Japanese Proverbs

Browse and search Japanese proverbs (ことわざ) with kanji, reading, literal translation, and meaning.

Sample Japanese Proverbs (ことわざ)

Proverb	Literal meaning	English equivalent
七転び八起き	Fall seven times, rise eight	Keep trying; don't give up
出る杭は打たれる	The nail that sticks out gets hammered	Stand out and face consequences
猿も木から落ちる	Even monkeys fall from trees	Even experts make mistakes
塵も積もれば山となる	Dust piled up becomes a mountain	Small things add up
一期一会	One time, one meeting	Treasure every encounter as once-in-a-lifetime
石の上にも三年	Three years on a cold stone	Patience and perseverance lead to success