Japanese Sayings gives you a practical set of Japanese words and expressions in one place, so you can study useful vocabulary without digging through scattered sources.
Each row is designed for quick review with meaning, example usage, and any available pronunciation help. When you want an offline copy, use the free Download PDF button below the table.
Want more than one list? Browse our Japanese section for more Yak Yacker study pages, printable lists, and quiz-friendly review material.
How To Study Japanese Sayings More Naturally
Japanese sayings are useful because they often carry a full idea, warning, or bit of advice in a compact expression. Even if you do not plan to use them constantly in conversation, recognizing them helps you understand dramas, books, subtitles, and everyday cultural references much more naturally.
The important thing is not to memorize only a literal translation. A saying usually makes more sense when you study three layers together: what the words literally say, what the expression really means, and the kind of situation where someone would actually use it. That extra context keeps the phrase from feeling like a strange riddle.
This list is designed for that kind of study. Work through the saying, its reading, its learner-friendly meaning, and the example sentence as one unit. If you can picture when someone would say it, you are much more likely to remember it and recognize it later in real Japanese.
Japanese Sayings Quiz
Feeling brave? The quiz below will test how many of these sayings have already wormed their way into your brain. Give it a whirl before or after you study the list.
Japanese Sayings List
| Expression | Reading | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一期一会 | ichigo ichie | Treasure each encounter | Once in a lifetime meeting. | Treasure each encounter |
| 一石二鳥 | いっせきにちょう | Kill two birds with one stone; achieve two things at once. | 歩いて通勤すれば、運動にもなって節約もできる。一石二鳥だ。 | If you walk to work, you get exercise and save money. It's killing two birds with one stone. |
| 七転び八起き | ななころびやおき | Perseverance; never giving up despite repeated failures. | 七転び八起きで、また挑戦しよう。 | Let's try again with the spirit of falling seven times and standing up eight. |
| 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. | Two heads are better than one |
| 二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ず | にとをおうものはいっともをえず | He who chases two rabbits catches neither; trying to do two things at once may lead to failure in both. | 勉強とバイトを両立するのは大変だ。二兎を追う者は一兎をも得ずだね。 | Balancing studying and a part-time job is hard. If you chase two rabbits, you'll catch neither. |
| 井の中の蛙 | i no naka no kawazu | Limited perspective | A frog in a well. | Limited perspective |
| 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 person with a narrow view doesn't know the wider world. | 彼は地元しか知らない。井の中の蛙大海を知らずだ。 | He only knows his hometown. He's like a frog in a well. |
| 仏の顔も三度 | ほとけのかおもさんど | Even Buddha's patience runs out if you push too far. | また遅刻？仏の顔も三度だよ。 | Late again? Even Buddha's patience has limits. |
| 仕方ない | shikata nai | Nothing can be done | Same as shōganai. | Nothing can be done |
| 以心伝心 | ishin denshin | Tacit understanding | Heart-to-heart communication. | Tacit understanding |
| 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; standing out invites criticism. | 彼は目立ちすぎて、出る杭は打たれると言われた。 | He stood out too much, and people said the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. |
| 十人十色 | jūnin toiro | Everyone is different | Ten people, ten colors. | Everyone is different |
| 口がうまい | Kuchi ga umai | Good with words; persuasive | Good with words; persuasive | Good with words; persuasive |
| 口が堅い | Kuchi ga katai | Trustworthy with secrets | Trustworthy with secrets | Trustworthy with secrets |
| 口が軽い | Kuchi ga karui | Loose-lipped; cannot keep secrets | 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 | To suit one’s taste |
| 口は災いの元 | くちはわざわいのもと | The mouth is the source of disaster; careless words can cause trouble. | 秘密をうっかり話してしまった。口は災いの元だね。 | I accidentally told the secret. Careless words cause trouble. |
| 塵も積もれば山となる | ちりもつもればやまとなる | Even dust, if piled up, becomes a mountain; small efforts add up to great results. | 毎日少しずつ貯金しよう。塵も積もれば山となるよ。 | Let's save a little every day. Small amounts add up. |
| 失礼します | shitsureishimasu | Excuse me (entering/leaving) | Polite entry/exit. | Excuse me (entering/leaving) |
| 急がば回れ | いそがばまわれ | More haste, less speed; take the long way around to save time. | 急がば回れで、電車で行こう。 | Let's take the train; more haste, less speed. |
| 恐れ入ります | osoreirimasu | Sorry to trouble you | Business polite. | Sorry to trouble you |
| 手が出ない | Te ga denai | Cannot afford; cannot manage | Cannot afford; cannot manage | Cannot afford; cannot manage |
| 手が焼ける | Te ga yakeru | Hard to handle | 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 | 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 | Out of control; impossible to handle |
