人は人、 我は我 , 人は人我は我 , ひとはひとわれはわれ
Expression , Proverb
live and let live , you do you and I'll do me , people are people; I am myself
才子、 才に溺れる , 才子才に溺れる , さいしさいにおぼれる
Expression , Proverb
talented men are ruined by their own talent
旅は情け、 人は心 , 旅は情け人は心 , たびはなさけひとはこころ
Expression , See 旅は道連れ世は情け・たびはみちづれよはなさけ , Proverb
in traveling, a companion; in life, sympathy
少年よ、 大志を抱け , 少年よ大志を抱け , しょうねんよたいしをいだけ
Expression , quotation , from a speech by William Smith Clark
boys, be ambitious
花は桜木、 人は武士 , 花は桜木人は武士 , はなはさくらぎひとはぶし
Expression , Proverb
the best flowers are the cherry blossoms, the best individuals are the samurai , as the cherry blossom is first among flowers, so is the warrior first among men
来た、 見た、勝った , 来た見た勝った , きたみたかった
Expression , quotation
veni, vidi, vici , I came; I saw; I conquered
鱧も一期、 海老も一期 , 鱧も一期海老も一期 , はももいちごえびもいちご
Expression , Proverb
all men are alike , all lives are alike , all men live and die , we all bleed the same , a pike conger has one life, a shrimp does too
性相近し、 習い相遠し , 性相近し習い相遠し , せいあいちかしならいあいとおし
Expression , Proverb , from the Analects of Confucius
by human nature we are close, through practice we grow apart , by nature, near together; by practice far apart
ブルータスよ、 お前もか , ブルータスよお前もか , ブルータスよおまえもか
Expression , quotation
et tu, Brute? , even you, Brutus?
よそはよそうちはうち , 他所は他所、 うちはうち , 他所は他所うちはうち
Expression , Proverb , Usually in kana
we have our rules, they have theirs , our house, our rules
朝焼けは雨、 夕焼けは晴れ , 朝焼けは雨夕焼けは晴れ , あさやけはあめゆうやけははれ
Expression , Proverb
red sky at night, sailors delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning , red sky at night, shepherds delight; red sky in morning, shepherds take warning
指汚しとて、 切られもせず , 指汚しとて切られもせず , ゆびきたなしとてきられもせず
Expression , Proverb
it's hard to cut one's ties to close relatives even if they are wicked , you don't cut your finger off just because it's dirty
生めよ、 殖えよ、地に満てよ , 生めよ殖えよ地に満てよ , うめよふえよちにみてよ
Expression , Proverb , from Genesis 1:28
be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth
二人は伴侶、 三人は仲間割れ , 二人は伴侶三人は仲間割れ , ふたりははんりょさんにんはなかまわれ
Expression , Proverb
two is a company, three is a crowd , one companion is better than two
合うも不思議、 合わぬも不思議 , 合うも不思議合わぬも不思議 , あうもふしぎあわぬもふしぎ
Expression , Proverb
dreams and fortune-telling are hit-and-miss
去る者は追わず、 来たる者は拒まず , 去る者は追わず来たる者は拒まず , さるものはおわずきたるものはこばまず
Expression , Proverb
do not chase one who leaves, do not reject one who comes
問うは一度の恥、 問わぬは末代の恥 , 問うは一度の恥問わぬは末代の恥 , とうはいちどのはじとわぬはまつだいのはじ
Expression , Proverb
better to ask and be embarrassed than not ask and never know
指切拳万、 嘘ついたら針千本呑ます , ゆびきりげんまんうそついたらはりせんぼんのます
Expression , See 指切り・ゆびきり , Idiomatic expression
Finger cut-off, ten thousand fist-punches, whoever lies has to swallow a thousand needles , words said when making a pinky swear
借りる時の地蔵顔、 なす時の閻魔顔 , 借りる時の地蔵顔、 済す時の閻魔顔 , 借りる時の地蔵顔なす時の閻魔顔 , 借りる時の地蔵顔済す時の閻魔顔 , かりるときのじぞうがおなすときのえんまがお
Expression , See 地蔵 , See 閻魔 , Proverb
people look friendly when they ask for a loan but not so much when they repay it , when borrowing (the money), the face of the (bodhisattva) Kshitigarbha; when returning it, the face of the (hell king) Yama
墨は餓鬼に磨らせ、 筆は鬼に持たせよ , 墨は餓鬼に磨らせ筆は鬼に持たせよ , すみはがきにすらせふではおににもたせよ
Expression , Proverb
grind your inkstick gently but move your brush vigorously , let the hungry ghost grind your inkstick, let the ogre hold your brush
朝に道を聞かば、 夕べに死すとも可なり , 朝に道を聞かば夕べに死すとも可なり , あしたにみちをきかばゆうべにしすともかなり
Expression , Proverb , from a quote by Confucius
if a man hears the Way in the morning, he may die in the evening without regret
梅は食うとも核食うな、 中に天神寝てござる , 梅は食うとも核食うな中に天神寝てござる , うめはくうともさねくうななかにてんじんねてござる
Expression , Proverb
don't eat plum pits (because they are poisonous) , if you eat a plum, don't eat the kernel; inside it heavenly gods sleep
昔は昔今は今 , 昔は昔、 今は今 , むかしはむかしいまはいま
Expression , Proverb
let bygones be bygones , the past is the past, the present is the present
柳は緑花は紅 , 柳は緑、 花は紅 , やなぎはみどりはなはくれない
Expression , Idiomatic expression , from a quote by Su Shi
1. natural state , being unspoilt by human touch , willows are green, flowers are crimson
Proverb
2. spring is beautiful
3. things are different by nature , all things have their characteristics
京の夢大阪の夢 , 京の夢、 大阪の夢 , きょうのゆめおおさかのゆめ
Expression , set phrase recited before talking about dreams
the dreams of Kyoto, the dreams of Osaka
旅の恥はかき捨て , 旅の恥は、 かき捨て , 旅の恥は掻き捨て , 旅の恥は搔き捨て , たびのはじはかきすて
Expression , Proverb
once over the borders one may do anything , what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas , shame (committed while) on a journey can be scratched away
聞くも涙語るも涙 , 聞くも涙、 語るも涙 , きくもなみだかたるもなみだ
Expression , May take 'no'
(a story) so sad that both the speaker and the listener shed tears
楽は苦の種苦は楽の種 , 楽は苦の種、 苦は楽の種 , らくはくのたねくはらくのたね
Expression , Proverb
there's no pain without pleasure, and there's no pleasure without pain
地球規模で考え足元から行動せよ , 地球規模で考え、 足元から行動せよ , ちきゅうきぼでかんがえじもとからこうどうせよ
Expression
think globally, act locally , think global, act local
大きに御世話御茶でも上がれ , 大きにお世話お茶でも上がれ , 大きに御世話、 御茶でも上がれ , 大きにお世話、 お茶でも上がれ , おおきにおせわおちゃでもあがれ
Expression , Humorous term , Archaism
mind your own business! , keep out of it!