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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 出る杭は打たれる | でるくいはうたれる | The nail that sticks out gets hammered down (conformity is valued). | If you express standout opinions at work, you might get criticized. The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. |
| 十人十色 | jūnin toiro | Everyone is different | Ten people, ten colors. |
| 口がうまい | Kuchi ga umai | Good with words; persuasive | Good with words; persuasive |
| 口が堅い | Kuchi ga katai | Trustworthy with secrets | Trustworthy with secrets |
| 口が軽い | Kuchi ga karui | Loose-lipped; cannot keep secrets | Loose-lipped; cannot keep secrets |
| 口に合う | Kuchi ni au | To suit one’s taste | To suit one’s taste |
| 塵も積もれば山となる | ちりもつもればやまとなる | Small efforts accumulate into great achievements. | Even if you study just 10 minutes a day, little by little, it adds up to a big difference after a year. |
| 急がば回れ | isogaba maware | More haste, less speed | When in a hurry, take the long way. |
| 手が出ない | Te ga denai | Cannot afford; cannot manage | Cannot afford; cannot manage |
| 手が焼ける | Te ga yakeru | Hard to handle | Hard to handle |
| 手が足りない | Te ga tarinai | Not enough help; short-handed | Not enough help; short-handed |
| 手に負えない | Te ni oenai | Out of control; impossible to handle | Out of control; impossible to handle |
| 手を抜く | Te o nuku | To cut corners; do less than one should | To cut corners; do less than one should |
| 手を貸す | Te o kasu | To lend a hand | To lend a hand |
| 日本は初めてですか | Nihon wa hajimete desu ka | Is this your first time in Japan? | Is this your first time in Japan? |
| 日本語を勉強しています | Nihongo o benkyō shiteimasu | I’m studying Japanese | I’m studying Japanese |
| 最近どうですか | saikin dō desu ka | How have you been lately? | How have you been lately? |
| 案ずるより産むが易し | anzuru yori umu ga yasushi | Fear is worse than reality | Giving birth is easier than worrying. |
| 気がつく | Ki ga tsuku | To notice | To notice |
| 気が利く | Ki ga kiku | Thoughtful; attentive | Thoughtful; attentive |
| 気が合う | Ki ga au | To get along well | To get along well |
| 気が弱い | Ki ga yowai | Timid; weak-nerved | Timid; weak-nerved |
| 気が強い | Ki ga tsuyoi | Strong-willed | Strong-willed |
| 気が重い | Ki ga omoi | Feel reluctant; feel heavy-hearted | Feel reluctant; feel heavy-hearted |
| 犬猿の仲 | Ken'en no naka | Like cats and dogs; bitter relationship | Like cats and dogs; bitter relationship |
Free Japanese Proverbs Vocabulary List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
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