Japanese proverbs are compact little gems – centuries-old wisdom packed into just a few words. They pop up in conversations, dramas, and even your favourite manga, but if you’re not familiar, you’ll just blink and miss the meaning.
This list hands you around 20 of the most common Japanese proverbs you’re likely to meet. We’ve skipped the dusty textbook relics and kept only the ones that still show up in real life. Every proverb comes with a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence, so you can see exactly how it behaves in the wild – not just a translation you’d forget by tomorrow.
Ready for a little wisdom with a wink? Scroll to the bottom of the article to find the free printable Japanese Proverbs vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable Japanese Proverbs flashcards. Your future proverb-savvy self will thank you.
Want more than one list? Browse our Japanese section for more Yak Yacker study pages, printable lists, and quiz-friendly review material.
Quick Quiz
Think you can match a Japanese proverb to its meaning without peeking? The quick quiz below will give you a friendly nudge toward the ones that need a second look.
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| Expression | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| アメリカから来ました | Amerika kara kimashita | I’m from America | I’m from America |
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you | Thank you |
| エレクトリック | electric | electric | |
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Good morning | Good morning |
| お久しぶりです | ohisashiburi desu | Long time no see | Long time no see |
| お名前は何ですか | onamae wa nan desu ka | What is your name? | What is your name? |
| お願いします、ください | Menyū o kudasai. | onegaishimasu, kudasai | onegaishimasu, kudasai |
| このようにして | thus | thus | |
| しなければならない | must | must | |
| ソリューション | solution | solution | |
| どういう意味ですか | dō iu imi desu ka | What does it mean? | What does it mean? |
| どういたしまして | dō itashimashite | You’re welcome | You’re welcome |
| どうもありがとうございます | dōmo arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you very much | Thank you very much |
| どこから来ましたか | doko kara kimashita ka | Where are you from? | Where are you from? |
| また会いましょう | mata aimashō | Let’s meet again | Let’s meet again |
| もう一度お願いします | mō ichido onegaishimasu | One more time, please | One more time, please |
| ゆっくり話してください | yukkuri hanashite kudasai | Please speak slowly | Please speak slowly |
| よろしくお願いします | yoroshiku onegaishimasu | Please treat me well / Nice to meet you | Please treat me well / Nice to meet you |
| 一期一会 | ichigo ichie | Treasure each encounter | Once in a lifetime meeting. |
| 七転び八起き | ななころびやおき | Never give up despite setbacks. | Even failing the exam many times, with the spirit of falling seven times and standing up eight, I kept trying. |
| 三人寄れば文殊の知恵 | sannin yoreba monju no chie | Two heads are better than one | Three people have the wisdom of Monju. |
| 二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず | にとをおうものはいっとをもえず | Trying to do two things at once leads to failure. | When I started studying and working part-time at the same time, neither went well. Chasing two rabbits catches neither. |
| 井の中の蛙 | i no naka no kawazu | Limited perspective | A frog in a well. |
| 井の中の蛙大海を知らず | いのなかのかわずたいかいをしらず | A narrow-minded person doesn't see the bigger picture. | Judging the world only by your town is like a frog in a well. |
| 以心伝心 | ishin denshin | Tacit understanding | Heart-to-heart communication. |
Free Japanese Proverbs Vocabulary List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
Tap the purple Japanese Proverbs vocabulary-list button for the 100% free Japanese Proverbs vocabulary list, no signup needed. Then grab the teal Japanese Proverbs flashcards button for the matching Japanese Proverbs flashcards, also 100% free and ready to print.
