
人生は一度きり
じんせいはいちどきり
you only live once
人生一度きり
じんせいいちどきり
you only live once; you only have one life
人生僅か五十年
じんせいわずかごじゅうねん
life is short; life is just fifty years
人間は万物の尺度である
にんげんはばんぶつのしゃくどである
man is the measure of all things
人間は万物の霊長
にんげんはばんぶつのれいちょう
man is the crown of creation
人間万事塞翁が馬
にんげんばんじさいおうがうま
inscrutable are the ways of heaven; fortune is unpredictable and changeable
人間万事金の世の中
にんげんばんじかねのよのなか
money talks
人間到る処青山あり
にんげんいたるところせいざんあり
home is wherever one lays one's hat; you can make your living anywhere in this world; there's room for us all in the world; wherever there are humans, there are burial places
今日の一針、明日の十針
きょうのひとはり、あすのとはり
a stitch in time saves nine; one needle today, ten needles tomorrow
今日は人の身明日は我が身
きょうはひとのみあすはわがみ
what chances to one man may happen to all; what happens to one today may happen to another tomorrow; misfortunes can happen to anyone
仏の沙汰も銭
ほとけのさたもぜに
money talks; money is the key that opens all doors; even the Buddha's verdict is (decided by) money
仏の顔も三度
ほとけのかおもさんど
even the patience of a saint eventually runs out; (if you touch) the Buddha's face three times (he will get annoyed)
他人の不幸は蜜の味
たにんのふこうはみつのあじ
the misfortune of others tastes as sweet as honey
他山の石以て玉を攻むべし
たざんのいしもってたまをおさむべし
one should learn from other's mistakes; stones from other mountains can be used to polish one's own gems
体は正直
からだはしょうじき
the body is honest; your body reveals what you really think (or want)
余り物には福がある
あまりものにはふくがある
don't despair because you're the last to take your pick; you can find treasures in leftovers; one man's trash is another's treasure
余り物に福がある
あまりものにふくがある
do not despair because you are the last to take your pick; you can find treasures in leftovers; one man's trash is another's treasure
借りる時の地蔵顔、済す時の閻魔顔
かりるときのじぞうがお、なすときのえんまがお
people look friendly when they ask for a loan but not so much when they repay it; when borrowing (the money), the face of the (bodhisattva) Kshitigarbha; when returning it, the face of the (hell king) Yama
備えあれば憂えなし
そなえあればうれえなし
if you are prepared you don't have to worry; 'tis good to have a shelter against every storm; when one is prepared, difficulties do not come
先のことは分からない
さきのことはわからない
one never knows (what will happen); there's no telling (what the future holds)
八十の手習い
はちじゅうのてならい
you're never too old to learn
六十の三つ子
ろくじゅうのみつご
an old man is twice a child
凝っては思案に能わず
こってはしあんにあたわず
too much thinking gets you nowhere; excessive enthusiasm clouds one's judgment
凹き所に水溜まる
くぼきところにみずたまる
when the right conditions are fulfilled, things will turn out well on their own; a sunken place will collect water; someone in bad circumstances will continue to accumulate difficulties
割れ鍋に綴じ蓋
われなべにとじぶた
there is a suitable spouse for everyone; every Jack has his Jill; a mended lid for a cracked pot
勝って兜の緒を締めよ
かってかぶとのおをしめよ
do not let your guard down after a victory; tighten the strings of your helmet after winning
勝てば官軍
かてばかんぐん
might is right; history is written by the victors
勝てば官軍、負ければ賊軍
かてばかんぐん、まければぞくぐん
might is right; history is written by the victors; winners are always right and losers are always in the wrong; if you win you are the loyalist army, if you lose you are the rebel army
匹夫も志を奪うべからず
ひっぷもこころざしをうばうべからず
one cannot shake the will of even the lowliest man; a person's will should be respected; even a menial deserves his convictions
千丈の堤も蟻の一穴より崩れる
せんじょうのつつみもありのいっけつよりくずれる
a small leak will sink a great ship
千里の行も足下に始まる
せんりのこうもそっかにはじまる
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
千里の道も一歩から
せんりのみちもいっぽから
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
千里も一里
せんりもいちり
a journey of a thousand miles feels like only one mile (when going to see the one you love)
千金の裘は一狐の腋に非ず
せんきんのきゅうはいっこのえきにあらず
to rule a country requires many great men; an expensive fur coat will not be made with a single fox
卑下も自慢の中
ひげもじまんのうち
taking pride in one's humility is a form of bragging; he that humbleth himself wishes to be exalted; too much humility is pride
去る者追わず
さるものおわず
do not chase the one who leaves
可愛さ余って憎さ百倍
かわいさあまってにくさひゃくばい
the greatest hate proceeds from the greatest love
名の無い星は宵から出る
なのないほしはよいからでる
the worst goes foremost; those one eagerly await will not arrive first