Japanese Proverbs

By Maki Hayasaka

“A flower doesn’t speak.”

Japan is famous for the beauty of its culture and the modest grace of its people. In this collection of nearly 700 traditional proverbs, the very best of Japanese wisdom is on display, offering poignant, shrewd, and timeless insights into the human condition. Each proverb is provided in its original language, with hiragana, rōmaji, and English translations to unpack the wording and interpretations as faithfully as possible. From love and fate to gender and spirituality, these age-old sayings cover every topic we face in life, with a humble, stoical, and nature-centered wit. For anyone with an interest in Japan, don’t miss out on this window into the cultural thoughts of its people, from ancient times to the present.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maki Hayasaka
• Release date: Oct 10, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463440735

Maki Hayasaka

Maki Hayasaka is a sociolinguist and has worked in Japanese studies for nearly two decades. Her focus as a language researcher has been on the relationship between English and Japanese, and how native speakers of one language can best learn the other.

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Japanese Proverbs

Maki Hayasaka

First published 2019

Publication © Rockwaller Books 2019

Text © Maki Hayasaka 2019

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Publisher: Rockwaller Books

Editor: Dane Wallace

Proofreader: Aika Shiraishi

Cover design: Emma Grey

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@RockwallerBooks

ISBN: 9780463440735

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Acknowledgments

This book wouldn’t have been possible

without the love and support of my partner

through life, Kimiko Nakamura.

Thank you for your words of encouragement

and wisdom. And also for the tea.

Contents

Introduction

Japanese Proverbs

Stay in Touch!

Books by the Author

Introduction

There are many different aspects and faces to Japanese culture, from the ultramodern and liberal to the intensely traditional and conservative. Its deeply entrenched customs have histories that often date back thousands of years and which have become part of the social and cultural consciousness of its people. Yet at the same time, many parts of its society—particularly in future-facing cities like Tokyo—are in a state of constant flux and progression. Cutting-edge fashion and surreal cosplay co-exist fluidly alongside traditional garments and festivals that still uphold and celebrate the age-old heart of Japan. All of this is what makes it such an intriguing country and culture to the rest of the world.

Naturally, at the center of every culture is language. How we speak and express ourselves is an essential part of who we are as people. It provides a window into our ways of thinking about life, from existential concerns like spirituality and philosophy, to social matters like love and gender. Language is important, and even while it changes with time to reflect certain ideological shifts or advances in society, it remains one of our greatest tools for recording, preserving, and sharing our history. It allows us to pass along the values and sentiments of one generation to the next, in an unbroken chain that stretches back for hundreds upon hundreds of years. There is nothing else quite like language, and seeing how it mirrors and embodies a country’s history, beliefs, and attitudes is endlessly fascinating.

Proverbs are perfect examples of this. Their pithy and often playful nature makes them easy to remember and fun to use. In fact, they just might be the most common and yet powerful time capsules we have, preserving and passing on ancient cultural views that still speak to us on a universal, human level—even if some of them raise a contemporary eyebrow or two (especially when it comes to some of Japan’s conservative views on gender).

For this collection of traditional proverbs, the aim has been to provide the reader with an accurate look at Japanese thought and values over the span of its country’s history. To this end, each proverb is detailed in multiple ways, beginning with its original kanji form, followed by hiragana, rōmaji, and direct English translations, with cultural notes supplied as needed. Since the context or original language of a proverb can be difficult to understand without a short history lesson, the intended meanings of any unclear sayings are also explained in greater detail when necessary. And if any Japanese proverb has an English equivalent, these are given to better illustrate its universal meaning and to show how even vastly different cultures can often have overlapping values, sentiments, and worldviews.

Whether or not you already have any knowledge of Japan or the Japanese language, I hope this journey through its traditional proverbs is illuminating for you, and I hope that it sheds a bit more light on this wonderfully complex and beautiful culture.

Japanese Proverbs

1.

笑う門には福来る。

わらうかどにはふくきたる。

Warau kado ni wa fuku kitaru.

Good fortune comes to the homes of those who laugh.

English equivalents: 1) Fortune comes in by a merry gate. 2) Laugh and be fat.

2.

石が流れて木の葉が沈む。

いしがながれてこのはがしずむ。

Ishi ga nagarete ko no ha ga shizumu.

Rocks will flow and leaves will sink.

Meaning: There are exceptions to every rule.

3.

逢うは別れの始め。

あうはわかれのはじめ。

Au wa wakare no hajime.

To meet is the beginning of parting.

Meaning: Life is transient and our time together is temporary.

4.

生酔い本性違わず。

なまよいほんしょうたがわず。

Namayoi honshou tagawazu.

One’s true character is no different when tipsy.

English equivalent: In wine there is truth.

5.

餠は餠屋。

もちはもちや。

Mochi wa mochiya.

For mochi [sticky rice cakes], visit a mochi shop.

Meaning: For the best results, seek out someone who specializes in that particular thing.

English equivalent: Every man knows his own business best.

6.

男心と秋の空。

おとこごころとあきのそら。

Otokogokoro to aki no sora.

A man’s heart and an autumn sky.

English equivalent: A man’s heart is as fickle as an autumn sky.

7.

井蛙は以って海を語る可からず。

せいあはもってうみをかたるべからず。

Seia wa motte umi wo kataru bekarazu.

A frog in a well should not speak [knowingly] about the ocean.

Meaning: A narrow-minded person shouldn’t presume to understand the wider world, because their own view is highly limited.

English equivalent: He that stays in the valley shall never get over the hill.

8. Variation

井の中の蛙大海を知らず。

いのなかのかわずたいかいをしらず。

I no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu.

A frog in the well doesn’t know the ocean.

Meaning: People should seek a broader perspective or their understanding will be limited.

English equivalent: He that stays in the valley shall never get over the hill.

9.

青は藍より出でて藍より青し。

あおはあいよりいでてあいよりあおし。

Ao wa ai yori idete ai yori aoshi.

Blue comes from indigo but is bluer than indigo.

Meaning: Blue dye is made from the indigo plant and is ultimately a deeper blue than indigo. Similarly, each generation should surpass the previous one, such as a student surpassing their teacher, or a child surpassing their parents.

English equivalent: The student has become the master.

10.

甘言は偶人を喜ばす。

かんげんはぐうじんをよろこばす。

Kangen wa guujin wo yorokobasu.

Cajolery pleases puppets and dolls.

Meaning: Flattery only pleases a fool.

11.

明けない夜はない。

あけないよるはない。

Akenai yoru