Japan Proverbs (10)

Traditional proverbs of Japan in Khmer and English — each with its meaning and source.

猿も木から落ちる

“Even monkeys fall from trees.”

Even experts and masters of a skill sometimes make mistakes.

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Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition

七転び八起き

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”

No matter how many times you fail, keep getting back up and persevere.

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Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition

石の上にも三年

“Three years on a stone.”

Perseverance through hardship over time will eventually bring reward, just as sitting long enough warms even a cold stone.

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Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition

出る杭は打たれる

“The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.”

Those who stand out from the group or draw too much attention often face criticism or suppression.

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Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition

花より団子

“Dumplings over flowers.”

Practical substance is preferable to mere appearance or aesthetics.

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Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition

井の中の蛙大海を知らず

“A frog in a well does not know the great ocean.”

A person of limited experience judges the world by their narrow perspective, unaware of how vast it truly is.

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Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), derived from the Chinese classic Zhuangzi; public-domain oral tradition

覆水盆に返らず

“Spilt water will not return to the tray.”

What is done cannot be undone; some actions and their consequences are irreversible.

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Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition

十人十色

“Ten people, ten colors.”

Every person is different, with their own tastes, opinions, and ways of thinking.

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Source: Traditional Japanese four-character idiom (yojijukugo), public-domain oral tradition

継続は力なり

“Continuation is power.”

Steady, continued effort over time is itself a source of strength and eventual success.

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Source: Traditional Japanese saying (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition

案ずるより産むが易し

“Giving birth is easier than worrying about it.”

Things are often less difficult in practice than they seem when we fret about them beforehand.

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Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition