Search a Japanese or English word using kanji, kana or romaji:
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, 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
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、才に倒れる, さいし、さいにたおれる
Expression, Ichidan verb, Proverb
talented men are ruined by their own talent
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
後門の虎、前門の狼, こうもんのとら、ぜんもんのおおかみ
Expression, See 前門の虎、後門の狼, Idiomatic expression
between the devil and the deep sea, out of the frying pan into the fire, a tiger at the back gate, a wolf at the front gate
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
前門の虎、後門の狼, ぜんもんのとら、こうもんのおおかみ
Expression, Idiomatic expression
between the devil and the deep sea, out of the frying pan into the fire, a tiger at the front gate, a wolf at the back gate
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
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
遅牛も淀、早牛も淀, おそうしもよど、はやうしもよど
Expression, Proverb
there is no point in hurrying, hurry no man's cattle, slow oxen (leaving Kyoto) end up in Yodo (just south of Kyoto), fast oxen also end up in Yodo
早牛も淀、遅牛も淀, はやうしもよど、おそうしもよど
Expression, Proverb
there is no point in hurrying, hurry no man's cattle, fast oxen (leaving Kyoto) end up in Yodo (just south of Kyoto), slow oxen also end up in Yodo
その男、凶暴につき, そのおとこ、きょうぼうにつき
work of art, literature, music
Violent Cop (1989 film by Takeshi Kitano)
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, 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
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
よそはよそ、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
今日の一針、明日の十針, きょうのひとはり、あすのとはり
Expression, Proverb
a stitch in time saves nine, one needle today, ten needles tomorrow
井の中の蛙、大海を知らず, いのなかのかわず、たいかいをしらず
Expression, Proverb
the frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean
勝てば官軍、負ければ賊軍, かてばかんぐん、まければぞくぐん
Expression, Proverb
might is right, history is written by the victors, winners are always right and losers are always in the wrong, if you win you are the loyalist army, if you lose you are the rebel army
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
桜切る馬鹿、梅切らぬ馬鹿, さくらきるばか、うめきらぬばか
Expression, Proverb
only an idiot prunes cherry trees and only an idiot does not prune plum trees
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
わたし、定時で帰ります。, わたし、ていじでかえります。
work of art, literature, music
I Will Not Work Overtime, Period! (TV drama)
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, 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
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!