ことわざ 2/?
ことわざ are Japanese proverbs, and I have listed some basic proverbs, their equivalents in English, and a rough translation of the meanings of the Japanese phrase.
There is a test for ことわざ (of course there is) called the ことわざ能力検定 (ことわざのうりょくけんてい) and while mostly younger kids take it, there are some foreigners among the ranks. For the time being, try one or two of these out the next time you speak with a native Japanese speaker!
More ことわざ: 1
蛙の子は蛙
かえるのこはかえる
like father, like son
a frog's child is a frog
勝って兜の緒を締めよ
かってかぶとのおをしめよ
it's not over til the fat lady sings
tighten your helmet cord only after you have won
壁に耳あり障子に目あり
かべにみみありしょうじにめあり
the walls have ears
the walls have ears, the sliding doors have eyes
亀の甲より年の功
かめのこうよりとしのこう
with age comes wisdom
the wisdom of age lies beneath the turtle's shell
聞くは一時の恥じ聞かぬは一生の恥じ
きくはいっときのはじきかぬはいっしょうのはじ
the man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life
asking is a temporary embarrassment, not asking is a lifetime of shame
昨日の敵は今日の味方
きのうのてきはきょうのみかた
yesterday's enemy is today's friend
yesterday's enemy is today's ally
口は災いの元
くちはわざわいのもと
the mouth is the gateway of evil
one's mouth is often the source of their misfortune
苦は楽の元
くはらくのもと
no pain, no gain
hardship forms the base of future comfort
継続は力なり
けいぞくはちからなり
slow and steady wins the race
persistence becomes power
転ばぬ先の杖
ころばぬさきのつえ
better safe than sorry
a cane before you fall
転んでもただでは起きない
ころんでもただではおきない
when life gives you lemons, make lemonade
if you fall, don't get up empty-handed
五十歩百歩
ごじっぽひゃっぽ
six of one, half a dozen of the other
fifty steps, one hundred steps
