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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 狐につままれる | Kitsune ni tsumareru | Feel puzzled as if tricked | Feel puzzled as if tricked |
| 猫に小判 | ねこにこばん | Giving something of value to someone who doesn't appreciate it. | Giving an expensive watch to a child is like giving gold coins to a cat. |
| 猫の手も借りたい | Neko no te mo karitai | Extremely busy | Extremely busy |
| 猫をかぶる | Neko o kaburu | Pretend to be sweet or innocent | Pretend to be sweet or innocent |
| 猿も木から落ちる | さるもきからおちる | Even experts make mistakes. | Even professional pianists make mistakes. Even monkeys fall from trees. |
| 目がない | Me ga nai | Crazy about; weak for | Crazy about; weak for |
| 目が高い | Me ga takai | Have a good eye; good judgment | Have a good eye; good judgment |
| 目に入る | Me ni hairu | To catch one’s eye | To catch one’s eye |
| 目を疑う | Me o utagau | Cannot believe one’s eyes | Cannot believe one’s eyes |
| 目を通す | Me o tōsu | To look through; to read over | To look through; to read over |
| 知らぬが仏 | shiranu ga hotoke | Ignorance is bliss | Not knowing is Buddha. |
| 石の上にも三年 | いしのうえにもさんねん | Perseverance pays off. | Even in a tough job, if you persevere, you'll see results. |
| 笑う門には福来る | warau kado ni wa fuku kitaru | Fortune comes to a merry door | Laughter brings fortune. |
| 継続は力なり | keizoku wa chikara nari | Continuity is strength | Persistence is power. |
| 耳が痛い | Mimi ga itai | Hard to hear because it is true | Hard to hear because it is true |
| 耳に入る | Mimi ni hairu | To hear about; to come to one’s attention | To hear about; to come to one’s attention |
| 肩の荷が下りる | Kata no ni ga oriru | A burden is lifted | A burden is lifted |
| 肩を持つ | Kata o motsu | To side with; support someone | To side with; support someone |
| 胸がいっぱい | Mune ga ippai | Filled with emotion | Filled with emotion |
| 胸を張る | Mune o haru | To be proud; hold one’s head high | To be proud; hold one’s head high |
| 能ある鷹は爪を隠す | nō aru taka wa tsume wo kakusu | Talented people stay humble | A skilled hawk hides its claws. |
| 腰が低い | Koshi ga hikui | Humble; modest | Humble; modest |
| 腰が重い | Koshi ga omoi | Slow to act | Slow to act |
| 腹が立つ | Hara ga tatsu | To get angry | To get angry |
| 腹が黒い | Hara ga kuroi | Scheming; malicious | Scheming; malicious |
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.
