[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!
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[Interesting Proverbs] Words that make you want to tell someone without thinking. Phrases whose meanings make you curious (1–10)
If a teacup is thrown, cushion it with cotton.NEW!
In what kind of situation would someone throw a rice bowl? Some of you might picture a fight.
That’s right—this is about what to do if an angry person throws a rice bowl at you.
If you fight back and throw a bowl in return, the conflict will only escalate.
So the teaching is to catch it gently with “cotton,” so to speak, and let the other person’s anger flow away.
A retaliatory “an eye for an eye” solves nothing.
When someone is bristling with anger, the basic approach is to be soft and gentle.
poke the bush and a snake comes outNEW!
This proverb means bringing trouble upon yourself by doing something unnecessary.
You can picture a quiet thicket—poke it with a stick wondering, “Is something in there?” and out jumps a real snake.
For example, trying to pry into a secret on a whim, only to have your own mistakes exposed instead.
If you hadn’t touched it, nothing would have happened; it’s a slightly thrilling reminder that curiosity and meddling can be the seeds of trouble.
A good attitude is worth more than what you’ve already gained.NEW!
You can’t help but laugh at the pun-like, rhyming sound, can you? This saying means that the intention to do something for you matters more than the act itself.
Of course, it’s wonderful when someone does something or helps you.
But when you think about this proverb, doesn’t it make you feel joy and gratitude first and foremost for the person’s intention to do so in the first place? Despite sounding like a bit of a pun, it’s a very profound proverb.
[Interesting Proverbs] Words that make you want to tell someone. Expressions whose meanings make you curious (11–20)
Careless in your thirties, restless in your fortiesNEW!
It’s a proverb that humorously captures the subtleties of life: you can take it easy when you’re young, but in your thirties you start to feel, “I can’t afford to be careless,” and by your forties you’re glancing around, anxiously checking where you stand.
For example, you might laugh things off in your twenties with “It’ll work out somehow,” then start worrying about savings and the future in your thirties, and get jittery in your forties seeing your former classmates succeed.
It’s a slightly stinging phrase that rhythmically expresses the growing sense of reality that comes with age.
The salt put into miso doesn’t go elsewhere.NEW!
It’s a proverb meaning that once someone becomes part of your circle—like family or close comrades—they won’t easily drift away.
When making miso, you thoroughly mix in salt, but you can’t later extract just the salt; it blends in completely and becomes part of the miso.
Human bonds are the same: once you’re deeply involved, you can’t simply return to being an outsider.
Friends and coworkers who have shared joys and hardships over the years remain connected somewhere in the heart, even if circumstances change.
For better or worse, such ties are hard to sever—hence the teaching to cherish your relationships, captured in this richly evocative saying.
When Gonbei sows the seeds, the crows dig them up.NEW!
Let me introduce the proverb “When Gonbei sows the seeds, the crows dig them up,” which describes a situation where someone’s hard-earned preparations are ruined by someone else right away.
You can picture it: Mr.
Gonbei painstakingly sows his seeds, only for the crows to swoop in and say “Thanks for the meal!” as they dig them back up.
For example, you finally buy some sweets with the allowance you saved, but your family each takes a bite, and before you know it there’s nothing left.
It’s a phrase that’s a little bittersweet yet makes you chuckle, capturing how efforts can come to nothing.
If you’re going to navigate the floating world, cross it like tofu.NEW!
This proverb means that to get along well in the world, it’s best to be soft like tofu and behave without being sharp-edged.
Tofu is light and fluffy, and it blends into any dish, right? In the same way, a skillful way of getting by is to avoid clashing with others and respond with flexibility.
For example, things sometimes go better if, rather than insisting only on what’s logically correct, you first accept what the other person says and then convey your point gently.
It’s a deeply resonant saying that teaches us not to be stubborn, but to live with a supple, open mind.