Words of wisdom – Proverbs

I often see proverbs and wonder where they come form. Sometimes if a see a new proverb I really have to think about what the underlying meaning is.

I was recently looking at some Japanese proverbs. Their meaning was not immediately clear to me but on reading the explanations I realised we have an equivalent sayings in English that have the same meaning but use different words to express it.

I found that kind of intriguing.

Many of the Japanese proverbs use, animal, nature and seasonal references. This could be seen in some of the equivalent English versions too.

Check out this Japanese proverbs and see if you can guess the meanings and come up with the English equivalent.

Proverb 1

虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。

Koketsu ni irazunba koji wo ezu

Literal Translation:  If you do not enter the tiger’s cave, you will not catch its cub.

 Meaning

English Equivalent

Proverb 2

自業自得。

Jigou Jitoku

Literal Translation: One’s Act, One’s profit/Advantage.

 Meaning 

English Equivalent

 

Proverb 3

晴天の霹靂

Seiten no heki-reki

Literal Translation: Thunderclap from a clear sky.

 Meaning 

English Equivalent

Proverb 4

猿も木から落ちる

Saru mo ki kara ochiru

Literal Translation: Even monkeys fall from trees

 Meaning 

English Equivalent

Proverb 5

蓼食う虫も好き好き

Tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki

Literal Translation: There are even bugs that eat knotweed.

 Meaning

English Equivalent

Proverb 6

我田引水

gaden insui

Literal Translation: pulling water to my own rice paddy

 Meaning 

English Equivalent

 

 

Proverb 7

十人十色

jūnin toiro

Literal Translation: Ten men, ten colours

 Meaning 

English Equivalent

Proverb 8

猫に小判

neko ni koban

Literal Translation: gold coins to a cat

 Meaning 

English Equivalent

I found these proverbs online and the credit for the literal translations and meanings has to go to http://www.linguanaut.com/japanese_sayings.htm

I hope you enjoyed them. Please feel free to let me know any equivalent proverbs in your country. shinepositivepower.wordpress.com of the the Philippines  shared this one as the equivalent of Proverb 6!– “Buhatin ang sariling bangko” – literal translation “Pulling up your own chair.”

So while I don’t want to “pull water to my own rice paddy” ” blow my own horn” or “pull up my own chair” I must say I had fun with this post!

Yoroshiku Onegai shimasu

Leanne

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