This file contains the collected Nihon-no-kotowaza 11-20 posted to nihongo@mitvma.mit.edu and sci.lang.japan during February 1994. -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#11 ----------------------------- ; ; ,,,,, , , ; ; ; '''';'''' '''';' ;, ; ,,,,;'' ;'';''; ,;' ;';, ,,,,,;'''' ;,,;,,; '';'''' ,; ; '' ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ''';''' ,; , ; ,; ;, ;' '''';'''' ; ; ';, ,,; '''''''' ; ,;,;''; ''''' , , ; ,,,,,, ; ; ; ''';''' ; ''''';''''' ; ; ; ; ,,,,,;,,,,,, ,; ;, '''';''' ;''''' ', ; ; ; ;,,, ; ,''''''';, ;' '; ; ; ;, ,; ; ,;' ';, ;',; ''''' ';,, '' '' ;' '';,,,,,,,,, ''''''' (Nana korobi, ya oki) Literally: seven falls, eight getting up (from the verbs `korobu' and `okiru' respectively) Meaning: an encouragement to persevere (ganbaru) -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#12 ----------------------------- A well known proverb ... , ; ; ; ; ; ',' '''';'''' ,,,,;,,,, ; ; ;, ,', ''''''''''' ; ''''';';';'''''' '''';''', '; ' ; ;'''''''; ''';''''' ,; ; '; ,; ; '; ,'; ;,,,,,,,; ; , ,; ; '; ; ; ' ' ; ,; ;, ,; ; ; ,; ; ';, ;' ; ; ''; ;,' ';, ,;' ,;' ; ';, ,;' ;' ,,;' ,,;''' ';, ''''' ; ''' ';, ; ; ; ,,,,,,,,, ; '' ''''';'''';''''' ,,,,,,;,,,,,, ,;' ;' ,, ;,,,,, ,; ,;' ; ,,,,,,, ''' ,;', ,;' ,;,,,,,, ,;''''';, ,;''' '; ';,, ,,;';,, ,;' ', ,;' '; ; ''' ''' ; ,'';, ; ,,;' ,;' ;'''''; ,,;' ;, ; ,;' '''' ,;' ;,,,,,; '''''' ''''''' (Saru mo ki kara ochiru) Literally: even monkees fall from trees Meaning: even an expert can make mistakes; also sometimes used as a warning that ``pride comes before a fall'' This is a well known proverb, in fact there is a book with this title[*] There are several variations on this kotowaza which I'll cover in the next couple of postings ... [*] "Even Monkey's Fall from Trees" and Other Japanese Proverbs' by David Galef, published by Charles E. Tuttle, 1987. -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#13 ----------------------------- A variation on "saru mo ki kara ochiru" ... ';, ,,,,,,,,,,, ; ; ' ; ''';'''''';''' ,,,,;,,,, ,, ;''; ; ,,,,,;,,,,;,,,,, ; '; ; ; ; ,,,,,,,,,, ''';''''' , ; ; ; ;,,,;,,,,; ; , ,; '''' ; ;,,,;,,,,; ; ; ,; ; ,,,,,;,,,,,, ';, ,;' ,; ,,; ,,,,,,,;,,,,,,,, ''''' , ; ,, ; ; ; ; ; '; ''';''''''' ; ,,, ; ; ; ,, ,' ,,,;, '''; ,;' ; ; ; ; '; ''''' ' ;;' ; ; ; ; , ; ; ; ,; ; ; ; ; ,; ; ; ; ,;'; ; , ;' ' ; ,; ; ; ; , ; ',,;' '' ; ,; ,;' ' ',; ' (Kappa mo kawa nagare) Literally: even a `Kappa'can get carried away by the river (a `kappa' is a water-sprite, but also used for a good swimmer) Meaning: similar to ``saru mo ki kara ochiru'', ie: anyone can make mistakes. Note: often written as `Kappa no kawanagare' -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#14 ----------------------------- Another "saru mo ki kara ochiru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oubou mo fude no ayamari) Literally: even Koubou made mistakes with his brush (Koubou was a Buddhist priest famous for his calligraphy) Meaning: similar to ``saru mo ki kara ochiru'', ie: even experts can make mistakes (and to a lesser extent `pride leads to a fall'). -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#15 ----------------------------- ,,,,,,,,,,, ; ; ; ; ;''';''';''''' ,,,,;,,,, ;'''';'''' ;,,,;,,,;,,,, ; ;,,,,;,,,, ; ; ; ; ''';''''' ; ; ;'''''''''''' ; , '''''''''''; ; ;,,, ;,,;' ; ; ,; ;, ;, ;, ; ;' ; ; , ';, ,;' ' ' ' ',;' '' ,,;''' ';,,;' ''''' ; ; ''''';'''';''''' ' ' ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, '''''''''''' ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,; , ,; '; ,,;,,;'''''';, (Baka mo ichi-gei) Literally: even a fool has one talent (this is the `gei' of geisha) Meaning: even a fool may be good at something (I can't think of another way of putting this!) -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#16 ----------------------------- ; ; ; ;,,,,,, ; ; ; ,;' ,' ; ; ; '';'''';'''''; ''''''';'''''''' ;'; ''''''';'''''''' ; ; ; ; ,; '; ; ;,,,,;,,,,,; ; ,; ';, ; ; ; ,;' ';, ; ; , ; ,;' ';, ; ';,,,,,,,,,,;' (Juu-nin to-iro) Literally: ten people, ten colours Meaning: Everyone has their own tastes; ``Different strokes for different folks'' Incidentally, apart from colour, `iro' is also used to mean sexy or exciting; eg: `iroppoi' = sexy. Another digression: `-ppoi' can be translated as `-ish' (eg: `aka-ppoi' = reddish) or sometimes as `has a strong impression of X' (eg: `uso-ppoi' = sounds like a lie). -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#17 ----------------------------- ; ; ', ';, ; , ; ,,,,,,,,, ; ''''';''''' ; '' ; ; ',' ; ; ; '';'' ,,,,;,,,, ;' ';,;'';'';,, ,', ;''';'''; ; ; ; ; ; ,,,,,,, ,;, ,; ;, ' ; ; ; ; ,,;'' ;''';'''; ,;''' '; ,; ;, ; ; ;; '''';'''' ; ;,,,;,,,; ; ; ';' ,,, ; ,' ; ,,,,;,,,, ; ; ; ; ,,;' ; ,;'; ; ,;, ; ; ,; ; ; ,; '''' ''' ''' '' ,,;' ''''''''''' ; ; ; ,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,;';';,, ,,,,,,;,,,,,, ;'';'','';''''' ; ; ; ,;' ; '; ; ; ,' ' ,,;,,,,,;, ;,,,,,;,,,,,; ,; ;' '; ; ,,,,;,,,, ;,,,,,,,,; ; ; ; ; ;' ; ; ;, ,; ;,,,,,,,,; ;,,,,,;,,,,,; ; ,;' ;' ; '; ,;' ;,,,,,,,,; ; ; ; ''' ,,;'' ;' ,;;, ,,,,,;,,,,;,,,,, ,; ; ; '' ,,;'' '';,, ,,' ; ,; ; ,,; (Toranu tanuki no kawa zan'you) Literally: count the skins of badgers which haven't been caught Notes: (1) -nu is a negative ending, and `toranu' modifies `tanuki'; (2) `tanuki' is a Japanese animal somewhat like a badger or a racoon; (3) zan'you (usually san'you) means to calculate, or estimate. Meaning: ``don't count your chickens before they've hatched'' -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#18 ----------------------------- Another idiom which we also have here ... ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,' ,; '''''''''''' ;''''''''; ,; ;''''''''; ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,;,,,,,,,,, ;''''''''' ,;'; ; ;'''''''''''' '' ; ; , ''''''''''''; ; ; ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,; ;, ;, ;, ,; '''''''''' ' ' ' ' ,; (Isseki ni chou) Literally: one stone, two birds Meaning: ``to kill two birds with one stone'' Note: this is an idiom rather than a `kotowaza' (proverb) -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#19 ----------------------------- , ; ; ; , ; , ; , , ; ',' ''';''';''' ,; ,,,,,,, ; '; ; ;' ; ; ,', ' ' ; ; ; ; ,,,,;,,,, ; ; ' ; ;''';'''; ; ,; ; ;, ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ,; ; ;, ,,,,;,,,, ; ; ,' ; ;''';'''; ; ; ,; ; ;, ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;,' ';,,,,,,, ; ; ; ,,;' ;,,,;,,,; ' ,,; ; ,,; (Neko ni koban) Literally: a coin to a cat Meaning: ``pearls before swine''; ie: don't offer things to people who are incapable of appreciating them. Notes: (1) a `koban' was an old gold coin; (2) the expression ``buta ni shinju'' (literally: a pearl to a pig) is also used. ,,,, ,,,,,,,,,, , ; , ; ; ; ,; ,; ,,,,,,, '''''';''''''' '';'' ,;,,;,,,, ;,,; ,;' ; ,; ; ;''''''''; ; ,; ; ; ; ,;'; ' ; ;''''''''; '';'',,,,,;,,,,, ;,,; ,;' ,;, ; ;''''''''; ; ; ; ; ; ; ,; ;', ; ; '''''''''' ;,, ;' ; '; ; ; ,;' ; ';, ;,' ';,,,,,,, '''';'''''';'''' ''' ,;' ; ';, ;' ,; ,,;' ' ,,;' ';,, ; -------------------------- Nihon-no-kotowaza#20 ----------------------------- ,, ; ; ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, '; ,,,,;,,,, ''''';''''' ,' ,, , , ,,,,,;,,,,,, ;''';'''';'''; '; ; ; ', ; ;,,,,; ; , '; ;' ,''''''';, ; ; ; ; ,; ; ,; ; ; ;''''; ; ,; ; ';,, ; ; ; ; ,; ''''''''''' ''''''' '''''''''''''' , ; ;,,,, ,; ,,,,,,, ,,;,, ,;' ,; ; ; ; ; '' ;,;' ; ; ; ; ,,;' '';,, ; ;,;,; ,,,;,,,, ; ; ; ,,,;,,,, ;,' ';,,,,,,, ,;,; ,,,,;,,,,, ' '' ' ; (Nakitsura ni hachi) Literally: a bee to a crying face Note: `nakitsura' is a compound of two kun readings: `naku' to cry, and `tsura' face (`men' is an on reading). Meaning: misfortunes seldom come alone; ``When it rains, it pours'' This series of articles is currently archived on the following sites: USA: ftp.uwtc.washington.edu [128.95.202.40] AUSTRALIA: ftp.cc.monash.edu.au [130.194.1.106] pub/nihongo/kotowaza EUROPE: kuso.shef.ac.uk [143.167.25.1] UK: aiai.ed.ac.uk [192.41.105.5] timd/kotowaza +------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Tim Duncan, AI Applications Institute, University of Edinburgh, | | 80 South Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1HN, Scotland, United Kingdom. | +------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Tel: +44 31 650 2747 Email: timd@ed.ac.uk FAX: +44 31 650 6513 | +------------------------------------------------------------------+