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Japanese proverbs (ことわざ), four-character idioms (四字熟語), and idioms — from JMdict.
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悪人は畳の上では死ねない
あくにんはたたみのうえではしねない
a bad person does not deserve to die in his own bed
悪名は無名に勝る
あくみょうはむめいにまさる
it is better to be infamous than unknown
悪妻は百年の不作
あくさいはひゃくねんのふさく
a bad wife spells the ruin of her husband; a bad wife means a hundred years of bad luck to her husband
悪法もまた法なり
あくほうもまたほうなり
a law is a law, however undesirable it may be
悪貨は良貨を駆逐する
あっかはりょうかをくちくする
when there is a legal tender currency, bad money drives out good money (Gresham's Law)
悪銭身に付かず
あくせんみにつかず
easy come, easy go; lightly comes, lightly goes; soon gotten soon spent
情けが仇
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なさけがあだ
Pardon makes offenders
情けは人のためならず
なさけはひとのためならず
the good you do for others is good you do yourself; those who are kind benefit themselves; compassion is not for other people's benefit; you can't save others (from themselves)
惚れたが因果
ほれたがいんが
no matter how unfortunate it is, you cannot stop love; falling in love is an unfortunate fate
愚公山を移す
ぐこうやまをうつす
where there's a will, there's a way
愚者も千慮に一得
ぐしゃもせんりょにいっとく
even fools can give good counsel
愛は盲目
あいはもうもく
love is blind
慌てる乞食はもらいが少ない
あわてるこじきはもらいがすくない
slow and steady wins the race; there is luck in the last helping
憎まれっ子世にはばかる
にくまれっこよにはばかる
ill weeds grow apace
成るように成る
なるようになる
whatever will be, will be; things happen the way they happen; let nature take its course
我が身をつねって人の痛さを知れ
わがみをつねってひとのいたさをしれ
walk a mile in other's shoes to understand their suffering; you can't appreciate others' suffering until you've gone through it yourself; pinch yourself and know others' pain
所変われば品変わる
ところかわればしなかわる
so many countries, so many customs
才子、才に倒れる
さいし、さいにたおれる
talented men are ruined by their own talent
持つべきものは友
もつべきものはとも
a friend is a good thing to have; a good friend is a great blessing
持つべきものは友人
もつべきものはゆうじん
a friend is a good thing to have; a good friend is a great blessing
指汚しとて、切られもせず
ゆびきたなしとてきられもせず
it's hard to cut one's ties to close relatives even if they are wicked; you don't cut your finger off just because it's dirty
挨拶は時の氏神
あいさつはときのうじがみ
blessed are the peacemakers; one should appreciate and follow the advice of a mediator
挨拶より円札
あいさつよりえんさつ
money speaks louder than words; money is better than (empty) words; yen bills over salutations
捨てる神あれば拾う神あり
すてるかみあればひろうかみあり
when one door is shut, another is open; the world is as kind as it is cruel; there are gods that will abandon you and there are gods that will pick you up
据え膳食わぬ
すえぜんくわぬ
it is shameful to reject the advances of a woman; shameful is he who spurns a woman's invitation; not eating the meal set before him is a man's shame
据え膳食わぬは男の恥
すえぜんくわぬはおとこのはじ
it is shameful to reject the advances of a woman; shameful is he who spurns a woman's invitation; not eating the meal set before him is a man's shame
損して得取る
そんしてとくとる
you must lose a fly to catch a trout; sometimes the best gain is to lose
損して得取れ
そんしてとくとれ
you must lose a fly to catch a trout; sometimes the best gain is to lose
故郷忘じ難し
こきょうぼうじがたし
there is no place like home; home is sweet to an exile
敗軍の将は兵を語らず
はいぐんのしょうはへいをかたらず
don't be a sore loser; don't make excuses for your failures; a defeated general should not talk of strategy
教うるは学ぶの半ば
おしうるはまなぶのなかば
we learn by teaching
敵を欺くにはまず味方から
てきをあざむくにはまずみかたから
in fooling the enemy first deceive your allies
敵を知り己を知れば百戦危うからず
てきをしりおのれをしればひゃくせんあやうからず
know your enemy, know thyself, and you shall not fear a hundred battles
斃れて後已む
たおれてのちやむ
duty ends only in death
文は人なり
ぶんはひとなり
the style is the man; the style is the man himself
文は武に勝る
ぶんはぶにまさる
the pen is mightier than the sword
断じて行えば鬼神も之を避く
だんじておこなえばきしんもこれをさく
where there's a will, there's a way
旅の恥はかき捨て
たびのはじはかきすて
once over the borders one may do anything; what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas; shame (committed while) on a journey can be scratched away
旅は心世は情け
たびはこころよはなさけ
in traveling, companionship; in life, kindness
旅は情け、人は心
たびはなさけ、ひとはこころ
in traveling, a companion; in life, sympathy
旅は道連れ世は情け
たびはみちづれよはなさけ
in traveling, a companion; in life, sympathy
既往は咎めず
きおうはとがめず
don't dwell on the past; let bygones be bygones
日々是好日
にちにちこれこうじつ
every day is a good day; enjoy every day
日光を見ずして結構と言うなかれ
にっこうをみずしてけっこうというなかれ
see Nikko and die; don't say "wonderful" until you've seen Nikko
日光を見ない中は結構と言うな
にっこうをみないうちはけっこうというな
see Nikko and die; don't say "wonderful" until you've seen Nikko
日暮れて道遠し
ひくれてみちとおし
the day is short, and the work is much; my goal is still a long way off
早い者勝ち
はやいものがち
first come, first served; the early bird catches the worm
早牛も淀、遅牛も淀
はやうしもよど、おそうしもよど
there is no point in hurrying; hurry no man's cattle; fast oxen (leaving Kyoto) end up in Yodo (just south of Kyoto), slow oxen also end up in Yodo
早起きは三文の徳
はやおきはさんもんのとく
the early bird gets the worm
明けない夜はない
あけないよるはない
every night comes to an end; every night sees a dawn; this too shall pass; the darkest hour is just before the dawn