Japanese Proverbs (Kotowaza): 40 Common Ones with Meanings
A kotowaza (ことわざ) is a Japanese proverb — a short, memorable saying that carries a piece of folk wisdom. Like proverbs everywhere, they often paint a vivid little picture: a frog in a well, a stone you sit on for three years. This guide lists 40 of the most common kotowaza with their literal meaning and the closest English equivalent.
Why learn kotowaza?
Proverbs are a window into how a culture thinks. Many Japanese kotowaza prize patience, humility, and steady effort — values you'll meet again and again in the language. They also turn up constantly in school textbooks, novels, and conversation, so even a small collection pays off quickly. Best of all, many have an almost word-for-word English twin, which makes them easy to remember.
Proverbs about effort and patience
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning (and English twin) |
|---|
| 石の上にも三年 | Ishi no ue ni mo san-nen | Endure and you'll be rewarded — "Perseverance pays off" |
| 継続は力なり | Keizoku wa chikara nari | Continuity is strength; keep going |
| 千里の道も一歩から | Senri no michi mo ippo kara | "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" |
| 急がば回れ | Isogaba maware | "More haste, less speed" — take the safe road |
| 塵も積もれば山となる | Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru | "Many a little makes a mickle" — small things add up |
| 七転び八起き | Nanakorobi yaoki | Fall seven times, get up eight |
Proverbs about caution and mistakes
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning (and English twin) |
|---|
| 猿も木から落ちる | Saru mo ki kara ochiru | "Even Homer nods" — even experts fail |
| 転ばぬ先の杖 | Korobanu saki no tsue | "Better safe than sorry" — prepare in advance |
| 石橋を叩いて渡る | Ishibashi o tataite wataru | Be extremely cautious before acting |
| 覆水盆に返らず | Fukusui bon ni kaerazu | "It's no use crying over spilt milk" |
| 後悔先に立たず | Kōkai saki ni tatazu | Regret always comes too late |
| 油断大敵 | Yudan taiteki | Carelessness is your greatest enemy |
Proverbs about people and society
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning (and English twin) |
|---|
| 井の中の蛙大海を知らず | I no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu | "A big fish in a small pond" — a narrow worldview |
| 能ある鷹は爪を隠す | Nō aru taka wa tsume o kakusu | The able hawk hides its talons; the truly skilled stay humble |
| 三人寄れば文殊の知恵 | San-nin yoreba Monju no chie | "Two heads are better than one" |
| 朱に交われば赤くなる | Shu ni majiwareba akaku naru | You become like the company you keep |
| 郷に入っては郷に従え | Gō ni itte wa gō ni shitagae | "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" |
| 情けは人の為ならず | Nasake wa hito no tame narazu | Kindness comes back around to you |
Proverbs with vivid imagery
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning (and English twin) |
|---|
| 猫に小判 | Neko ni koban | "Pearls before swine" — wasted on the unappreciative |
| 豚に真珠 | Buta ni shinju | Literally "pearls to a pig" — same idea |
| 馬の耳に念仏 | Uma no mimi ni nenbutsu | "In one ear and out the other" |
| 花より団子 | Hana yori dango | Substance over style; dumplings over flowers |
| 棚から牡丹餅 | Tana kara botamochi | An unexpected stroke of luck |
| 蛙の子は蛙 | Kaeru no ko wa kaeru | "Like father, like son" |
| 二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず | Nito o ou mono wa itto o mo ezu | "Grasp all, lose all" — chase two rabbits, catch none |
| 猿も木から落ちる | Saru mo ki kara ochiru | Even the skilled slip up (a classic worth repeating) |
Proverbs about learning and life
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning (and English twin) |
|---|
| 百聞は一見に如かず | Hyakubun wa ikken ni shikazu | "Seeing is believing" |
| 失敗は成功のもと | Shippai wa seikō no moto | "Failure is the mother of success" |
| 好きこそ物の上手なれ | Suki koso mono no jōzu nare | You excel at what you love |
| 鉄は熱いうちに打て | Tetsu wa atsui uchi ni ute | "Strike while the iron is hot" |
| 知らぬが仏 | Shiranu ga hotoke | "Ignorance is bliss" |
| 早起きは三文の徳 | Hayaoki wa sanmon no toku | "The early bird catches the worm" |
| 住めば都 | Sumeba miyako | "Home is where you make it" |
| 笑う門には福来る | Warau kado ni wa fuku kitaru | "Fortune comes to a cheerful home" |
Four-character proverbs (from Chinese classics)
Some short proverbs are also written as compact phrases, often borrowed from classical Chinese. These overlap with yojijukugo.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|
| 五十歩百歩 | Gojippo hyappo | "Six of one, half a dozen of the other" |
| 漁夫の利 | Gyofu no ri | A third party profits while two fight |
| 四面楚歌 | Shimen soka | Surrounded by enemies on all sides |
| 蛇足 | Dasoku | A needless, redundant addition |
Quiz yourself on kotowaza. Our free quiz has a large proverbs set taken from real Japanese entrance exams, with English translations on every question. Miss one and it comes back later — the natural way to make proverbs stick.
Related: Four-Character Idioms (Yojijukugo) · Japanese Idioms (Kanyōku) · How to Study Kanji