Proverbs
Traditional sayings that express a lesson or a truth in a few words.
934 results
- 隣の糂粏味噌となりのじんだみそthe grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
- 浮世は夢うきよはゆめlife is but a dream, this too shall pass, everything is transient
- 人は死して名を留むひとはししてなをとどむhe has not lived that lives not after death, the great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it
- 地獄は壁一重じごくはかべひとえthe line between good and evil is no wider than a razor's edge
- 金の鎖も引けば切れるかねのくさりもひけばきれるeven the strong-willed fall into temptation, there's nothing you can't do if you set your mind to it
- がったり三両がったりさんりょうeven small mistakes can be costly
- 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
- 明鏡も裏を照らさずめいきょうもうらをてらさずanyone can make a mistake, even Homer nods
- 棒ほど願って針ほど叶うぼうほどねがってはりほどかなうyou can't always get what you want, man plans and God laughs, things don't always turn out the way you hope
- 人の花は赤いひとのはなはあかいthe grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
- 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
- 二人は伴侶、三人は仲間割れふたりははんりょ、さんにんはなかまわれtwo is a company, three is a crowd, one companion is better than two
- 鱧も一期、海老も一期はももいちご、えびもいちごall men are alike, all lives are alike, all men live and die, we all bleed the same
- 月満つれば則ち虧くつきみつればすなわちかくevery tide has its ebb
- 孔子の倒れくじのたおれanyone can make a mistake, even Homer nods
- 信心過ぎて極楽を通り越すしんじんすぎてごくらくをとおりこすfaith is best in moderation
- 信は荘厳より起こるしんはそうごんよりおこるfunction follows form, the outside shapes the inside
- 鳴く蝉よりも鳴かぬ蛍が身を焦がすなくせみよりもなかぬほたるがみをこがすempty vessels make the most noise
- 垣堅くして犬入らずかきかたくしていぬいらずa wholesome household can not be disturbed from the outside, a house divided against itself cannot stand
- 墨は餓鬼に磨らせ、筆は鬼に持たせよすみはがきにすらせ、ふではおににもたせよgrind your inkstick gently but move your brush vigorously
- 沈む瀬あれば浮かぶ瀬ありしずむせあればうかぶせありlife has its ups and downs, he who falls today may rise tomorrow
- 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努力を続ければ、やがて成功するというたとえ。
- 指汚しとて、切られもせずゆびきたなしとてきられもせずit's hard to cut one's ties to close relatives even if they are wicked
- 馬鹿は風邪を引かないばかはかぜをひかないstupid people don't catch colds
- 蟻の思いも天に届くありのおもいもてんにとどくyou can do anything if you set your mind to
- 朝に道を聞かば、夕べに死すとも可なりあしたにみちをきかば、ゆうべにしすともかなりif a man hears the Way in the morning, he may die in the evening without regret
- 一将功成りて万骨枯るいっしょうこうなりてばんこつかるthousands die to make one hero一人の将軍が功績を挙げる裏には、多くの兵士の犠牲がある。すなわち、功名は将軍だけにないと戒める言葉。
- 一将功成って万骨枯るいっしょうこうなってばんこつかるthousands die to make one hero
- 燕雀安んぞ鴻鵠の志を知らんやえんじゃくいずくんぞこうこくのこころざしをしらんやonly a hero can understand a hero
- 己に如かざる者を友とするなかれおのれにしかざるものをともとするなかれdo not befriend those beneath you
- 女賢しくて牛売り損なうおんなさかしくてうしうりそこなうeven a clever woman is bound to mess up, a woman's intelligence only goes so far, female sagacity overreaches itself
- 甘井先ず竭くかんせいまずつくthe flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long
- 愚公山を移すぐこうやまをうつすwhere there's a will, there's a way努力を続ければ、やがて成功するというたとえ。
- 君子は器ならずくんしはきならずa true gentleman is well-rounded
- 徳は孤ならず必ず隣ありとくはこならずかならずとなりありthe virtuous man will not long remain lonely
- 火のない所に煙は立たぬひのないところにけむりはたたぬthere's no smoke without fire
- 学びて思わざれば則ち罔しまなびておもわざればすなわちくらしto study and not think is a waste, learning without thinking is useless
- 目は心の窓めはこころのまどthe eyes are the windows to the soul, the eye is the lamp of the body
- 目は心の鏡めはこころのかがみthe eyes are the windows to the soul, the eye is the lamp of the body
- 安物は高物やすものはたか���のbuy nice or buy twice, you get what you pay for
- 病は口より入り禍は口より出ずやまいはくちよりいりわざわいはくちよりいずbe moderate with your mouth口は慎むべきというたとえ。
- 貧乏人の子沢山びんぼうにんのこだくさんpoor households have many children（元来の意味）貧乏人は、遊ぶ金もなく子作りに励むくらいしかないので、結果として、子沢山の幸せな環境に恵まれるものである。 （近年の用法）貧乏な世帯であるにもかかわらず、子が多く、生活に困窮する様。
- 貧乏子沢山びんぼうこだくさんpoor households have many children
- 親はなくとも子は育つおやはなくともこはそだつnature itself is a good mother
- 柳は緑、花は紅やなぎはみどり、はなはくれないnatural state, being unspoilt by human touch, spring is beautiful, things are different by nature
- 挨拶より円札あいさつよりえんさつmoney speaks louder than words, money is better than (empty) words言葉よりも金銭が望ましいという意味。拶と札をかけた洒落。
- 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
- 陰陽師身の上知らずおんようじみのうえしらずpeople don't know themselves as well as they know others, even if you know what will happen to others, you don't know what will happen to yourself他人の運命が分かるほどの人物であっても、自分自身の運命は分からないものであるということ。易者身の上知らずとも。
- 易者身の上知らずえきしゃみのうえしらずpeople don't know themselves as well as they know others, even if you know what will happen to others, you don't know what will happen to yourself
- 親の意見と茄子の花は千に一つも無駄はないおやのいけんとなすびのはなはせんにひとつもむだはないalways listen to your parents, always value your parents' advice
- 虎口を逃れて竜穴に入るここうをのがれてりゅうけつにいるout of the frying pan into the fire
- 養虎の患いようこのうれいrear a tiger and court disaster
- 養虎の患えようこのうれえrear a tiger and court disaster
- 腹八分目に医者いらずはらはちぶんめにいしゃいらずeating moderately keeps the doctor away
- 残り物に福があるのこりものにふくがあるthere is unexpected good in what others have left behind, last but not least人が取り残したものや、最後に残ったものの中には、思いがけず良いものがある。
- 地獄にも鬼ばかりではないじごくにもおにばかりではないyou can make friends anywhere
- 地獄にも知る人じごくにもしるひとyou can make friends anywhere
- 見るは法楽みるはほうらくseeing is enjoying, looking doesn't cost a thing
- 結果がすべてけっかがすべてonly the results matter, it's all about the results
- 煩悩の犬は追えども去らずぼんのうのいぬはおえどもさらずone cannot escape from one's worldly desires