泣き面に蜂
“A bee stings the crying face.”
Misfortune often strikes again just when things are already going badly.
— Traditional Japan Wisdom, Japan
Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Japan
Even monkeys fall from trees.
Even experts and masters of a skill sometimes make mistakes.
Traditional Japan Wisdom
Read more →
Fall seven times, stand up eight.
No matter how many times you fail, keep getting back up and persevere.
Traditional Japan Wisdom
Read more →
Three years on a stone.
Perseverance through hardship over time will eventually bring reward, just as sitting long enough warms even a cold stone.
Traditional Japan Wisdom
Read more →
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.
Traditional Japan Wisdom
Read more →
Dumplings over flowers.
Practical substance is preferable to mere appearance or aesthetics.
Traditional Japan Wisdom
Read more →
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.
Traditional Japan Wisdom
Read more →