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[Interesting Proverbs] The kind of words that make you want to tell someone right away—phrases whose meanings make you curious
Proverbs for those offhand moments in everyday conversation.They often seem packed with serious lessons, but did you know there are actually some that are so funny they’ll make you burst out laughing?These expressions, full of our predecessors’ keen observations and humor, are the kind that make you snap your fingers and say, “Aha!” the moment you hear them.In this article, we’ll introduce amusing proverbs that are sure to spark conversation.Enjoy discovering sayings you’ll be itching to share with someone!
[Interesting Proverbs] Words that make you want to tell someone without thinking. Phrases whose meanings make you curious (1–10)
Get spanked with ankoro mochiNEW!
A lot of proverbs and idioms imagine odd situations that make you go, “What’s that even supposed to be?” This proverb is one of them.
Getting smacked on the butt with a sweet wagashi? Of course that would never actually happen.
It means that you’re “hit” with something everyone likes—like an ankoromochi—and by extension, “an unexpected stroke of luck comes your way.” It’s almost the same as “tanakara botamochi” (a windfall).
For example: “My uncle suddenly showed up and gave me some spending money.
I feel like I just got smacked on the butt with an ankoromochi!”
boil tea with your belly buttonNEW!
What a situation! It’s a proverb that just makes you want to blurt out a snappy retort.
Of course, you can’t actually boil tea with your belly button, but it’s used to mean that something is so ridiculously silly that you can’t help finding it hilarious.
Just picturing it is fun, making it a truly amusing proverb.
If you ever encounter a funny incident that fits this saying perfectly, be sure to remember it—you’ll find the laughter bubbling up all over again!
Business is like a cow’s drool.NEW!
We may salivate reflexively when we see something delicious, but saliva also serves to expel germs and unnecessary substances from the body.
Still, it’s not exactly the cleanest thing, is it? Who would have thought drool would become a proverb…
This saying humorously teaches a basic principle of business: “Just as a cow’s drool hangs down long, the best way to do business is to keep at it patiently and for a long time.” Don’t let yourself be tempted by flashy phrases in online ads like “Get rich quick” or “You too can become a millionaire.”
A monk’s flower hairpinNEW!
This is a proverb that likens something completely mismatched or a decoration that serves no purpose.
Even if you put a floral hairpin on a bald monk, there’s nowhere to place it.
It expresses the idea that no matter how beautiful something is, without a proper foundation it can’t be put to good use.
For example, making only the appearance grand when the substance isn’t ready—like a luxurious cover on a notebook with blank pages inside.
It humorously teaches that merely arranging the form is meaningless; the essence is what matters.
Seeking clams in the mountainsNEW!
It’s a saying that means looking for something in the wrong place or making misguided efforts.
Clams live by the sea, so no matter how hard you search the mountains for them, you won’t find any.
If your direction is wrong, you won’t get results no matter how hard you try.
To put it simply, it’s like worrying about how to arrange your desk instead of studying for a test.
It’s a slightly ironic proverb that teaches us it’s more important to identify the right place to look than to focus on the effort itself.
Dumplings over worries.NEW!
This one is so full of wit that it makes you wonder if it’s really a proverb.
In fact, it’s said to be a playful twist on another proverb, “Anzuru yori umu ga yasushi” (“Giving birth is easier than worrying about it”).
This version means that instead of spending forever fretting, you might as well relax and have some dango soup.
Incidentally, “anjiru” is also a pun on “anjiru,” the soup of sweet bean paste.
For someone crushed by worry, it might be better to encourage them with a unique proverb like this rather than with difficult, serious words.
Unrequited love, like an abalone clinging to the rocky shoreNEW!
It’s a metaphor for unrequited love, where only one person has feelings and they don’t reach the other at all.
An abalone has only one shell plate and no perfectly matching “other half.” From this comes the sense of one-sided love—there’s no counterpart to receive these feelings.
For example, you carefully craft a message every day and send it, but the reply is just a curt single sticker… such a bittersweet situation.
Like an abalone on the shore, this proverb expresses unreturned love in a pensive yet slightly humorous way.