Experiences – Life – Inspiration 🇨🇭🇯🇵

As a polyglot, I know many Dutch, English, and German sayings, but I’m not familiar with any Japanese ones. I decided to look up a few to compare them with English sayings and understand their meanings. Here are 13 Japanese sayings.

1. 塵も積もれば山となる (Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru)

• Literal Translation: “Even dust, when piled up, can become a mountain.”
• Meaning: Small efforts or things, when accumulated over time, can lead to significant results. This is akin to the English saying “Every little helps” or “Many a little makes a mickle.”

2. 猿も木から落ちる (Saru mo ki kara ochiru)

• Literal Translation: “Even monkeys fall from trees.”
• Meaning: Even experts make mistakes. Similar to “Even Homer nods” or “Nobody’s perfect.”

3. 花より団子 (Hana yori dango)

• Literal Translation: “Dumplings over flowers.”
• Meaning: Practicality over aesthetics, prioritizing substance over style. Similar to “Bread is better than the song of many birds” in English.

4. 目から鱗 (Me kara uroko)

• Literal Translation: “Scales falling from one’s eyes.”
• Meaning: A moment of realization or enlightenment, similar to “A light bulb moment” or “Seeing the light.”

5. 井の中の蛙大海を知らず (I no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu)

• Literal Translation: “The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean.”
• Meaning: Limited perspective or ignorance of broader experiences. Comparable to “A big fish in a small pond” in English.

6. 石の上にも三年 (Ishi no ue ni mo san nen)

• Literal Translation: “Even on a stone, for three years.”
• Meaning: Persistence and dedication, similar to “Rome wasn’t built in a day” in English.

7. 馬耳東風 (Ba ji tou fu)

• Literal Translation: “Horse’s ears, east wind.”
• Meaning: Ignoring advice or turning a deaf ear, akin to “Water off a duck’s back” or “Falling on deaf ears.”

8. 猫の額 (Neko no hitai)

• Literal Translation: “Cat’s forehead.”
• Meaning: Describing a very small space or a tiny area, like “A postage stamp” in English.

9. 出る釘は打たれる (Deru kugi wa utareru)

• Literal Translation: “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.”
• Meaning: Conforming to societal norms or the consequences of standing out, similar to “The squeaky wheel gets the grease” in English.

10. 二度あることは三度ある (Nido aru koto wa sando aru)

• Literal Translation: “If something happens twice, it will happen a third time.”
• Meaning: Repeated occurrences or patterns, similar to “Once bitten, twice shy” in English.

11. 蓼食う虫も好き好き (Tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki)

• Literal Translation: “Even bugs that eat smartweed have preferences.”
• Meaning: Different strokes for different folks, emphasizing personal preferences, similar to “To each his own” in English.

12. 瓜の蔓に茄子はならぬ (Uri no tsuru ni nasu wa naranu)

• Literal Translation: “Eggplants don’t grow on melon vines.”
• Meaning: Things don’t happen out of their natural order or expectations. Comparable to “Apples don’t fall far from the tree” in English.

13. 門前の小僧習わぬ経を読む (Monzen no kozō naranu kyō o yomu)

• Literal Translation: “The little monk outside the gate recites the scriptures he hasn’t learned.”
• Meaning: Speaking authoritatively about something one knows little about, similar to “The empty vessel makes the loudest sound” in English.

These sayings reflect the values and philosophies embedded in Japanese culture, often emphasizing patience, perseverance, humility, and practicality.

What are your thoughts on these Japanese sayings?

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