光陰矢の如し
“Time flies like an arrow.”
Time passes swiftly and does not wait for anyone, so it should not be wasted.
— Traditional Japan Wisdom, Japan
Source: Traditional Japanese proverb (kotowaza), rooted in classical Chinese poetic tradition; public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Japan
Even monkeys fall from trees.
Even experts and masters of a skill sometimes make mistakes.
Fall seven times, stand up eight.
No matter how many times you fail, keep getting back up and persevere.
Three years on a stone.
Perseverance through hardship over time will eventually bring reward, just as sitting long enough warms even a cold stone.
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.
Dumplings over flowers.
Practical substance is preferable to mere appearance or aesthetics.
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.