Japanese proverbs
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Transcript of Japanese proverbs
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JapaneseProverbs
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Kotowaza 諺, ことわざ
● a short saying (言い習わし iinarawashi),● an idiomatic phrase (慣用句 kan'yōku), or● a four-character idiom (四字熟語 yojijukugo).
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UsageThe Japanese commonly use proverbs, often citing just the first part of common phrases for brevity. For example, one might say I no naka no kawazu (井の中の蛙 a frog in a well?) to refer to the proverb I no naka no kawazu, taikai o shirazu (井の中の蛙、大海を知らず a frog in a well cannot conceive of the ocean?). Whereas proverbs in English are typically multi-worded phrases ("kill two birds with one stone"), Japanese yojijyukugo (四字熟語?) borrows from Chinese and compactly conveys the concept in one word Isseki nichou (一石二鳥 one stone two birds?).
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OriginBecause traditional Japanese culture was tied to agriculture, many Japanese proverbs are derived from agricultural customs and practices. Some are from the Go game (e.g., fuseki o utsu 布石を打つ), the tea ceremony (e.g. ichi go ichi e 一期一会), and Buddhism. Many four-character idioms are from Chinese philosophy written in Classical Chinese, in particular "The Analects" by Confucius. (a frog in a well (井の中の蛙?) is Classical Chinese, from Zhuangzi.)
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Examples of Japanese proverbs 悪妻は百年の不作。 (Akusai wa hyaku-nen no fusaku) Literally: A bad wife spells a hundred years of bad harvest. Meaning: A bad wife is a ruin of her husband.
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残り物には福がある。 (Nokorimono ni wa fuku ga aru) Literally: Luck exists in the leftovers. Meaning: There is luck in the last helping.
虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。 (Koketsu ni irazunba koji wo ezu) Literally: If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub. Meaning: Nothing ventured, nothing gained. / You can't do anything without risking something.
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起死回生 (kishi kaisei) Literally: Wake from death and return to life Meaning: To come out of a desperate situation and make a complete return in one sudden burst.
自業自得 (Jigou Jitoku) Literally: One's Act, One's profit/Advantage. Meaning: That's what you get, Just desserts, You reap what you sow.
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Hotoke no kao mo san-do made.Even the Buddha's face, only until the third [slap], meaning even the most mild-mannered
person will lose his/her temper eventually.
End