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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
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!