Japanese proverbs Quotes

“二兎を追う者は一兎も得ず
• Nito-o ou mono wa itto mo ezu.”

“井の中の蛙大海を知らず
• I no naka no kawazu taikai-o shirazu.”

“竜頭蛇尾
• Ryuto-dabi
• Translation: A dragon's head, a serpent's tail.”

“Japanese / English / Dutch v.v. Proverb dictionary”

“Wikipedia: Japanese proverbs”

“継続は力なり
• Keizoku wa chikara nari.
• Translation: To continue is power.”

“一寸先は闇
• Issun saki wa yami.
• Translation: It is dark one inch ahead of you.”

“鳥なき里の蝙蝠
• Tori naki sato no koumori.
• Translation: A bat in a village without birds.”

“出る釘は打たれる
• Deru kugi wa utareru.
• Translation: The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.”

“猿も木から落ちる
• Saru mo ki kara ochiru.
• English equivalent: It is a good horse that never stumbles.”

“角を矯めて牛を殺す
• Tsuno-o tamete ushi-o korosu.
• Translation: To kill a bull by straightening its horns.”

“義は険しい山よりも重く、死は大鳥の羽よりも軽い
• Duty is weightier than a mountain, while death is lighter than a feather.”

“目は口ほどに物を言う
• Me-wa kuchi hodo mono-o iu.
• English equivalent: The eyes are sometimes a true index of the heart.”

“亀の甲より年の功
• Kame no kou yori toshi no kou.
• Translation: Wisdom gotten from age is better than the shell of a tortoise.”

“良薬口に苦し
• Ryooyaku Kuchi ni Nigashi.
• Translation: Good medicine is bitter to the mouth.
• English equivalent: The truth hurts.”

“乗りかかった船
• Nori-kakatta fune.
• Translation: A ship that you are already partially in.
• English equivalent: In for a penny, in for a pound.”

“七転び八起き
• Nana korobi ya oki.
• Translation: Fall down seven times, get up eight.
• English equivalent: If at first you don't succeed try, try again.”

“早起きは三文の徳
• Haya oki wa sanmon no toku.
• Translation: Early rising benefits you three pence.
• English equivalent: The early bird gets the worm.”

“愚公山を移す
• Gukou yama-o utsusu.
• Translation: Yugong moves a mountain.
• English equivalent: Faith can move mountains; where there's a will, there's a way.”

“毒食わば皿まで
• Doku kuwaba sara made.
• Translation: When poisoned, one might as well swallow the plate.
• English equivalent: "In for a penny, in for a pound."”