How to have Majusri wisdom!? Introducing Japanese Proverbs

Minasan Ohayō gozaimasu!
Do you know how to say “Two heads are better than one” in Japanese proverb?
Actually we need three, not two 🙂

Let’s find it now!
I’ll show you 5 Japanese proverbs in this blog. Let’s get started!

Introducing 5 Japanese proverbs, vol.9 Video

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転ばぬ先の杖（ころばぬさきのつえ）

鉄は熱いうちに打て（てつはあついうちにうて）

ちりも積もれば山となる（ちりもつもればやまとなる）

習うより慣れろ（ならうよりなれろ）

三人寄れば文殊の知恵（さんにんよればもんじゅのちえ）

転ばぬ先の杖
（ころばぬさきのつえ）

Romaji: korobanu saki no tsue

Word: korobu (転ぶ)= fall, stumble, korobanu (転ばぬ)=not stumble, saki (先)=ahead, advance,future chie (知恵)=wisdom

Direct translation: A stick before you fall

Equivalent English expressions: Better safe than sorry. Thatch your roof before the rain begins.

Example: 寒くなるかもしれないから、コートを持っていったほうがいいよ。あと、雨が降るかもしれないから傘も持っていってね。転ばぬ先の杖だよ。

Samukunaru kamo shirenaikara, kōto o motte itta hou ga iiyo. Ato, ame ga furu kamo shirenaikara, kasa mo motte itte ne. “korobanu saki no tsue” dayo.

It might get cold, so you better bring your coat. And, it might be rain, so you better bring your umbrella. They say “korobanu saki no tsue”.

鉄は熱いうちに打て
（てつはあついうちにうて）

Romaji: tetsu wa atsui uchi ni ute

Word: tetsu (鉄)= iron, atui (熱い) = hot, utu (打つ)= hit, strike

Direct translation: For iron, strike while hot

Equivalent English expressions: Strike while the iron is hot. Make hay while the sun shines. Don’t miss this great opportunity! Now or never.

Example: 今がチャンスだよ！そのアイディアはすごくいいから、今すぐ実行したほうがいい。鉄は熱いうちに打てだよ。

Ima ga chansu dayo! sono aidia wa sugoku ii kara, ima sugu jikkō shita hō ga ii. “tetsu wa atsui uchi ni ute” dayo.

Now is the chance! The idea is very good, so you better act now. They say “tetsu wa atsui uchi ni ute”.

ちりも積もれば山となる
（ちりもつもればやまとなる）

Romaji: chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru

Word: chiri (塵)= dust, 　tsumoru (積もる)= pile up, accumulate , yama (山)= mountain

Direct translation: Even dust, if accumulated a lot, it becomes a mountain.

Equivalent English expressions: Many a little makes a mickle. Small things add up to a big difference. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.

Example: 毎日コツコツ、日本語の勉強がんばってね。毎日３つづつ漢字をおぼえるのもいいね。塵も積もれば山となるだよ。

Mainichi kotsukotu, nihongo no benkyō ganbatte ne. Mainichi 3tsu zutsu kanji o oboeru no mo iine. “chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru” dayo.

Good luck on your studying Japanese every day, steadily. It’s good to learn 3 Kanji every day. They say “chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru”

習うより慣れろ
（ならうよりなれろ）

Romaji: narau yori narero

Word: narau (習う)= learn, nareru (慣れる)= to get used to (“narero” is the order form)

Direct translation: Rather than learning, better get used to.

Equivalent English expressions: Practice makes perfect

Example: 外国語の学習は、文法だけ勉強しても話せるようにはならないよ。その言葉を使って話す練習をする必要があるね。「習うより慣れろ」だよ。

Gaikokugo no gakushūwa bunpō dake benkyō shitemo hanaseru yō niwa naranai yo. Sono kotoba o tsukatte hanasu renshū o suru hitsuyō ga aru ne. “narau yori narero” dayo.

For language learning, just learning grammar doesn’t make you to speak well. You need to use it and practice speaking. They say “narau yori narero“.

三人寄れば文殊の知恵
（さんにんよればもんじゅのちえ）

Romaji: sannin yoreba monju no chie

Word: sannin (三人)=three people, yoru(寄る) = come by, come close, get together (<-yoreba = if get together), monju (文殊)= Manjusri; the bodhisattva of wisdom and intellect, chie(知恵)= wisdom

Direct translation: If three people get together, we’ll have Majusri wisdom.

Equivalent English expressions: Two heads are better than one. Four eyes see more than two.

Example: 一人で考えていいアイディアが浮かばない時は、いろんな人に相談するといいよ。人に話しいているうちにいいアイディアが浮かぶ時もあるし。三人寄れば文殊の知恵って言うでしょ。　

Hitori de kangaete ii aidia ga ukabanai toki wa, iron na hito ni sōdan suru to iiyo. Hito ni hanashite iru uchi ni ii aidia ga ukabu toki mo arushi. Sannin yoreba monju no chie tte iu desho.

If you cannot come up with a good idea, you may want to ask other people. As we talking to other people, sometimes we come up with a good idea. They say “sannin yoreba monju no chie”.

How was it? Dō deshita ka?
Do you have your favorite Kotowaza?
Hope you enjoyed the 5 Japanese proverbs introduced this time!

Find out the 10 most famous Japanese proverbs!