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20 Japanese Proverbs (Kotowaza) With Meanings

Japanese proverbs, called kotowaza (ことわざ), are little compressed nuggets of wisdom that Japanese people actually use in everyday conversation. They can come from Chinese classical texts, Buddhist teachings, or just centuries of lived experience. Learning a few of these is a great way to understand how Japanese people think, and it will absolutely impress any native speaker when you drop one naturally.

What Is a Kotowaza?

The word ことわざ (kotowaza) literally combines 言 (koto, word/language) and 技 (waza, technique or skill). Proverbs are a language skill, and Japanese ones tend to be short, punchy, and packed with imagery. Many are four-character compounds called yojijukugo (四字熟語), borrowed and adapted from classical Chinese. Others are longer spoken phrases that have been passed down orally. You'll hear them in conversations, see them in manga, and find them in business contexts. They're very much a living part of the language.

Proverbs About Perseverance and Effort

Japanese culture places huge value on persistence and hard work. These proverbs reflect that mindset and show up constantly in schools, workplaces, and sports contexts.

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
七転び八起き	ななころびやおき	Nana korobi ya oki	Fall seven times, get up eight. (English equivalent: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.)
石の上にも三年	いしのうえにもさんねん	Ishi no ue ni mo san nen	Three years even on a stone. (Meaning: Patience and persistence will eventually pay off. Even a cold stone will warm up if you sit on it long enough.)
塵も積もれば山となる	ちりもつもればやまとなる	Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru	Even dust piled up becomes a mountain. (English equivalent: Every little bit adds up.)
千里の道も一歩から	せんりのみちもいっぽから	Senri no michi mo ippo kara	Even a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. (Similar to the Lao Tzu quote Westerners know.)
急いては事を仕損じる	いそいてはことをしそんじる	Isoite wa koto wo shisonjiru	Haste makes waste. (Literally: If you hurry, you'll mess things up.)

七転び八起きななころびやおき

Nana korobi ya okiFall seven times, get up eight. (English equivalent: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.)

石の上にも三年いしのうえにもさんねん

Ishi no ue ni mo san nenThree years even on a stone. (Meaning: Patience and persistence will eventually pay off. Even a cold stone will warm up if you sit on it long enough.)

塵も積もれば山となるちりもつもればやまとなる

Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naruEven dust piled up becomes a mountain. (English equivalent: Every little bit adds up.)

千里の道も一歩からせんりのみちもいっぽから

Senri no michi mo ippo karaEven a thousand-mile journey begins with a single step. (Similar to the Lao Tzu quote Westerners know.)

急いては事を仕損じるいそいてはことをしそんじる

Isoite wa koto wo shisonjiruHaste makes waste. (Literally: If you hurry, you'll mess things up.)

Proverbs About People and Relationships

Japanese has a lot to say about human nature and how people interact. Some of these are surprisingly blunt, others are more philosophical.

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
類は友を呼ぶ	るいはともをよぶ	Rui wa tomo wo yobu	Like attracts like. (Literally: Birds of a feather flock together.)
口は禍の門	くちはわざわいのかど	Kuchi wa wazawai no kado	The mouth is the gateway to misfortune. (Think before you speak.)
沈黙は金、雄弁は銀	ちんもくはきん、ゆうべんはぎん	Chinmoku wa kin, yuuben wa gin	Silence is gold, eloquence is silver. (Sometimes saying nothing is the wisest choice.)
出る杭は打たれる	でるくいはうたれる	Deru kui wa utareru	The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. (Standing out from the group invites criticism. Very culturally significant in Japan.)
隣の芝生は青い	となりのしばふはあおい	Tonari no shibafu wa aoi	The neighbor's lawn is greener. (The grass is always greener on the other side.)

類は友を呼ぶるいはともをよぶ

Rui wa tomo wo yobuLike attracts like. (Literally: Birds of a feather flock together.)

口は禍の門くちはわざわいのかど

Kuchi wa wazawai no kadoThe mouth is the gateway to misfortune. (Think before you speak.)

沈黙は金、雄弁は銀ちんもくはきん、ゆうべんはぎん

Chinmoku wa kin, yuuben wa ginSilence is gold, eloquence is silver. (Sometimes saying nothing is the wisest choice.)

出る杭は打たれるでるくいはうたれる

Deru kui wa utareruThe nail that sticks up gets hammered down. (Standing out from the group invites criticism. Very culturally significant in Japan.)

隣の芝生は青いとなりのしばふはあおい

Tonari no shibafu wa aoiThe neighbor's lawn is greener. (The grass is always greener on the other side.)

Proverbs About Life and Fate

These proverbs reflect a certain Japanese acceptance of life's unpredictability, often influenced by Buddhist ideas about impermanence.

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
花より団子	はなよりだんご	Hana yori dango	Dumplings over flowers. (Practicality over beauty. Preferring substance to aesthetics.)
一期一会	いちごいちえ	Ichi-go ichi-e	One time, one meeting. (Treasure every encounter, because it will never happen again exactly this way. A core concept in tea ceremony culture.)
諸行無常	しょぎょうむじょう	Shogyou mujou	All things are impermanent. (A Buddhist concept that nothing lasts forever.)
案ずるより産むが易し	あんずるよりうむがやすし	Anzuru yori umu ga yasushi	Giving birth is easier than worrying about it. (Don't overthink. Just do it.)
善は急げ	ぜんはいそげ	Zen wa isoge	Act quickly on good deeds. (Strike while the iron is hot, when it comes to doing something worthwhile.)

花より団子はなよりだんご

Hana yori dangoDumplings over flowers. (Practicality over beauty. Preferring substance to aesthetics.)

一期一会いちごいちえ

Ichi-go ichi-eOne time, one meeting. (Treasure every encounter, because it will never happen again exactly this way. A core concept in tea ceremony culture.)

諸行無常しょぎょうむじょう

Shogyou mujouAll things are impermanent. (A Buddhist concept that nothing lasts forever.)

案ずるより産むが易しあんずるよりうむがやすし

Anzuru yori umu ga yasushiGiving birth is easier than worrying about it. (Don't overthink. Just do it.)

善は急げぜんはいそげ

Zen wa isogeAct quickly on good deeds. (Strike while the iron is hot, when it comes to doing something worthwhile.)

Proverbs About Knowledge and Learning

Learning Japanese? These proverbs are practically about you.

Japanese	Reading	Romaji	English
習うより慣れろ	ならうよりなれろ	Narau yori narero	Learn by doing, not just studying. (Practice makes perfect.)
知らぬが仏	しらぬがほとけ	Shiranu ga hotoke	Not knowing is bliss. (Ignorance is bliss. Literally: Not knowing is the Buddha state.)
聞くは一時の恥、聞かぬは一生の恥	きくはいっときのはじ、きかぬはいっしょうのはじ	Kiku wa ittoki no haji, kikanu wa isshou no haji	Asking once is a moment's shame; not asking is a lifetime's shame. (Don't be afraid to ask questions.)
論より証拠	ろんよりしょうこ	Ron yori shouko	Evidence over argument. (Actions speak louder than words. Show, don't tell.)
备えあれば憂いなし	そなえあればうれいなし	Sonae areba urei nashi	Be prepared and you have nothing to worry about. (Equivalent to: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.)

習うより慣れろならうよりなれろ

Narau yori nareroLearn by doing, not just studying. (Practice makes perfect.)

知らぬが仏しらぬがほとけ

Shiranu ga hotokeNot knowing is bliss. (Ignorance is bliss. Literally: Not knowing is the Buddha state.)

聞くは一時の恥、聞かぬは一生の恥きくはいっときのはじ、きかぬはいっしょうのはじ

Kiku wa ittoki no haji, kikanu wa isshou no hajiAsking once is a moment's shame; not asking is a lifetime's shame. (Don't be afraid to ask questions.)

論より証拠ろんよりしょうこ

Ron yori shoukoEvidence over argument. (Actions speak louder than words. Show, don't tell.)

备えあれば憂いなしそなえあればうれいなし

Sonae areba urei nashiBe prepared and you have nothing to worry about. (Equivalent to: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.)

How to Use Kotowaza Naturally

The trick with proverbs is using them at the right moment, not just dropping them randomly. In Japanese, a well-timed kotowaza in a conversation signals that you're thoughtful and culturally fluent. Some like 七転び八起き are very commonly used and will land well in almost any motivational context. Others like 出る杭は打たれる are more nuanced and carry a bit of social commentary. Start with the ones that have direct English equivalents because you'll have a feel for when they apply. And don't be surprised if Japanese people light up when a learner uses one correctly. It's a genuine icebreaker.