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Proverbs & idioms

204 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

一富士二鷹三茄子いちふじにたかさんなすびbest is Fuji, second is a hawk, third is an eggplant (of auspicious things to see in a dream, esp. one's first dream of the year)
一寸先は闇いっすんさきはやみno one knows what the future holds; the future is a closed book; one sun (unit of measurement) ahead is darkness
一将功成って万骨枯るいっしょうこうなってばんこつかるthousands die to make one hero; one general reaches glory, ten thousand bones are left to dry
一将功成りて万骨枯るいっしょうこうなりてばんこつかるthousands die to make one hero; one general reaches glory, ten thousand bones are left to dry
一年の計は元旦にありいちねんのけいはがんたんにありthe whole year's plans should be made on New Year's Day
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

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

人の口には戸が立てられないひとのくちにはとがたてられないyou can't control what people say; you can't stop rumours (rumors)

人の口に戸は立てられぬひとのくちにとはたてられぬyou can't control what people say; you can't stop rumours (rumors)

人は見かけによらぬものひとはみかけによらぬものappearances can be deceiving; don't judge a book by its cover

人は見目よりただ心ひとはみめよりただこころa gentle spirit is more important than looks; handsome is as handsome does

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

人生意気に感ずじんせいいきにかんずheart is won by heart

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

信心過ぎて極楽を通り越すしんじんすぎてごくらくをとおりこすfaith is best in moderation; worship too hard and you will pass right through paradise

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

先んずれば人を制すさきんずればひとをせいすthe early bird gets the worm

八十の手習いはちじゅうのてならいyou're never too old to learn

内裸でも外錦うちはだかでもそとにしきwe must keep up appearances to go through the world

出すことは舌を出すも嫌いだすことはしたをだすもきらいbeing exceptionally stingy

出物腫れ物所嫌わずでものはれものところきらわずwhen you've got to go, you've got to go; farts and boils aren't choosy about where (or when) to appear

初心忘るべからずしょしんわするべからずwe were all beginners once; never lose your humility; don't let success get to your head; don't forget where you came from

前車の覆るは後車の戒めぜんしゃのくつがえるはこうしゃのいましめlearn wisdom from the follies of others; learn from others' mistakes; the toppling over of the cart in front serves as a warning for the cart behind

勘定合って銭足らずかんじょうあってぜにたらずa profit on paper doesn't always mean a profit in the bank; what works in theory doesn't always work in practice

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

口では大坂の城も建つくちではおおさかのしろもたつtalk is cheap; it's easier to say than to do; building Osaka Castle by talking

口は災いの元くちはわざわいのもとwords can lead to disaster; the tongue is the root of calamities; the more you open your mouth the more likely you are to put your foot in it

口は災いの門くちはわざわいのかどwords can lead to disaster; the tongue is the root of calamities; the more you open your mouth the more likely you are to put your foot in it

叩けば埃が出るたたけばほこりがでるscratch the surface and you will find dirt; look close enough and you will find the flaws; hit something and dust comes out

噂をすれば影が射すうわさをすればかげがさすspeak of the devil and he shall appear; speak rumours of someone and they shall appear

地獄の釜の蓋も開くじごくのかまのふたもあくeven the demons of hell rest during Obon and the New Year

地震雷火事親父じしんかみなりかじおやじthings to fear: earthquakes, thunder, fires and, most of all, fathers

坊主丸儲けぼうずまるもうけa monk's earnings are pure profit (due to needing no capital and having no expenses)

壁に耳ありかべにみみありwalls have ears

壁に耳あり障子に目ありかべにみみありしょうじにめありwalls have ears; walls have ears, sliding doors have eyes

夜目遠目笠の内よめとおめかさのうちwomen appear the most beautiful when viewed from afar, in the dark, or when wearing a bamboo hat; seeing less is more