Japanese Sayings ⛩️🍣🍡 in 2024

Minu ga hana
”Not seeing is a flower.”

Mitsugo no tamashii hyaku made.
”The soul of a three year old until a hundred.”

Dōro-jō no yōkina nakama wa, shitsukoi no to onaji kurai yoidesu.
”A merry companion on the road is as good as a nag.”

Aite no nai kenka wa denkinu.
”One cannot quarrel without an opponent.”

Nou aru taka wa tsume wo kakusu.
”The hawk with talent hides its talons (The person who knows most often says least).”

Saisho ni dansei ga nomimono o nomi, tsugini nomimono ga nomimono o nomi, tsugini nomimono ga dansei o nomimasu.
”First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes the man.”

Saru mo ki kara ochiru
”Even monkeys fall from trees.”

Ippai-me wa hito sake o nomi, nihai-me wa sake sake o nomi, sanbai-me wa sake hito o nomu.
”With the first glass a man drinks wine, with the second glass the wine drinks the wine, with the third glass the wine drinks the man.”

Susumitsudukete sae ireba, osoku tomo kankei nai.
”It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

neko ni koban
”Gold coins to a cat.”

Mizukara boketsu o horu.
”To dig one’s grave”

Watashi no musuko wa, kare ga tsuma ni naru made wa watashi no musukodesuga, watashi no musume wa shōgai zutto watashi no musumedesu.
”My son is my son till he gets him a wife, but my daughter’s my daughter all the days of her life.”

Ame futte ji katamaru.
”Rained on ground hardens (Adversity builds character).”

Hotoke no kao mo san-do made.
”Even the Buddha’s face, only until the third [slap], meaning even the most mild-mannered person will lose his/her temper eventually.”

Fukushū no tabi ni deru mae ni, 2tsu no haka o hotte kudasai.
”Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”

Tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki
”There are even bugs that eat knotweed.”

Koji ma Oshi.
”Good things, many devils.”

Mezasubeki tokoro ni, chikamichi wa sonzai shinai.
”There are no short cuts to any place worth going.”