[For Seniors] Weather Proverb Quiz

Drizzling even though it’s sunny

Foxes have long been said to trick people and are feared, aren’t they? This is a proverb that uses such foxes. It refers to a sunshower and describes the scene where, despite the clear weather, a light drizzle is falling.

skylark

When you write hibari in kanji, it becomes “雲雀.” It is considered a bird that heralds the arrival of spring, and its adorable figure soars high into the sky while making a cheery piyo-piyo-piyo call.

umbrella

A cloud that fits snugly over the top of a mountain is called a “cap cloud.” When clouds cover mountains like Mt. Fuji, it seems to be referred to that way. It’s often used in poetry and haiku, and it’s a saying that perfectly suits a picturesque, evocative scene.

obedient person

It means a compliant, non-resistant personality, like a willow swaying with the wind. It also suggests having a broad mind that can calmly deflect even strong opponents.

Receiving an education

There’s an anecdote about a person so poor that they could hardly receive an education, who gathered the light of fireflies to study. From this, it came to mean diligently pursuing one’s studies despite hardship. Nowadays, it’s said to be shifting toward simply meaning to receive an education.

If you persistently keep at the small things, you can achieve great results.

Rain is nothing but tiny droplets, yet those tiny droplets can eventually bore holes in stone; that’s where the expression is said to come from. In any undertaking, if you don’t act, you won’t achieve results.

rainy season (tsuyu)

Thunder is especially associated with summer evening showers, isn’t it? This proverb refers to the thunder that rumbles at the end of the rainy season. Because thunder signals the end of the monsoon, it’s often used to mark a turning point in stories.