Wise Japanese Proverbs and Sayings

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

Share on:

Latest Posts

Let's Be Friends 🤘

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.