Japanese proverbs
Kotowaza
A Japanese proverb (ことわざ kotowaza) may take the form of:
- a short saying (言い習わし īnarawashi),
- an idiomatic phrase (慣用句 kan'yōku), or
- a four-character idiom (四字熟語 yojijukugo).
Although "proverb" and "saying" are practically synonymous, the same cannot be said about "idiomatic phrase" and "four-character idiom". Not all kan'yōku and yojijukugo are proverbial. For instance, the kan'yōku 狐の嫁入り kitsune no yomeiri (Literally: a fox's wedding. Meaning: a sun-shower) and the yojijukugo 小春日和 koharubiyori (Literally: small spring weather. Meaning: warm spring-like weather in early winter) are not proverbs. To be considered a proverb, a word or phrase must express a common truth or wisdom; it cannot be a mere noun.
The Japanese love proverbs and use them frequently in their everyday life, often citing just the first part of a well-known phrase in an effort to be brief. For example, one might say Inonakano kawazu 井の中の蛙 to refer to the proverb Inonakano kawazu taikai wo shirazu 井の中の蛙、大海を知らず.
Because 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 wo utu 布石を打つ) and Buddhism and many four-character idioms are from Chinese philosophy, in particular "The Analects" by Confucius.
The heavy employment of proverbs enables Japanese language to be compact, quick and simple. Evidence might be found in Japanese animation and manga, but also appears in news and cultural programs, and in much fiction.
A list of Japanese proverbs can be found at Wikiquote:Japanese proverbs.
Examples of Japanese proverbs
Sayings
- 案ずるより産むが易し。
- Anzuru yori umu ga yasushi.
- Literally: Giving birth to a baby is easier than worrying about it.
- Meaning: Fear is greater than the danger. / An attempt is sometimes easier than expected.
- 出る釘は打たれる。
- Deru kugi wa utareru.
- Literally: The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
- Meaning: The nonconformist will be pounded down. / Don't make waves.
Idiomatic phrases
- 猫に小判 neko ni koban
- Literally: gold coins to a cat
- Meaning: casting pearls before swine / Giving something of value to a recipient that does not value it
- 七転び八起き nanakorobi yaoki
- Literally: stumbling seven times but recovering eight
- Meaning: Bouncing back up as often as Fortune knocks one down
- 猿も木から落ちる Saru mo ki kara ochiru
- Literally: Even monkeys fall from trees
- Meaning: Anyone can make a mistake.
Four-character idioms
- 十人十色 jūnin toiro
- Literally: ten persons, ten colors
- Meaning: To each his/her own. / Different strokes for different folks.
- 悪因悪果 akuin akka
- Literally: evil cause, evil effect
- Meaning: Sow evil and reap evil. / The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. / You reap what you saw
See also
External links
- Japanese Language Kotowaza - proverbs & sayings
- Words of Wisdom OK312 「英⇔日」対照・名言ことわざ辞典
- Nihon no Kotowaza
- Kotowaza On-Line
- 日本の諺３００選 ("Best 300 Japanese proverbs")
- ことわざ辞典 (in Japanese)
- Japanese Kotowaza (in Japanese and
English (both literal translation and English equivalents), with expanations of meaning and history).