Japanese proverbs and sayings, known as “kotowaza” in Japanese, are an integral part of the culture and language.
These short phrases encapsulate the wisdom and values of the Japanese people, and often offer insight into their way of thinking.
Many of these proverbs and sayings have been passed down for centuries, and are still used in modern-day Japan.
They are often used in conversation, literature, and even in business. Learning these proverbs and sayings can not only help you better understand Japanese culture but can also add depth and flavour to your own language skills.
In this blog post, we will explore some of the most popular and enduring Japanese proverbs and sayings, and delve into their meanings and origins.
Best Japanese Quotes
Who chases two rabbit catches neither
Love without friendship is like a shadow without the sun
Fall down seven times get up eight
Good medicine is bitter to the mouth
One who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger
It is the same life whether we spend it laughing or crying
The bamboo that bends is more durable than the oak that resists
A frog in a well does not know the vast ocean
If you love your son let him go travel
Love and a cough cannot be hidden
The deepest rivers flow slowly
The prime of your life does not come twice
If you believe everything you read you, shouldn’t read
A broken mirror cannot be made to shine.
Money grows on the tree of persistence
In wealth many friends in poverty not even relatives
One kind word can warm three winter months
Even a fall has at least one talent
Nothing is more expensive than what is free
The tongue is but three inches long yet it can kill a man six feet high
Never trust a beautiful morning and your mother-in-law smile
Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still
The face becomes a mirror of the soul
The good fellow to everyone is a good friend to no one
Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves
The early one wins
The wise man does not lose his path, the brave one does not grow fearful
It is because of falls that wise men can stand out
Fear is only as deep as the mind allows
Our strengths are our weaknesses
Sake reveals the real heart
You don’t have to die heaven and hell are in this world too
A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials
Wise Japanese Sayings
All married women are not wives
Always depend on your walking stick, not on other people
When one’s character is unclear to you, look over to his friends
Half an hour in a spring night is as valuable as 100 gold coins
Drunken life, dreamy death
We must never forget the explorer’s spirit
The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour
Sometimes you must use poison to deal with poison
Experience is an expensive school, but a fool will learn from no other
There are old men of three years old and children of a hundred
Nothing is more expensive than free
Friends are known first in hardships
What you don’t sweat out when you’re young will turn into tears when you’re old
In the eyes of a lover a pock-marked face is one with pretty dimples
Knowing how to do a lot means not knowing how to do anything
Unless he dies a fool may not be cured
When you have completed 95 of your journey, you are halfway there
Short Japanese Quotes
Men and women are never placed too far apart to be near
Wherever you live you come to love it
Spilled water will not return to the tray
The day you decide to do it is your lucky day
Cold tea and cold rice are bearable, but cold looks and cold words are not
When someone offends you, you haven’t given him enough love
Between a wife and a mistress, a man always chooses freedom
There is no need to bait the fish you’ve already caught
We’re fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance
Concentrate on the first steps rather than the entire journey
Victory belongs to those who wait half an hour longer than their opponent
When you do something wholeheartedly, you do not need helpers
Who travels for love finds a thousand miles not longer than one
We learn little from victory much from defeat
After three years, useless things are useful too
