1. 雲泥の差

Reading: うんでいのさ (undei no sa)
Translation: “the separation between clouds and mud”
Meaning: A vast difference between two things.

2. 犬猿の仲

Reading: けんえんのなか (ken’en no naka)
Translation: “the relationship of dogs and monkeys”
Meaning: A relationship of mutual hatred. Natural enemies.

3. 為せば成る

Reading: なせばなる (naseba naru)
(Literal) Translation: “if you take action, it will become”
Meaning: You can do it if you try.

This proverb comes from a poem by Uesugi Youzan (上杉鷹山), from back in the Edo period. It’s pretty cool and being a Japanese poem isn’t so long, so here’s the full text.

為せば成る
為さねば成らぬ何事も
成らぬは人の為さぬなりけり

naseba naru
nasaneba naranu nanigoto mo
naranu wa hito no nasanu nari keri

If you try, you may succeed.
If you don’t try, you will not succeed. This is true for of all things.
Not succeeding is the result of not trying.

4. 青天の霹靂

Reading: せいてんのへきれき (seiten no hekireki)
Translation: A bolt (lit. thunder) out of the blue (sky).

5. 鴨が葱をしょって来る

Reading: かもがねぎをしょってくる (kamo ga negi o shotte kuru)
Translation: “a duck comes along carrying a leek on its back”
Meaning: A very convenient happening, a stroke of luck.
Explanation: The reason for this proverb is that duck soup is made with leek, so it’s as though the duck came along just asking you to eat it.
Note: This proverb has a short form for everyday usage, 鴨ネギ (kamonegi)

6. 忙中閑あり

Reading: ぼうちゅうかんあり (bouchuu kan ari)
Meaning: Even when you’re very busy, there’s occasionally time to take a rest.

7. 初心忘るべからず

Reading: しょしんわするべからず (shoshin wasuru bekarazu)
Translation: We should not forget our beginner’s spirit. (the excitement/humility of starting something new)

8. 頭隠して尻隠さず

Reading: あたまかくしてしりかくさず (atama kakushite siri kakusazu)
Translation: “hiding your head but not your butt”
Meaning: Failing to completely cover up your bad deeds.

9. 沈む瀬あれば浮かぶ瀬あり

Reading: しずむせあればうかぶせあり (shizumu se areba ukabu se ari)
Translation: “if the current sinks, it will rise (again)”
Meaning: Life has its ups and downs.

10. 猫の首に鈴を付ける

Reading: ねこのくびにすずをつける (neko no kubi ni suzu o tsukeru)
Translation: “to put a bell around a cat’s neck”
Meaning: To discuss doing something that is nearly impossible to do.
Note: This proverb has its origin in one of Aesop’s fables.

11. 長所は短所

Reading: ちょうしょはたんしょ (chousho wa tansho)
Translation: “our strong points are our weak points”
Meaning: Over-reliance on our strengths leads to make careless mistakes.

12. 起きて半畳，寝て一畳

Reading: おきてはんじょう、ねていちじょう (okite hanjou, nete ichijou)
Translation: “(man needs just) half a tatami mat when awake, one tatami mat when asleep.”
Meaning: You need not be rich to live a satisfied life.

13. 李下に冠を整さず

Reading: りかにかんむりをたださず (rika ni kanmuri o tadasazu)
Translation: “don’t straighten your crown under the plum tree”
Meaning: Don’t invite undue suspicion on yourself.
Note: Because if you’re fiddling with your crown under the plum tree, people might think you’re trying to steal plums.

14. 猫を追うより皿を引け

Reading: ねこをおうよりさらをひけ (neko o ou yori sara o hike)
Translation: “rather than chase the cat, take away the plate”
Meaning: Attack problems at their root.

15. 井の中の蛙大海を知らず

Reading: いのなかのかわずたいかいをしらず (i no naka no kawazu, taikai o shirazu)
Translation: “the frog in the well knows not of the great ocean”
Explanation: This proverb is a metaphor for being mentally trapped by a narrow understanding of things.
Note: kawazu is the old way to say “frog”, in modern Japanese they are called kaeru

16. 多芸は無芸

Reading: たげいはむげい (tagei wa mugei)
Translation: “many skills is no skill”
Meaning: a Jack of all trades is a master of none.

17. 盛年重ねて来らず

Reading: せいねんかさねてきたらず (seinen kasanete kitarazu)
Translation: “the prime of your life does not come twice”
Meaning: You’re only young once.

18. 相槌を打つ

相槌

Reading: あいづちをうつ (aizuchi o utsu)
Translation: “striking the forge hammer”
Meaning: Giving verbal feedback while listening (eg. saying things like “yeah”, “uh-huh”, “I see”, etc)
Explanation: This proverb describes the rhythmic exchange of two smiths working on a katana.

19. 天は自ら助くるものを助く

Reading: てんはみずからたすくるものをたすく (ten wa mizukara tasukuru mono o tasuku)
Translation: Heaven helps those who help themselves.

20. 元も子もない

Reading: もともこもない (moto mo ko mo nai)
Meaning: Failure not only to make a profit (子 = 利益), but losing your investment (元 = 元金) too.

21. これを知るをこれを知ると為し、知らざるを知らずと為せ。これ知るなり。

Reading: これをしるをこれをしるとなし、しらざるをしらずとなせ。これしるなり。
Romaji: kore o shiru o kore o shiru to nashi, shirazaru o shirazu to nase. kore shiru nari.
Translation: To know that one knows what one knows, and to know that one doesn’t know what one doesn’t know, there lies true wisdom.
Note: Okay, so it’s not a proverb, it’s a Confucius (孔子／こうし） quote. But it was my 1000th tweet and I wanted to do something a little fancy.
Original Chinese: 知之为知之，不知为不知，是知也 (thanks, @Binglun!)

22. 窮鼠 猫を噛む

Reading: きゅうそねこをかむ (kyuuso neko o kamu)
Translation: “a cornered rat will bite the cat”
Meaning: Left with no choice, even a relatively weak person/animal will fight back.

23. 庇を貸して母家を取られる

A 庇 (hisashi) covering a front door.

Reading: ひさしをかしておもやをとられる (hisashi o kashite omoya o torareru)
Translation: “to lend the eaves and have the main house taken”
Meaning: Give an inch and they take a mile.

24. 悪銭 身につかず

Reading: あくせんみにつかず (akusen, mi ni tsukazu)
Translation: Dirty money doesn’t stay with a person for long.

25. ただより高い物はない

Reading: ただよりたかいものはない (tada yori takai mono wa nai)
Translation: “nothing is more expensive than free”
Meaning: Debts of money are more easily repaid than those of gratitude

26. 毒を以て毒を制する

Reading: どくをもってどくをせいする (doku o motte doku o sei suru)
Translation: “to use a poison to overcome a poison”
Meaning: Sometimes we need shady means to tackle shady problems

27. けんもほろろ

Romaji: ken mo hororo
Translation: cackle and gobble [ken and hororo are pheasant sounds]
Meaning: Being blunt & unsympathetic (attitude, response, etc.)

28. 生兵法は大怪我の基

Reading: なまびょうほうはおおけがのもと (namabyouhou wa ookega no moto)
Translation: Newly learned (unmastered) tactics are the origin of great blunders.

As usual, here I’ve collected all the proverbs I tweeted in January (looks like I missed one on the 2nd…), including their translations and meanings and other notes, where appropriate. Enjoy, and please follow me if you like them! I’ve been doing this for almost half a year and don’t know how many more months I’ll be able to keep finding new proverbs to tweet, but I still really don’t feel like I’m running out.

1. 一年の計は元旦にあり

Reading: いちねんのけいはがんたんにあり (ichinen no kei wa gantan ni ari)
Translation: “The sum of the year is on New Year’s day.”
Meaning: Preparation and planning are the foundations of success.

2. 良薬は口に苦し

Reading: りょうやくはくちににがし (ryouyaku wa kuchi ni nigashi)
Translation: “Good medicine tastes bitter.”
Meaning: The advice we least want to hear is the advice we need the most.

3. 人は見かけによらぬもの

Reading: ひとはみかけによらぬもの (hito wa mikake ni yoranu mono)
Meaning: You can’t judge people by their appearance.

4. 泣きっ面に蜂

Reading: なきっつらにはち(nakittsura ni hachi)
Translation: “A bee-sting on a crying face.”
Meaning: One bad thing on top of another / Compounded misfortunes.

5. ミイラ取りがミイラになる

Reading: みいらとりがみいらになる (miira tori ga miira ni naru)
Translation: “The mummy-taker becomes the mummy.”
Meaning: Setting out to try and persuade someone of something, but ending up getting turned to their side.

6. 上には上がある

Reading: うえにもうえがある (ue ni mo ue ga aru)
Translation: “Even the top has a top.”
Meaning: No matter how good you are, there’s always someone better.

7. 二階から目薬

Reading: にかいからめぐすり (nikai kara megusuri)
Translation: “Trying to apply eye drops from the 2nd floor.”
Meaning: Too roundabout or far-fetched of a method to be effective.
Note: We can also say 天井 (てんじょう = ceiling) instead of 二階 for this proverb.

8. 二足のわらじ

わらじ - Straw sandals

Reading: にそくのわらじ (nisoku no waraji)
Translation: “Two pairs of straw sandals”
Meaning: Someone with two different jobs (ie. Actor/Governor)

9. 堪忍袋の緒が切れる

Reading: かんにんぶくろのおがきれる (kanninbukuro no o ga kireru)
Translation: “To snap the string on your tolerance bag.”
Meaning: To lose your temper.

10. 朝飯前

Reading: あさめしまえ(asameshimae)
Translation: “Before breakfast”
Meaning: Something very easy which can be finished quickly / a piece of cake.

11. 情けは人の為ならず

Reading: なさけはひとのためならず (nasake wa hito no tame narazu)
Translation: “Kindness is not (entirely) for others”
Meaning: If you are kind to others, eventually you will be repaid.
Note: 大辞林 (the major J-J Dictionary) says some younger generations mistakenly think this proverb means “being kind is bad for you,” they think this because they think the 人 in the proverb refers to the person doing the kind act, but it actually refers to the recipients of the act.

12. 全ての道はローマに通ず

Reading: すべてのみちはローマにつうず (subete no michi wa ro-ma ni tsuuzu)
Translation: All roads lead to Rome.

13. 善は急げ

Reading: ぜんはいそげ (zen wa isoge)
Translation: “It is good to hurry.”
Meaning: Strike while the iron is hot.

14. 早かれ遅かれ

Reading: はやかれおそかれ (hayakare osokare)
Translation: Sooner or later.

15. 急がば回れ

Reading: いそがばまわれ (isogaba maware)
Translation: “If you rush, you’ll go around in circles.”
Meaning: Haste makes waste.

16. 覆水盆に返らず

Reading: ふくすいぼんにかえらず (fukusui bon ni kaerazu)
Translation: “Spilled water will not return to the bowl.”
Meaning: Once something has been done, it cannot be undone.

17: 後の祭り

Reading: あとのまつり (ato no matsuri)
Translation: “The day after the festival.”
Meaning: You’re too late / you missed your chance.

18. 伝家の宝刀

Reading: でんかのほうとう (denka no houtou)
Translation: “The family’s treasured sword.”
Meaning: An effective tactic or tool, but one which should only be used at critical moments.

19. 鬼に金棒

Reading: おににかなぼう (oni ni kanabou)
Translation: “Giving a club to a demon.”
Meaning: Increasing the power of someone who is already powerful.

20. 怪我の功名

Reading: けがのこうみょう (kega no koumyou)
Translation: “An accidental glory.”
Meaning: A mistake or careless action leading to a fortunate result.

21. 河童の川流れ

河童 (kappa)

Reading: かっぱのかわながれ (kappa no kawanagare)
Translation: “A kappa swept away by the river”
Meaning: Even experts fail sometimes.
Explanation: Kappa are Japanese monsters that live in rivers, so they’re supposed to be very agile in water.

22. 前門の虎、後門の狼

Reading: ぜんもんのとら、こうもんのおおかみ (zenmon no tora, koumon no ookami)
Translation: Fleeing a tiger at the front gate only to find a wolf at the back
Meaning: Out of the frying pan, into the fire. From one bad situation to another.

23. 目の上のたんこぶ

Reading: めのうえのたんこぶ (me no ue no tankobu)
Translation: “A lump above your eye”
Meaning: Someone who gets in your way and/or on your nerves.

24. ペンは剣よりも強し

Reading: ぺんはけんよりもつよし (pen wa ken yori tsuyoshi)
Translation: The pen is mightier than the sword.

25.  コロンブスの卵

Reading: ころんぶすのたまご (koronbusu no tamago)
Translation: Columbus’ Egg
Meaning: A clever idea. Something simple to copy, but difficult to think of.
Explanation: This proverb is a reference to an anecdote about Columbus. Apparently, at a banquet, he challenged some people to stand an egg on end; none of them could do it. Columbus then hit the bottom of the (hard boiled?) egg firmly against the table, breaking the shell slightly. Of course, this way the egg did not fall over as before.

26. 目には目を，歯には歯を

Reading: めにはめを、はにははを (me ni wa me o, ha ni wa ha o)
Translation: An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

27. 一寸先は闇

Reading: いっすんさきはやみ (issun saki wa yami)
Translation: “One inch forward is darkness”
Meaning: The future is unpredictable.

28. 当たらずとも遠からず

Reading: あたらずともとおからず (atarazu to mo tookarazu)
Translation: “Not a hit, but not far off.”
Meaning: A nearly correct guess.

29. 流れに棹さす

Reading: ながれにさおさす (nagare ni sao sasu)
Translation: “to thrust a pole in the flow”
Meaning: to make swift progress in good circumstances.
Note: Some Japanese mistakenly think this proverb means “to resist the change of times/to go against the grain”. The “pole” mentioned in the proverb is actually supposed to be a pole used for navigating a boat, or a tool to utilize the flow to your advantage.

30. 立て板に水

Reading: たていたにみず (tateita ni mizu)
Translation: “Like water running down a standing board”
Meaning: Speaking fluidly and without hesitation (and without end) / going off on a spiel about something.
Note: @tomoakiyama had this to say: “I have translated it as verbal diarrhea.”

As usual, I originally tweeted these proverbs throughout December–one per day (except Christmas eve)–and now I’m bringing them all together in a blog post. Enjoy! And please follow me if you like these and want to keep up with the new ones.

1. 団栗の背比べ

Reading: どんぐりのせいくらべ (donguri no sei kurabe)
Translation: Comparing the height of acorns.
Meaning: Comparing things which are only marginally different: each thing is basically the same as the next.

2. 諸刃の剣

Reading: もろはのつるぎ (moroha no tsurugi)
Translation: A double-edged blade.
Meaning: Something which can help you but also hurt you.

3. 焼き餅焼くとて手を焼くな

Reading: やきもちやくとててをやくな (yakimochi yaku tote te o yaku na)
Translation: Don’t burn your hand frying (already) fried rice cakes.
Meaning: Being overly jealous makes you susceptible to folly.
Note: Japanese often use the phrase 焼き餅を焼く (or just 焼き餅) to describe feelings of unwarranted jealousy, typically toward a romantic partner who is spending time or giving attention to someone else.

4. 虻蜂取らず

Reading: あぶはちとらず (abu hachi torazu)
Meaning: Trying to catch a horsefly and a bee in one grasp and failing to capture either.
Explanation: If you try to do too much at once, you will end up accomplishing nothing at all.

5. 宝の持ち腐れ

Reading: たからのもちくされ (takara no mochikusare)
Translation: A jewel held and rotting.
Explanation: This proverb is a metaphor for wasted talents and gifts.

6. 鯖を読む

鯖　(mackerel)

Reading: さばをよむ (saba o yomu)
Translation: To read the mackerel
Meaning: To purposely miscount numbers in your own favor.
Explanation: This proverb comes from old Japanese fish markets, where fast-handed and fast-lipped salesmen would count and package their fish in front of customers, but do it more quickly than the customers could follow. Suckered customers would then end up taking home fewer fish than they bargained for.

7. 腹八分目に医者いらず

Reading: はらはちぶんめにいしゃいらず (hara hachibunme ni isha irazu)
Translation: If you only eat until your stomach is 8/10 full, you won’t need a doctor.
Meaning: Eating in moderation is good for your health.
Note: Japanese people commonly talk about 腹八分 (はらはちぶ) as the right full-ness level, not overly full, not hungry. However, remember that while there is an ん sound in the proverb, there isn’t one when the word is used alone.

8. 尻切れ蜻蛉

Reading: しりきれとんぼ (shiri kire tonbo)
Translation: A dragonfly with it’s rear end cut off.
Meaning: Unfinished business / loose ends.

9. 転ばぬ先の杖

Reading: ころばぬさきのつえ (korobanu saki no tsue)
Translation: (It’s best to have) your walking stick before you tumble.
Meaning: Being ready for accidents is the best way to keep them from happening.

10. 濡れぬ先の傘

Reading: ぬれぬさきのかさ (nurenu saki no kasa)
Translation: (It’s best to have) your umbrella before you get wet.
Meaning: Better safe than sorry.
Note: Very close in meaning to the previous proverb, but note the difference between personal blunder (avoidable) and natural occurrence (inevitable).
Note 2: This proverb can also be 降れぬ先の傘 (furenu saki no kasa) = Best have your umbrella before (the rain) falls.

11. 駄目で元々

Reading: だめでもともと (dame de motomoto)
Meaning: There’s nothing to lose (so why not try?)
Note: This proverb has a shortened version for handy usage: 駄目元 (dame moto)

12. 噂をすれば影

Reading: うわさをすればかげ (uwasa o sureba kage)
Translation: If you speak a rumor about someone, their shadow will appear.
Explanation: This phrase is used just like we would say “speak of the devil” in English.
Note: The complete proverb (rarely used) is: 噂をすれば影がさす, typically it’s shortened to end at 影, or even shorter, to just 「噂をすれば・・・」

13. 安物買いの銭失い

Reading: やすものかいのぜにうしない (yasumono kai no zeni ushinai)
Translation: Losing money by buying cheap things.
Meaning: Cheap items will end up costing you more money than expensive ones if they are junk and need to be repaired or replaced.

14. 瓜二つ

Reading: うりふたつ (uri futatsu)
Translation: Two halves of a melon
Meaning: Two people nearly identical in appearance, like the inside of a melon that has been cut in half. The “spit and image” of someone.

15.  玉に瑕

Reading: たまにきず (tama ni kizu)
Translation: A flaw on a gem
Meaning: One unfortunate defect on an otherwise perfect person or thing.
Note: The opposite of this proverb, 傷に玉 (kizu ni tama) can refer to something/someone which has a great number of flaws, but still one or two redeeming qualities.
Note 2: Mind your kanji… 瑕 (kizu) in 玉に瑕 (tama ni kizu), 傷 or 疵 (both are read kizu) in 傷に玉. Or just write it in hiragana, your choice

16. けりを付ける

Reading: けりをつける (keri o tsukeru)
Translation: To attach the “keri”
Meaning: To finish the job / wrap things up.
Note: “keri” is a sound commonly used to end a haiku.

17. 終わり良ければすべて良し

Reading: おわりよければすべてよし
Translation: All’s well that ends well.

18. 暖簾に腕押し

暖簾 (Entrance curtains)

Reading: のれんにうでおし (noren ni udeoshi)
Translation: Pushing the entrance curtains with your arm.
Meaning: Something that has little or no effect (esp. when you’re trying to get a reaction out of someone)
Note: Noren were originally used at Buddhist temples to keep cold air out.

19. 人のふり見てわがふり直せ

Reading: 人のふり見て我がふり直せ (hito no furi mite waga furi naose)
Translation: Observe others’ behavior, and correct your own.
Meaning: Learn from others’ good and bad points.

20. 叩けばほこりが出る

Reading: たたけばほこりがでる (tatakeba hokori ga deru)
Translation: If you strike it, dust will come out.
Meaning: Under close enough scrutiny, everything has flaws and weaknesses.

21. 案ずるより産むが易し

Reading: あんずるよりうむがやすし (anzuru yori umu ga yasushi)
Translation: The reality (literally: birth) of something was easier than had been planned for.

22. 下駄を預ける

下駄 (geta)

Reading: げたをあずける (geta o azukeru)
Translation: To entrust your shoes to someone.
Meaning: To entrust some task wholly to another person. To place your trust in someone to do something.
Note: This comes from the the notion that when you enter someone’s house and you leave your shoes in their care, you lose your freedom to leave.

23. 口は禍のもと

Reading: くちはわざわいのもと (kuchi wa wazawai no moto)
Translation: The mouth is the origin of disaster.
Meaning: Words, carelessly spoken, lead to misfortune.
Note: This proverb can also be 口は禍の門 (門/kado = gateway), with the same meaning.

24. 三つ子の魂百まで

Reading: みつごのたましいひゃくまで (mitsugo no tamashii hyaku made)
Translation: The spirit of a 3 year old (persists) until 100
Meaning: Our personalities as children do not change as we get older.

25. 大は小を兼ねる

Reading: だいはしょうをかねる (dai wa shou o kaneru)
Translation: A large item also serves the purpose of a small one.
Meaning: Better too big than too small.
Note: If this proverb seems a little illogical to you (certainly there are some situations when small can do what large can’t) think of clothing sizes. Oh well, whether you agree with it or not doesn’t change the fact that it’s a real proverb.

26. うなぎの寝床

Reading: うなぎのねどこ (unagi no nedoko)
Translation: The place where an eel sleeps.
Meaning: a very long and thin building or room
Note: Long, thin buildings were very common in old Japan, because houses were taxed based on frontage (= how much space they took up on the road).

27. 一を聞いて十を知る

Reading: いちをきいてじゅうをしる (ichi o kiite juu o shiru)
Translation: To hear one and know ten.
Meaning: Extremely quick to understand something based on just a small amount of information (very smart)

28. 前事を忘れざるは後事の師なり

Japanese proverb in Assassin's Creed 2

Reading: ぜんじをわすれざるはこうじのしなり (zenji no wasurezaru wa kouji no shi nari)
Translation: Not forgetting the past is the teacher for the future.
Note: This is a more esoteric proverb, as you might have guessed from the grammar (-zaru, nari), I included it because I stumbled upon it in Assassin’s Creed 2. Just goes to show you never know where Japanese will come in handy!
Note 2: This proverb appears in it’s 漢文 (kanbun = Chinese style sentence) form in Assassin’s Creed 2. Kanbun typically aren’t used in everyday life in Japan but Japanese students do have to study them in high school.

29. 来年のことを言えば鬼が笑う

Reading: らいねんのことをいえばおにがわらう (rainen no koto o ieba oni ga warau)
Translation: If you speak of next year, demons will laugh.
Meaning: We never know what the future holds.

1. 可愛い子には旅をさせよ

Reading: かわいいこにはたびをさせよ (kawaii ko niwa tabi o saseyo)
Translation: Send the cute children on a journey.
Meaning: Instead of spoiling your cute children, you should make sure they experience some of life’s difficulties.

2. ローマは一日にしてならず

Reading: ろーまはいちにちにしてならず (ro-ma wa ichinichi ni shite narazu)
Meaning/Translation: Rome wasn’t built in a day.

3. 勝って兜の緒を締めよ

Kabuto (兜) : a Japanese helmet

Reading: かってかぶとのおをしめよ (katte kabuto no o o shimeyo)
Translation: After victory, tighten your helmet strap.
Meaning: Keep your guard up until the very end.

4. 借りてきた猫

Reading: かりてきたねこ (karite kita neko)
Translation: A borrowed cat.
Meaning: This proverb refers to someone who is acting more well behaved than they usually are, from the belief that cats act more tamely when outside their typical home.

5. 手前味噌

Reading: てまえみそ (temae miso)
Translation: The miso in front of you.
Meaning: Singing one’s own praises.
Explanation: This proverb envisions a person who is raving about the greatness of their own home-made miso.

6. 蓼食う虫も好き好き

Tade (蓼)

Reading: たでくうむしもすきずき (tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki)
Translation: Some bugs gladly eat knotweed.
Meaning: To each is own. Everyone’s taste in things is different.
Explanation: Knotweed has an extremely spicy taste, but there are some insects that love to eat it anyway.

7. 鳴く猫はねずみを捕らぬ

Reading: なくねこはねずみをとらぬ (naku neko wa nezumi o toranu)
Translation: A loud cat doesn’t catch mice.
Meaning: People who spend all their time talking accomplish nothing.

8. 一石二鳥

Reading: いっせきにちょう (isseki nichou)
Meaning/Translation: Killing two birds with one stone.

9. 鶴の一声

Reading: つるのひとこえ(tsuru no hitokoe)
Meaning: The crane’s word.
Translation: A decision by someone powerful that settles a difficult debate.

10. とらぬ狸の皮算用

Reading: とらぬたぬきのかわざんよう (toranu tanuki no kawazanyou)
Translation: Calculating profits of uncaught fox skins.
Meaning: Counting your chickens before they’re hatched.

11. 馬の耳に念仏

Reading: うまのみみにねんぶつ (uma no mimi ni nenbutsu)
Translation: A Buddhist recitation into a horse’s ear.
Meaning: This proverb refers to a person who shows no sign at all of listening to what someone is telling them.

12. 多々益々弁ず

Reading: たたますますべんず (tata masumasu benzu)
Meaning: The more the merrier.

13. 寄らば大樹の陰

Reading: よらばたいじゅのかげ (yoraba taiju no kage)
Translation: If you take shade, do it under a large tree.
Meaning: If you’re going to rely on someone, pick someone who can do what you need.

14. 七転び八起き

Reading: ななころびやおき (nana korobi ya oki)
Meaning/Translation: Stumble 7 times, get back up 8.

15. 年寄りの冷や水

Reading: としよりのひやみず (toshiyori no hiyamizu)
Translation: An old person’s cold water.
Meaning: An old person acting recklessly for their age.

There are two rival explanations for the origin this Japanese proverb.

1. The proverb envisions an old person showering their body with cold water. If an old person does this, it puts undue strain on their body which can cause them to start shaking uncontrollably or even lose consciousness. Hence the meaning: an action that is reckless for one’s (old) age.
2. The proverb envisions an old person drinking cold water. In Edo times, the waters of the Sumidagawa river (which runs through Edo/Tokyo) were already heavily polluted with human refuse. Digging wells yielded mostly salt water. This made the sale of drinkable water a viable market. “Cold water” (冷や水) merchants would collect water from the middle of the Sumidagawa river for sale, claiming that the water from the middle was of good quality. While this may have sufficed for healthy, young folks, older people developed health problems from drinking 冷や水. In this way, “cold water” became a symbol for reckless behavior for older people.

The second explanation has a lot more going for it if you ask me, and the majority of Japanese pages I checked when researching this proverb seemed to side with this explanation as well. However, if a Japanese person has never researched the meaning specifically, they’re probably only familiar with the first explanation (if either).

16. 仏の顔も三度

Reading: ほとけのかおもさんど (hotoke no kao mo sando)
Translation: Even Buddah’s (tranquil) face only lasts until the third time.
Meaning: No matter how gentle someone may be, they will get angry if you pester them too much.

17. 論より証拠

Reading: ろんよりしょうこ (ron yori shouko)
Meaning/Translation: Proof over theory.

18. 縁側の下の力持ち

Engawa (縁側) : a long Japanese room or deck/porch that runs alongside a tatami room.

Reading: えんがわのしたのちからもち (engawa no shita no chikaramochi)
Translation: A powerful person underneath the deck.
Meaning: Someone who is of great assistance, but stays behind the scenes.

19. 石橋をたたいて渡る

Reading: いしばしをたたいてわたる (ishibashi o tataite wataru)
Translation: Tapping a stone bridge as you cross it.
Meaning: Safety on top of safety. Being extremely cautious.
Explanation: The reason one taps the bridge is to check for any weak spots as you cross it.

20. 類は友を呼ぶ

Reading: るいはともをよぶ (rui wa tomo o yobu)
Translation: Similar types call their friends.
Meaning: Birds of a feather flock together.

21. 箱入り娘

Reading: はこいりむすめ (hako iri musume)
Translation: A girl kept in a box.
Meaning: A girl raised very protectively by her family, without being given much freedom to go out with friends, etc.

22. 乞食を三日すればやめられぬ

Reading: こじきをみっかすればやめられぬ (kojiki o mikka sureba yamerarenu)
Translation: If you’re a beggar for 3 days, you won’t be able to stop.
Meaning: Once a good-for-nothing, always a good-for-nothing.
Note: I’ve seen this proverb translated as “once a beggar, always a beggar” but it doesn’t always have to refer to begging, so I’ve gone with “good-for-nothing” in my translation.

23. 御輿を上げる

Mikoshi (御輿/神輿) : A holy palanquin (portable shrine).

Reading: みこしをあげる (mikoshi o ageru)
Translation: To raise the palanquin.
Meaning: To start working on something.

24. 溺れる者はわらをもつかむ

Reading: おぼれるものはわらをもつかむ (oboreru mono wa wara o mo tsukamu)
Translation: A drowning person will grasp even at straws.
Meaning: A person in trouble will look for assistance even to things that clearly are of no help at all.

25. 泥棒を捕らえて縄をなう

Reading: どろぼうをとらえてなわをなう (dorobou o toraete nawa o nau)
Translation: Weaving the rope after catching the burglar.
Meaning: Hastily finishing preparations for some trouble after it has already occurred.
Note: This proverb has a shortened form that you can use too: 泥縄 (doro nawa)

26. 喉もと過ぎれば熱さを忘れる

Reading: のどもとすぎればあつさをわすれる (nodo mo to sugireba atsusa o wasureru)
Translation: You forget the heat once it’s down your throat.
Meaning: After a hardship is over, no matter how rough it was when you were going through it, it’s like it never happened.

27. 焼け石に水

Reading: やけいしにみず (yakeishi ni mizu)
Translation: (Splashing) water on a burning rock.
Meaning: Small efforts don’t solve big problems.

Okay, that’s all for this month! If you haven’t yet, please follow me on twitter so you can keep up on the proverbs as I tweet them (a new one everyday). I won’t ramble too much, I promise.

Starting this month I’ll be including the romaji readings for the proverbs alongside the katakana, but only here on the blog. Why? Well I want to encourage everyone to learn hiragana, and there’s also the 140 character limit issue with Twitter.

And if you’re wondering how 1 a day comes out to be 23 a month, it’s because I took a week off when my parents came to visit. Sorry!

Alright let’s get started!

1. 灯台下暗し

Reading: とうだいもとくらし (toudai moto kurashi)
Translation: There’s darkness beneath the lamppost.
Meaning: Sometimes the hardest things to notice are the ones closest to you.

2. 習うより慣れろ

Reading: ならうよりなれろ (narau yori narero)
Translation: Instead of learning, get used to doing.
Meaning: All the teachers in the world aren’t as good as experience.

3. 孝行のしたい時分に親はなし

Reading: こうこうのしたいじぶんにおやはなし (koukou no shitai jibun ni oya wa nashi)
Translation: By the time you feel like thanking your parents, they’re already gone.

4. 百聞は一見に如かず

Reading: ひゃくぶんはいっけんにしかず (hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu)
Translation: Hearing about something one hundred times is not as good as seeing it once.

5. 右の耳から左の耳

Reading: みぎのみみからひだりのみみ (migi no mimi kara hidari no mimi)
Translation: From the right ear to the left.
Meaning: In one ear and out the other.

6. 雄弁は銀沈黙は金

Reading: ゆうべんはぎんちんもくはきん (yuuben wa gin chinmoku wa kin)
Translation: Eloquence is silver but silence is golden.

7. 大山鳴動して鼠一匹

Reading: たいざんめいどうしてねずみいっぴき (taizanmeidou shite nezumi ippiki)
Translation: The mountains rumbled but it was just one mouse.
Meaning: All hype and no substance.

8. 好きこそ物の上手なれ

Reading: すきこそもののじょうずなれ (suki koso mono no jouzu nare)
Translation: It is because we like things that we can become good at them.
Meaning: If we like something, we’ll improve at doing it naturally.

9. 命あっての物種

Reading: いのちあってのものだね (inochi atte no monodane)
Translation: Life is the root of all things.
Meaning: In order for anything to be possible, we must not die, so put survival before all other things.

10. 棚から牡丹餅

牡丹餅 (botamochi) : Japanese sweet bean cake

Reading: たなからぼたもち (tana kara botamochi)
Translation: A botamochi fallen from the top of the shelf.
Meaning: An unexpected and pleasant surprise.

11. 釣り落とした魚は大きい

Reading: つりおとしたさかなはおおきい (tsuriotoshita sakana wa ookii)
Translation: The fish that got away was big.
Meaning: Things that we almost got but didn’t always seem bigger/better (moreso than they really are) in retrospect.

12.  絵に描いた餅

Reading: えにかいたもち (e ni kaita mochi)
Translation: A rice cake drawn in a picture.
Meaning: Something may look good on paper, in reality is useless.

13. 三日坊主

坊主 (bouzu) : Shaved head hairstyle.

Reading: みっかぼうず (mikka bouzu)
Translation: A 3-day monk.
Meaning: Someone who sets out to make a positive change to their life but gives up quickly.
Note: 坊主 (bouzu) is an interesting word, in addition to a Buddhist monk it can also refer more specifically to a monk-like shaved head hair style. In this proverb though it’s talking about being a monk.

14. 卿に入っては卿に従え

Reading: きょうにはいってはきょうにしたがえ(kyou ni haitte wa kyou ni shitagae)
Translation: When you enter the village, obey the village.
Meaning: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

15. 針の穴から天を覗く

Reading: はりのあなからてんをのぞく (hari no ana kara ten o nozoku)
Translation: Peeking at heaven through the eye of a needle.
Meaning: Making decisions even though you only grasp a small fraction of the factors involved.

16. 壁に耳あり障子に目あり

障子 (shouji) : Japanese sliding paper doors.

Reading: かべにみみありしょうじにめあり (kabe ni mimi ari shouji ni me ari)
Translation: There are ears on the walls and eyes in the doors.
Meaning: Even when you think you are in private, someone may have their ear against the wall or be looking into the room through a hole in the paper doors, so be careful what you say or do.

17. 柳に風

Reading: やなぎにかぜ (yanagi ni kaze)
Translation: Wind in the willows.
Meaning: Unaffected (unphased) by any difficulties that you have to face.

18. 虎の威を借る狐

Reading: とらのいをかるきつね (tora no i o karu kitsune)
Translation: A fox borrowing the power of a lion.
Meaning: Someone who, themselves powerless, puts on airs of power because they are associated with someone powerful.

19. 紺屋の白袴

袴 (hakama) : Japanese trousers

Reading: こうやのしろばかま (kouya no shirobakama)
Translation: A dye shop worker with a white (= un-dyed)  hakama.
Meaning: Someone who is so busy attending to the needs and requests of others that they don’t have time to address their own.

20. 木を見て森を見ず

Reading: きをみてもりをみず (ki o mite mori o mizu)
Translation: Can’t see the forest through the trees.

21. 人の噂は七十五日

Reading: ひとのうわさはしちじゅうごにち (hito no uwasa wa shichijuugo nichi)
Translation: People’s rumors last for 75 days.
Meaning: Gossip fades with time, so don’t let what other people are saying get to you.

22. 柳の下のどじょう

A bowl of dojo loaches

Reading: やなぎのしたのどじょう (yanagi no shita no dojou)
Translation: A dojou loach found by chance under a willow tree.
Meaning: Just because you got lucky once doesn’t mean it will happen again.
Note: A dojo loach is an edible fish. I suppose finding one lying under a tree is supposed to be a lucky thing…

23. 猫に鰹節

Reading: ねこにかつおぶし (neko ni katsuobushi)
Translation: A dried fish snack and a cat.
Meaning: If you leave a cat’s favorite snack alone with a cat, it will get eaten. = Don’t trust people to keep watch over things of yours that they want.
Note: That wiggly stuff that comes on the top of okonomiyaki is made by shaving katsuobushi.

鰹節 (katsuobushi) : A dried fish snack

On a side note, since my parents will be visiting in October for a week and I haven’t made the switch to an iPhone yet, I probably won’t have a chance to tweet from about October 5-9 (or post any blog entries for that matter), so there will be no proverb or other tweets during those days. If only twitter still worked with my regular mobile phone…

1. 女房と畳は新しい方がよい

Tatami floor mats in a Japanese room

Reading: にょうぼうとたたみはあたらしいほうがよい
Translation: Wives and tatami mats are best when they’re new.
Note: Sorry ladies, but I just had to start the month with something a little risqué.

2.朱に交われば赤くなる

Reading: しゅにまじわればあかくなる
Translation: Mixed with red ink, anything turns red.
Meaning: People become like those around them.
Note: This proverb is typically used in a negative sense, such as a parent telling their child not to mix with the “wrong” crowd.

3. 麻の中の蓬

蓬 : Mugwort plant

Reading: あさのなかのよもぎ
Translation: A mugwort in the hemp.
Meaning: People become like those around them.
Explanation: A mugwort is a plant that grows sprawlingly and low to the ground, however if one takes root in a patch of hemp, it can grow tall and straight along with the more noble-statured hemp. So, this proverb refers to someone who has been positively influenced by the people around them.

4. 損して得取る

Reading: そんしてとくとる
Translation: Take a loss, make a gain.
Meaning: One step back, two steps forward.

5.出る杭は打たれる

Reading: でるくいはうたれる
Translation: The stake that sticks up gets beaten down.
Note: This proverb well known to foreigners as a symbol of Japanese “conformity” culture.
Also: Sometimes, 釘 （くぎ） or “nail” is used in this proverb with the same meaning, but 杭 (stake) is the “correct” version of the proverb.

6. 寝耳に水

Reading: ねみみにみず
Translation: Water in a sleeping ear.
Meaning: Something unexpected and shocking. (Yes, I imagine that would be quite unexpected and shocking…)

7. 腐っても鯛

鯛 (Sea bream)

Reading: くさってもたい
Translation: Even rotten sea bream is sea bream.
Explanation: Sea bream (an common fish for a sushi or sashimi) is regarded as a delicacy and something of significant value. Thus the meaning of this proverb is that something of high quality, even if it is not in it’s best condition, still can fetch a good price.
Note: No, Japanese people will not actually buy rotten sea bream.

8. 他 人の飯を食う

Reading: たにんのめしをくう
Translation: To eat an outsider’s food.
Meaning: Leaving home to live in the world and experiencing the hardships of everyday life.
Note: Unlike western youth, who very often move out as soon as they finish their education, Japanese youth continue to live with their families until they get married, often into their late 20s or 30s, and depending on the situation a family may keep on living together even after that point.

9. 餅は餅屋

Reading: もちはもちや
Translation: Rice cakes at the rice cake store.
Meaning: Things are done best when they’re done by the professionals.

10. 嘘も方便

Reading: うそもほうべん
Translation: A lie can be a convenient means to an end.

11. 火のない所に煙は立たぬ

Reading: ひのないところにけむりはたたぬ
Translation: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

12. 痘痕も靨

Reading: あばたもえくぼ
Translation: Even pockmarks seem as dimples.
Meaning: Love is blind. When you’re head-over-heels for someone, even their flaws (pockmarks) seem attractive (dimples = cute).
Note: Yeah, I decided to throw a hard one in to keep things interesting. I’d bet 95% of Japanese can’t read these kanji, much less write them. However, they still know the proverb.
Also: Because that last kanji is so hard, えくぼ is more commonly written as 笑窪 (if written as a kanji at all).

13. 身から出た錆

Reading: みからでたさび
Translation: Rust from the blade.
Meaning: What comes around goes around.
Explanation: The 身 in this proverb refers to the blade of a katana. If you don’t keep it in good condition it will rust and lose it’s usability. Thus this proverb refers to some negative thing that is happening to a person because of their own poor judgment or actions.

14. 備えあれば憂いなし

Reading: そなえあればうれいなし
Translation: If you’re fully prepared, you need not worry.

15. 住めば都

Reading: すめばみやこ
Translation: Wherever you live, it’s the capital.
Meaning: There’s no place like home. If you live somewhere for long enough, you will learn to love it.

16. 濡れ衣を着せる

Reading: ぬれぎぬをきせる
Translation: Make someone wear wet clothes.
Meaning: Putting the blame on someone innocent.

17. 釈迦に説法

Reading: しゃかにせっぽう
Translation: Teaching Buddhism to the Buddah.
Explanation: This proverb refers to the foolishness of talking like a know-it-all to someone who is wiser than you.

18. 二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず

Reading: にとをおうものはいっとをもえず
Translation: He who chases two rabbits catches neither.
Meaning: Rather than waste your energy trying to do more than you are able, stick with what you know you can accomplish.

19. 触らぬ神に祟りなし

Reading: さわらぬかみにたたりなし
Translation: An undisturbed God wreaks no vengeance.
Meaning: Let sleeping dogs lie.
Note: Be careful not to confuse these kanji 祟 = たた・り // 崇 = あが・める

20. さじを投げる

Reading: さじをなげる
Translation: To throw down the spoon.
Meaning: To throw in the towel. The spoon in this proverb refers to a doctor’s medicine spoon. It envisions a situation where a patient is beyond hope of recovery, when the doctor has given up.

21. ない袖は振れぬ

A men's kimono

Reading: ないそではふれぬ
Translation: You can’t shake an empty sleeve.
Explanation: Up until around a 100 years ago the main daily Japanese attire was a kimono (though not exactly the fancy silk kimono that geisha wear, mind you). And the place you keep your wallet in a kimono is in the sleeve. Thus, this proverb is used to describe wanting to help someone out, but being unable to do so because of a lack of money or influence.

22. 枯れ木も山の賑わい

Reading: かれきもやまのにぎわい
Translation: Even dead trees give live to a mountain.
Meaning: A mountain with dead trees is better than a mountain with no trees at all. Basically, this proverb is saying: something of little value is still that much better than nothing at all.

23. 三度目の正直

Reading: さんどめのしょうじき
Translation: Third time’s a charm. (more literally: the third time is honest/for real)

24. 過ぎたるはなお及ばざるが如し

Reading: すぎたるはなおおよばざるがごとし
Translation: Too much of something is the same as not enough.
Meaning: Not doing enough and doing too much are both to be avoided.

25. 猿も木から落ちる

Reading: さるもきからおちる
Translation: Even monkeys fall from trees.
Meaning: Even the experts make mistakes sometimes.

26. 千里の道も一歩から

Reading: せんりのみちもいっぽから
Translation: Even a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
Note: A 里 (ri) is actually an old Japanese measurement of distance equal to roughly 4km (2.5 miles). However, if you’re in China then a 里 (li) is around 500 meters. And if you’re in Korea, it’s about 400 meters! …Thank God the world now uses the metric system! (…except of course for a certain country)

27. 蚤の夫婦

提灯 : a Japanese lantern (handheld style)

Reading: のみのふうふ
Translation: A married pair of fleas.
Meaning: A married couple in which the woman is taller or larger than the man.
Explanation: Female fleas are larger than male fleas.
Note: Usually the kanji for flea is not used, and it’s just written in the hiragana. But the kanji exists, so I am using it here. I like kanji.

28. 月夜に提灯

団子 : Skewered rice paste dumplings

Reading: つきよにちょうちん
Translation: A lantern in the moonlight.
Meaning: This proverb refers to something unnecessary or superfluous, because you don’t need to carry a lamp when the night is lit by a bright full moon.

29. 花より団子

Reading: はなよりだんご
Translation: Dumplings beat flowers.
Meaning: Utility over beauty. You can eat a dumpling, but a flower will serve no useful purpose.

のうあるたかはつめをかくす

Literally: An able hawk hides its talons.
Meaning: Don’t make known your true strength.
Note: a common mistake is to write 脳 instead of 能. The pronunciation is the same and the meaning still makes sense (it becomes “a smart hawk hides its talons”), but you should know that this is technically incorrect.

2. 魚心あれば水心

うおごころあればみずごころ

Equivalent: If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

3. 隣の花は赤い

となりのはなはあかい

Literally: The flowers next door are red
Equivalent: Grass is always greener on the other side.

4. 時は金なり

ときはかねなり

Literally: Time is money.
Note: 「なり」 is from classical Jap., modern form is 「です」

小判: An old Japanese coin, typically gold.

5. 猫に小判

ねこにこばん

Literally: Coins to a cat.
Equivalent: Pearls before swine.

6. ちりも積もれば山となる

ちりもつもればやまとなる

Literally: Even dust, if piled up, will become a mountain.
Meaning: Small steps, if built up over time, can lead to big results.
Note: This proverb is most often used to stress the benefits of saving money.

7. 石の上にも三年

いしのうえにもさんねん

Literally: 3 years on top of a rock.
Meaning: If you keep trying, eventually you’ll succeed.
Note: The legend behind this proverb is that if you sit on top of a (presumably large) rock for 3 years, the rock will finally become warm. Most Japanese don’t know this part and will be surprised if you do!

8. 雀の涙

すずめのなみだ

Literally: A sparrow’s tears.
Meaning:An extremely small amount of something.

9. 漁夫の利

ぎょふのり

Literally: The fisherman’s profit.
Meaning: While two people are preoccupied fighting, a third person makes gains.

10. 立つ鳥跡を濁さず

たつとりあとをにごさず

Literally: A bird takes flight, but the water is unstirred.
Meaning: When leaving some place, it’s best to leave everything in good order.

文殊菩薩: Manjusri, Bodisattva of Wisdom

11. 三人寄れば文殊の知恵

さんにんよればもんじゅのちえ

Literally: If three people gather, they have the wisdom of Manjusri.
Equivalent: Two heads are better than one
Note: Manjusri (文殊菩薩／もんじゅぼさつ） is the bodisattva associated with wisdom.

12. 知らぬが仏

しらぬがほとけ

Literally: Ignorance is bliss.
Note: 仏 by itself means the Buddah, but here it refers to the Buddah’s tranquil expression and demeanor.

文: An old Japanese coinage unit

13. 早起きは三文の得

はやおきはさんもんのとく

Literally: Early wakers profit 3-mon
Equivalent: The early bird gets the worm.
Note: a 文 (mon) is an old currency denomination. 3 of them would have been a very small amount of money.

Like these? Every day I post a new Japanese proverb on Twitter, so please follow me if you’re interested. At the end of every month I will recap the proverbs in a blog post.

All proverbs will be tweeted along with a pronunciation guide (in hiragana), and to help readers grasp the meaning I’ll offer either a direct translation, an explanation or an equivalent English proverb, or a combination of these as is appropriate for the particular proverb. If you have any questions you can always track me down on twitter or leave a comment here!

Finally, due to Twitter’s 140 character limit, there are times when I can’t quite explain everything there, so be sure to check the blog for more complete information.