Japanese Proverbs

The Japanese language is filled with proverbs of all sorts, many from classical references from ancient Chinese to modern versions of English proverbs, all used in every aspect of the language. Whether you are traveling to Japan for fun or on business, or are living there, you'll find proverbs indispensible to understanding and using the daily language. Browse below to find the ones you want or simply explore the many possible ways to express yourself in Japanese.

あ い う え お か き く け こ さ し す せ そ た ち つ て と な に
ぬ ね の は ひ ふ へ ほ ま み む め も や ゆ よ ら り る れ ろ わ

猫が顔を洗うと雨が降る
[ねこがかおをあらうとあめがふる, neko ga kao o arau to ame ga furu] when a cat washes its face, it will rain

猫に鰹節を預けるよう
[ねこにかつおぶしをあずけるよう, neko ni katsuobushi o azukeru you] like having a cat guard dried bonito; like letting the fox guard the henhouse

猫に冠袋をかぶせたよう
[ねこにかんぶくろをかぶせたよう, neko ni kanbukuro o kabuseta you] be suspicious and afraid, to (lit:. like a cat with its head covered in a paper bag)

猫に小判
[ねこにこばん, neko ni koban] pearls before swine (lit.: gold coins [koban] before cats; n.b.: cats were not much appreciated in pre-modern Japan).

猫に念仏、馬に銭
[ねこにねんぶつ、うまにぜに, neko ni nenbutsu, uma ni zeni] Buddhist prayers to a cat, money to a horse (useless, wasted effort)

猫の手も借りたい
[ねこのてもかりたい, neko no te mo karitai] be very busy

猫よりましだ
[ねこよりましだ, neko yori mashi da] it’s better than nothing (lit.: it’s better than a cat)

猫をかぶる
[ねこをかぶる, neko o kaburu] put on a show, to; to fake

猫を殺せば七代たたる
[ねこをころせばしちだいたたる, neko o koroseba, shichidai tataru] kill a cat and it will haunt you and your family for seven generations

捻り釜に捻り蓋
[ねじりがまにねじりぶた, nejirigama ni nejiributa] like goes with like (lit.: a crooked top on a crooked kettle)

熱しやすいものは冷えやすし
[ねっしやすいものはへいやすい, nesshi yasui mono wa heiyasui] soon hot, soon cold (lit.: what is easily heated is easily chilled; n.b.: this applies to people, including romance, and things)

寝て間は極楽
[ねてまはごくらく, nete ma wa gokuraku] the time of sleep is paradise (i.e.: the time when we are awake is difficult, even hellish)

念には念を入れ
[ねんにはねんをいれ, nen niwa nen o ire] one cannot be too careful

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Japanese Proverbs

あ い う え お か き く け こ さ し す せ そ た ち つ て と な に
ぬ ね の は ひ ふ へ ほ ま み む め も や ゆ よ ら り る れ ろ わ

Home Languages Articles Links Downloads About Contact

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Search

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Japanese Proverbs

あ い う え お か き く け こ さ し す せ そ た ち つ て と な に ぬ ね の は ひ ふ へ ほ ま み む め も や ゆ よ ら り る れ ろ わ

あいうえおかきくけこさしすせそたちつてとなに
ぬねのはひふへほまみむめもやゆよらりるれろわ