Lesson Plans Index	Proverbs Proverbs survive in the living language of a people because they effectively communicate closely held values and attitudes. Here is a small sampling of of Japanese proverbs. We recommend that teachers share them with students and ask students to brainstorm on: A. What situations might merit the use of such proverbs? When might such sayings be appropriate? B. What might the proverbs reveal about Japanese culture and society? Click here to download a student handout (a .pdf file without the brief explanations).   1. 矯めるなら若木のうち Tameru nara wakagi no uchi. "While young, the tree can be easily bent." (stressing the malleability of youth) 2. 相手のない喧嘩はできぬ Aite no nai kenka wa dekinu. "One can't quarrel without an opponent." ("it takes two to tangle" -- don't blame the fight on the other) 喧嘩両成敗 Kenka ryôseibai. Both quarrellers are to be punished. 3. 千里の行も一歩より始まる (老子) Senri no kô mo ippo yori hajimaru "A thousand li (roughly one-third of a mile) journey begins with a single step." (this is drawn from the Chinese philosophical text attributed to Lao Zi -- however  arduous or complicated the task, one can't hope to finish it without getting started, no matter how simple or small that beginning might be) 4. 二足の草鞋を履く Nisoku no waraji o haku. "To wear two pairs of straw sandals at once" (fulfilling two roles simultaneously -- wearing "two hats" at the same time) 5.  生き恥かくより 死ぬがまし Ikihaji kaku yori, shinu ga mashi. "Better to die than to live in shame." (the overriding importance of honor) 6. 武士は食わねど高楊枝 Bushi no kuwanedo taka-yôji. "Even when he has not eaten, a samurai wields his toothpick (like a lord)." (a samurai is required to behave properly regardless of his personal circumstances) 7. 水魚の交わり Sui gyo no majiwari. "the friendship of water and fish" (drawn from the Chinese work The Records of the Three Kingdoms and used to indicate a close relationship) 8. 教えるは学ぶの半ばなり Oshieru wa manabu no nakaba nari. "Teaching is half learning." (drawn from the Chinese Book of Documents, meaning that teaching involves learning) 9. 出る杭は打たれう Deru kui wa utareu. "A protruding post is hammered down." (the notable, the outstanding, those standing apart Source: These proverbs are all drawn from the 800 included in Takashima Taiji, Kotowaza no izumi (Fountain of Japanese Proverbs), Tokyo: The Hokuseido Press, 1981. In some cases, Takashima translations have been slightly reworked.
The Teaching about Japan website is edited by Clayton Dube. He welcomes your comments and suggestions. © 2002 UCLA Center for East Asian Studies