Japanese Proverbs : Japanese Proverbs Quotes : Today We are share with you Top Japanese Proverbs Quotes for Life. Japanese Proverbs Quotes help you to increase motivation in your life and these quote can boost your inner power to do work in best manner. Japanese Proverbs Quotes all are the top collection from the internet. These Japanese Proverbs Quotes are all suitable for man, women, kids and youth they can read our Japanese Proverbs Quotes and share through social media to spread positive feeling towards their family and friend.

Japanese Proverbs Quotes help you to be motivated and dedicated towards your work it doesn’t matter what work you do if you are doing job, study and business they all wishes are suitable for anyone who want to be motivated and dedicated towards their work.

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So Let’s read to be motivated through Top Japanese Proverbs Quotes..

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Japanese Proverbs

木の実は元へ落つる Kino mi-wa moto-he otsuru.
Translation: The fruit of a tree falls to its root.
English equivalent: The apple does not fall far from the tree.
Meaning: “Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents.”

乗りかかった船
English equivalent: In for a penny, in for a pound.

愚公山を移す
Translation: Faith can move mountains.
Meaning: “Nothing is impossible to those who have sufficient faith; applied not only to religious faith, but to any strong belief in a cause or objective.”.

ごまめの歯ぎしり (ごまめのはぎしり)
Literal translation: Little fish grinding their teeth
Meaning: Something trivial and of no consequence. When tiny fish grind their teeth, it has little to no effect.
English equivalent: A whisper in the wind. To have bigger fish to fry.

月とすっぽん (つきとすっぽん)
Literal translation: The moon and a soft-shell turtle.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom expresses the idea that some things can be superficially similar, but completely different. The moon and a turtle shell are both round, but they are otherwise completely different – like the difference between heaven and hell.
English equivalent: Apples and oranges. Night and day. Like chalk and cheese.

イタチの最後っ屁 (いたちのさいごっぺ)
Literal translation: The final fart of a weasel.
Meaning: The last thing you do or an emergency measure taken when cornered.
English equivalent: Last resort. Final measure. One last push. Last ditch effort.

寿司詰め (すしづめ)
Literal translation: Packed like sushi.
Meaning: To be squeezed together tightly in a small space.
English equivalent: Packed like sardines.

朝飯前 (あさめしまえ)
Literal translation: Before the morning meal.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom means that something is so easy it can be done before breakfast.
English equivalent: A piece of cake. Easy peasy (lemon squeezy).

窓際族 (まどぎわぞく)
Literal translation: The window tribe.
Meaning: Employees who have been promoted above their peers and now have a window-side desk instead of their own office like those in more senior managerial positions.
English equivalent: Suits. Drones. Seat warmers.

地獄に仏 (じごくにほとけ)
Literal translation: My Buddha in hell.
Meaning: Meeting a savior like Buddha in a harsh situation like hell. When someones offers to help you when you’re in a bad situation.
English equivalent: A saving grace. My light in a dark place. Personal Jesus.

酒は本心を表す
Sake-wa honshin-wo arawasu..
Translation: Sake [in other words alcohol], reveals the true heart.
English equivalent: In wine there is truth.
Meaning: “Alcohol consumed removes the inhibition against telling the truth that occasionally one would like to keep secret.”

石の上にも三年 ishi no ue nimo san nen
Translation: Three years on the rock.
Meaning: It takes a long time sitting on a stone before it becomes warm. Expect to work at something for three years before you see results.

盲衆を引く
Translation and English equivalent: If the blind leads the blind, they both fall into the ditch.
Meaning: “A person ignorant/inexperienced in something cannot assist someone similar.”

出る杭は打たれる。Deru kui wa utareru.
Translation: The stake that sticks out gets hammered down.

小打も積もれば大木を倒す Shōda mo tsumoreba taiboku-wo taosu.
Translation: With many little strokes a large tree is felled.
English equivalent: Little strokes fell great oaks.
Meaning: “A difficult task, e. g. removing a person/group from a strong position, or changing established ideas cannot be done quickly. It can be achieved gradually, by small steps, a little at a time.”

水に流す mizu ni nagasu
Translation: let flow in the water
Meaning: Forgive and forget; water under the bridge

Literal translation: Ten men, ten colours
Meaning: People have different tastes and preferences and are free to like different things
English equivalent: To each his own. Different strokes for different folks.

起死回生 (きしかいせい) – Kishikaisei
Literal translation: Wake from death and return to life. Resuscitation.
Meaning: To turn a negative situation into a positive one.
English equivalent: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Make the best of a bad situation. Every cloud has a silver lining.

我田引水
Literal translation: Drawing water to one’s own rice paddy fields.
Meaning: To do or say something for your own benefit.
English equivalent: Take advantage of.

悪因悪果
Literal translation: Evil cause, evil effect.
Meaning: Similar to 自業自得 that “you will reap what you sow.” This Japanese proverb suggests a karmic intervention.
English equivalent: You get what you deserve.

見ぬが花
Literal translation: Not seeing is a flower.
Meaning: Things often look more beautiful in your imagination than in reality. In Japan, flowers are used to represent imagination, beauty, and oftentimes politeness.
English equivalent: Reality can’t compete with the imagination. Prospect is often better than possession.

弱肉強食
Literal translation: The weak are meat; the strong eat.
Meaning: The most able or fit are the ones who survive.
English equivalent: Survival of the fittest. Law of the jungle.

海千山千
Literal translation: Ocean thousand, mountain thousand.
Meaning: Someone who’s had a lot of experience and can handle any situation. They are usually exceptionally clever, cunning, or shrewd, especially in devious or underhanded ways.
English equivalent: A sly old fox. Sly old dog. Old fox.

酔生夢死
Literal translation: Drunken life, dreamy death.
Meaning: To spend all your time daydreaming without accomplishing anything.
English equivalent: To have your head in the clouds.

内弁慶 (うちべんけい)
Literal translation: A warlord at home.
Meaning: Someone haughty and boastful when at home but meek and reserved elsewhere.
English equivalent: A man who is a lion at home and a mouse abroad. All bark and no bite.

ちゃんぽん
Literal translation: Ching-boom. Champon (dish of noodles, seafood, vegetables from Nagasaki)
Meaning: Mixing things that are normally should be kept separate.
English equivalent: Mish-mash.

暖簾に腕押し (のれんにうでおし)
Literal translation: Pushing shop curtains with arms.
Meaning: To exaggerate the importance of something trivial. Something not worth doing and considered a waste of effort.
English equivalent: Make a mountain out of a molehill. Haste makes waste. P**sing in the wind.

小便横町 (しょうべんよこちょう/しょんべんよこちょう)
Literal translation: Urine alleys/streets.
Meaning: Narrow alleyways that are dirty and smelly.
English equivalent: Back alleys. P**s alley.

出る杭は打たれる (でるくいはうたれる)
Literal translation: The nail that sticks up will be hammered down.
Meaning: By standing out and excel at something, you become disliked and invite criticism, so the best policy is to keep your head down.
English equivalent: Tall trees catch much wind. Tall-poppy syndrome.

鯛も一人はうまからず (たいもひとりはうまからず)
Literal translation: Eaten alone, even sea bream loses its flavour.
Meaning: Meals are only delicious when you eat them with someone. In Japanese culture, a lot of pleasure is felt when sharing a meal with loved ones.

腹八分に医者いらず (はらはちぶにいしゃいらず)
Literal translation: Eight-tenths full, keeps the doctor away.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom states that you should eat in moderation until your 80% full so you stay in good health and avoid having to take a trip to the doctor.
English equivalent: Everything in moderation. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

明日のことを言うと天井のネズミが笑う (あしたのことをいうとてんじょうのねずみがわらう)
Literal translation: The mouse on the ceiling laughs when I say tomorrow.
Meaning: You can’t predict the future.
English equivalent: We make our plans, and God laughs.

期一会 (いちごいちえ)
Literal translation: One life, one encounter.
Meaning: This Japanese proverb means that each and every moment is a once-in-a-lifetime encounter that should be cherished because you’ll only experience it once.
English equivalent: Seize the day. You only live once.

異体同心 (いたいどうしん)
Literal translation: Different body, same mind. Two bodies, one heart.
Meaning: Refers to like-minded people who share similar interest and/ or beliefs.
English equivalent: Brother from another mother. Kindred spirits. Soul mates.

羊頭狗肉
Literal translation: Sheep head, dog meat.
Meaning: When something has been misrepresented on purpose.
English equivalent: Crying wine and selling vinegar. False advertising.

会者定離
Literal translation: People meet, always part.
Meaning: This idea comes from Buddhism, that every human relationship will end someday due to the transient nature of life.
English equivalent: Those who meet must part. All good things must end.

美人薄命
Literal translation: Beautiful person, thin life.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom expresses the idea that beauty and long life seldom go together.
English equivalent: Beauty fades.

負けるが勝ち – Makeru ga kachi
Literal translation: To lose means to win.
Meaning: The idea that sometimes it’s best not to engage in combat or conflict and to save your energy for more important things.
English equivalent: Better to bend than break. Agree to disagree. Live to fight another day.

虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。
Literal translation: If you do not enter the tiger’s cave, you won’t catch its cub.
Meaning: You won’t achieve anything unless you take risks.
English equivalent: Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Fortune favours the bold.

猿も木から落ちる。- Saru mo ki kara ochiru
Literal translation: Even monkeys fall from trees.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom means that we all make mistakes but that’s no big deal. It’s just life’s way of teaching us a lesson that we learn from.
English equivalent: Everyone makes mistakes.

口が軽い – Kuchi ga karui
Literal translation: A light mouth.
Meaning: Someone who can’t keep a secret.
English equivalent: Blabbermouth. Gossip. Loose-lipped. Tattletale. Bigmouth.

のどから手が出る – Nodo kara te ga deru
Literal translation: Get out of your throat.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom means to desperately desire something.
English equivalent: To want something desperately you can taste it. To kill for.

大目玉を食らう – Omedama wo kurau
Literal translation: Eat a big eyeball.
Meaning: To be rebuked or severely scolded.
English equivalent: To be chewed out. To dress down.

手を抜く – Te o nuku
Literal translation: To pull a hand.
Meaning: To do a poor or substandard job.
English equivalent: Cut corners. Phone it in. To do a shoddy job.

雨が降ろうと、槍が降ろうと (あめがふろうと、やりがふろうと)
Literal translation: Even if rain or spears are falling.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom states that no matter what happens, or however difficult something may be, it will definitely happen or be done.
English equivalent: Come hell or high water.

砂を噛むよう (すなをかむよう)
Literal translation: Like chewing on sand.
Meaning: When something is dull, tedious, or uninteresting.
English equivalent: Dry as dust. Mind-numbing. Bored to death.

猫も杓子も (ねこもしゃくしも)
Literal translation: Even cats and rice ladles.
Meaning: A lot of people.
English equivalent: Every Tom, Dick and Harry. Every man and his dog.

蓼食う虫も好き好き
Literal translation: There are even bugs that eat knotweed.
Meaning: The idea that different people like different things, which you don’t necessarily agree with or understand. The Japanese knotweed is referenced here as one such example since it’s one of the world’s fastest-spreading species.
English equivalent: Every worm to his taste; some prefer to eat nettles. There’s no accounting for taste. Every man to his taste.

蛙の子は蛙。
Literal translation: Child of a frog is a frog.
Meaning: The idea that a child will usually share the same character or similar qualities to his or her parents.
English equivalent: Like father, like son. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

覆水盆に帰らず。
Literal translation: Spilt water will not return to the tray.
Meaning: The idea that what is done cannot be undone.
English equivalent: No use crying over spilled milk. It is what it is.

知らぬが仏 – Shiranugahotoke
Literal translation: Not knowing is Buddha.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom expresses the idea that you can keep your mind at peace, like Buddha, if you don’t know or expose yourself to anything negative.
English equivalent: Ignorance is bliss. What you don’t know can’t hurt you.

猫に小判 (ねこにこばん)
Literal translation: Gold coins to a cat. A koban to a cat. (A koban is a golden coin that was used hundreds of years ago in Japan.)
Meaning: To give something valuable to someone who does not understand its value. This expression can also be used to describe someone who owns or wears things that don’t really suit them.
English equivalent: To cast pearls before swine.

井の中の蛙、大海を知らず – I no naka no kawazu, taikai wo sirazu
Literal translation: A frog in a well does not know the great sea.
Meaning: Someone who is powerful or important but only within a small group of people. This famous Japanese idiom comes from a short tale about a frog who was born and lived in a well. The frog was proud that he was the biggest creature in the well and believed he was invincible. When we decided to leave the well, he ended up in the ocean and soon realized he wasn’t so big, special or invincible after all.
English equivalent: Big fish in a small pond.

Literal translation: One stone two birds.
Meaning: To complete a task or solve two problems with one action or solution.
English equivalent: Kill two birds with one stone.

頭に来る – Atama ni kuru
Literal translation: Come to mind, come to a head.
Meaning: This Japanese idiom means to get angry or mad.
English equivalent: Come to a head. Reach a boiling/breaking point. Lose one’s cool.

会わせる顔がない – Awa seru kao ga nai
Literal translation: I have no face to meet.
Meaning: To be so ashamed or embarrassed that you won’t meet with others so as to avoid further embarrassment.
English equivalent: Ashamed to go out in public. Save face.

早い者勝ち
English equivalent: First come, first served.
Meaning: “Those who arrive or apply earliest are most likely to get what they want from a limited supply of things, such as tickets, discounted goods or refreshments.”

立つ鳥跡を濁さず Tatsu tori ato-wo nigosazu.
Translation: A foolish bird fouls her own nest.
English equivalent: It is an ill bird that fouls its own nest; Don’t wash your dirty linen in public.
Meaning: “Why wantonly proclaim one’s own disgrace, or expose the faults or weaknesses of one’s kindred or people?”

鳥なき里の蝙蝠
Tori naki sato no koumori.
Translation: Bat in island without birds.
English equivalent: In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
Meaning: “People of only limited ability can succeed when surrounded by those who are even less able than themselves.” Reportedly used by Oda Nobunaga to refer to Chōsokabe Motochika.