Have you ever come across a foreign quote or proverb and wondered what it meant but didn’t have the time to figure it out? Well, I’ve taken out the guess work, and translated, so to speak, a few of my favorite Japanese proverbs.
The meanings are by no means perfect, so feel free to disagree. Let me know your favorite proverb or quote in the comments below.
Ja ne!

Proverb: There are old men of three years and children of a hundred.
Meaning: Time and age does not a wise person make.

Proverb: Cold tea and cold rice are bearable, but cold looks and cold words are not.
Meaning: It is easier to endure a cold meal than another person’s scorn.

Proverb: It is the same life whether we spend it laughing or crying.
Meaning: Whether we spend our days delighted or depressed, life goes on.

Proverb: He who treads the path of love walks a thousand meters as if it were only one.
Meaning: Those who choose a life of love have a more bearable journey ahead of them.

Proverb: Always depend on your walking stick, not on other people.
Meaning: It is better to rely on your own strength rather than someone else’s.
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