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日本語
Proverbs & idioms
75 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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お神酒上がらぬ神はない
おみきあがらぬかみはない
even the gods drink sake; there's nothing wrong with drinking
ふぐは食いたし命は惜しし
ふぐはくいたしいのちはおしし
honey is sweet, but the bee stings; I want to eat fugu, (but) I value my life
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)
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
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)
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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)
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
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
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
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
人を怨むより身を怨め
ひとをうらむよりみをうらめ
it is easier to blame than do better; instead of resenting others, resent yourself
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
冷や酒と親の意見は後できく
ひやざけとおやのいけんはあとできく
you will appreciate your parents' advice as you grow older, just as it takes time to feel the effects of unwarmed sake
卵を割らずにオムレツは作れない
たまごをわらずにオムレツはつくれない
you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs
嘉肴ありと雖も食らわずんばその旨きを知らず
かこうありといえどもくらわずんばそのうまきをしらず
one cannot understand even a holy man's teachings without study; one cannot know the abilities of a great man without putting him to use; one cannot know the delicious taste of fine food without eating it
失敗は成功のもと
しっぱいはせいこうのもと
failure teaches success; failure is a stepping-stone to success
居候三杯目にはそっと出し
いそうろうさんばいめにはそっとだし
the non-paying lodger asks for a third helping of rice with much hesitation
急がば回れ
いそがばまわれ
more haste, less speed; slow and steady wins the race
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
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
明日は明日の風が吹く
あしたはあしたのかぜがふく
tomorrow will take care of itself; let the morn come and the meat with it; tomorrow, the winds of tomorrow will blow
本木にまさる末木なし
もときにまさるうらきなし
of soup and love, the first is the best; one's first spouse tends to be better than any subsequent spouse
李下に冠を正さず
りかにかんむりをたださず
leave no room for scandal; don't do anything that can be misinterpreted; don't straighten your cap under a plum tree (because when you raise your hands it might look as if you're trying to steal the plums)
桃李もの言わざれども下自ら蹊を成す
とうりものいわざれどもしたおのずからみちをなす
a man of virtue will naturally attract admirers; good wine speaks for itself
桜切る馬鹿、梅切らぬ馬鹿
さくらきるばか、うめきらぬばか
only an idiot prunes cherry trees and only an idiot does not prune plum trees
梅は食うとも核食うな、中に天神寝てござる
うめはくうともさねくうな、なかにてんじんねてござる
don't eat plum pits (because they are poisonous); if you eat a plum, don't eat the kernel; inside it heavenly gods sleep
欲の熊鷹股裂く
よくのくまたかまたさく
avarice brings doom upon oneself; grasp all, lose all; the greedy hawk-eagle splits in half (when trying to catch two boars at once)
水心あれば魚心
みずごころあればうおごころ
kindness begets kindness; you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours; if the water is kind to the fish, the fish will be kind to the water
水清ければ魚棲まず
みずきよければうおすまず
the morally upright have a hard time making friends; fish will not live in water that is (too) clean
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
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
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
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
生酔い本性違わず
なまよいほんしょうたがわず
in wine there is truth; being under the influence doesn't change our true character
甲の薬は乙の毒
こうのくすりはおつのどく
one man's meat is another man's poison; one man's medicine is another man's poison
番茶も出花
ばんちゃもでばな
even a homely girl looks beautiful at the peak of her youth; even coarse tea tastes good when freshly brewed
禍福は糾える縄のごとし
かふくはあざなえるなわのごとし
fortune and misfortune are intertwined; fortune and misfortune come by turns; good luck and bad luck alternate (like the strands of a rope); good and bad fortune are next-door neighbours
秋茄子は嫁に食わすな
あきなすはよめにくわすな
don't feed autumn eggplant to your wife (because they're too delicious, because they'll give her the chills, or because their lack of seeds will reduce her fertility)
紅は園生に植えても隠れなし
くれないはそのうにうえてもかくれなし
good wine needs no bush; talent stands out
継続は力なり
けいぞくはちからなり
perseverance makes one stronger; slow but steady wins the race
網呑舟の魚を漏らす
あみどんしゅうのうおをもらす
the law has holes large enough for the most wicked men to slip through; the long arm of the law doesn't reach everywhere; fishes big enough to eat boats aren't caught by the net
習うより慣れろ
ならうよりなれろ
experience is the best teacher; custom makes all things easy; you learn best by doing; practice makes perfect; it is better to grow accustomed than to be taught
背に腹
せにはら
you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs; a small sacrifice may be necessary to solve a more pressing problem
背に腹は変えられない
せにはらはかえられない
you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs; a small sacrifice may be necessary to solve a more pressing problem
背に腹は替えられぬ
せにはらはかえられぬ
you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs; a small sacrifice may be necessary to solve a more pressing problem