![[For Elementary Students] A Collection of Beautiful Four-Character Idioms to Know](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/vz_tx4pKbpo/maxresdefault.webp)
When an elementary school child starts learning four-character idioms (yojijukugo) in their Japanese class, there may be a moment when they think, “I want to learn more beautiful words!” Four-character idioms include many expressions that have uniquely Japanese beauty and profound meanings.
Here, we’ve collected beautiful yojijukugo that are easy for elementary students to remember and can be used in essays and more.
The more you learn their meanings, the more you’ll be drawn to the charm of words, which also helps build vocabulary.
Have fun exploring together as a parent and child, and find your favorite yojijukugo!
- [Elementary School Students] Perfect for Kakizome! A Collection of Four-Character Idiom Ideas
- Learn the meanings too! Cool four-character idioms that elementary school students will want to remember
- Recommended for elementary school class goals! A collection of impactful ideas using four-character idioms
- Perfect for elementary school slogans! A collection of four-character idiom ideas you'll want to use
- Interesting four-character idioms for elementary schoolers! Words you'll want to use once you understand their meanings
- Easy-to-remember, positive four-character idioms for elementary school kids! Words that brighten the heart
- Popular even among elementary school students! Stylish and easy-to-remember four-character idioms
- Boost your vocabulary with four-character idioms that include numbers! A collection of four-character idioms for elementary school students to learn.
- For Elementary School Students: Four-Character Idioms You Can Use for New Year’s Resolutions — How to Set Cool Goals!
- Strive toward your goals! Four-character idiom ideas that resonate with elementary school students
- [For Elementary School Students] Four-character idioms you can use in sports! Words that are helpful for cheering and goal setting
- Four-character idioms that wish for happiness! Words that will warm the hearts of elementary school children
- Easy for elementary school students to remember! A four-character idiom that expresses the feeling of trying your best
[For Elementary School Students] A Collection of Beautiful Four-Character Idioms You Should Know (1–10)
The highest goodness is like water.NEW!
It is a saying that means “The highest good is like water.” Just as water changes its shape to fit the vessel, it teaches the importance of living gently and flexibly.
Water, without asserting itself forcefully, has the power to wear down stone little by little.
And like water flowing from high to low, it also conveys a natural, unpretentious way of being.
Someone who cherishes their own thoughts while being attuned to the feelings of others may have a “heart like water.” Even when facing difficulties, they don’t become rigid, but move forward positively, adapting to the situation.
That attitude can be said to lead to true strength.
Gentle face, loving wordsNEW!
It’s a term that means “a gentle smile” and “kind, considerate words.” It’s an expression that teaches the importance of facing others with a warm smile and speaking to them with heartfelt words.
For example, asking a friend who’s in trouble, “Are you okay?” or quietly offering words of encouragement to someone who’s feeling down after a failure are perfect examples of ‘wagō aigo.’ One of the appealing aspects of this concept is that you don’t need to do anything grand; it can be practiced in small, everyday moments.
Even simply greeting someone with a smile can lighten their mood a little and warm their heart.
You could say that the accumulation of such small acts of kindness softens the atmosphere around us.
A single smile is worth a thousand gold pieces.NEW!
Isshou Senkin is a beautiful four-character idiom meaning “a single smile or laugh is worth a thousand pieces of gold.” It teaches us that a heartfelt smile makes people happier than expensive things or money.
A smile that cheers up a friend, or a small laugh that soothes a family, has the power to brighten the atmosphere around us.
Valuing smiles in everyday life also helps us build good relationships with many people.
It’s easy to remember and conveys the importance of feelings.
It’s one of the four-character idioms I especially recommend for families with elementary school children.
Cherry blossoms in full, resplendent bloomNEW!
@jeripicho “桜花爛漫” is a Japanese expression meaning “a riot of cherry blossoms.” The idiom “Oka Ranman” refers to the beauty of cherry blossoms and cherry trees in full bloom in Japan, and it also evokes a sense of beauty and tradition. Spring is the season of renewal, growth, and new beginnings. It is the time when the world awakens from its winter slumber and nature comes alive with color, sound, and energy. From the first bloom of a flower to the return of migratory birds, spring is a season of beauty and wonder. Sakura symbolizes both life and death, beauty and violence. Just as the arrival of spring promises new life, the blooming of cherry blossoms brings a sense of vitality and vibrancy. At the same time, their brief lifespan reminds us that life is fleeting.#CherryBlossom Spring #nihongo
♬ snow dream – lmnl
Ouka-ranman is a four-character idiom that describes cherry blossoms bursting into full bloom in a bright, beautiful display.
It’s easy to grasp the meaning if you picture schoolyards and routes to school in spring washed in pink by cherry blossoms.
The sight of blossoms at their peak also conveys the idea that hard work has borne fruit and the feeling of sharing joy together.
In essays or reflections, using it for spring events or scenes like entrance and graduation ceremonies makes your expression much richer.
It’s a word worth remembering that teaches us both the beauty of nature and the brightness of the heart.
pure breeze and bright moonNEW!
It depicts a serene, composed scene in nature—clear wind and a bright moon.
Free of anything superfluous, it conveys a purity that seems to lighten the heart.
Thinking of the refreshing breeze on a summer night or a round moon floating in the sky brings peace of mind.
You could say this phrase also carries the message: “Keep your heart calm and face things with honesty.” Even on irritating days, recalling these words can help your feelings settle.
It reminds us not to forget to take time to clear our minds amid our busy daily lives.
It is a four-character idiom that teaches the importance of that mindfulness.
The beauties of nature — flowers, birds, wind, and the moon (a poetic expression appreciating nature’s elegance)NEW!
It’s a four-character idiom used to express the beauty found in nature.
It’s read as “kachō fūgetsu.” The “flower” represents the beauty of spring, and the “bird” conveys the melancholy of autumn—each character embodies the atmosphere of the four seasons.
The phrase also means appreciating and incorporating nature’s beauty into arts like painting and poetry, allowing us to experience various forms of beauty through nature.
It can also be used to express a natural way of being or a sense of aesthetics, so you’ll sometimes see it used as a slogan for sports festivals or school festivals.
Snow, Moon, Wind, and FlowersNEW!
@hjc.aki [Setsugetsufūka] Snow, moon, wind, and flowers—an expression that collectively refers to the beautiful scenery of nature. A phrase that evokes beautiful winter landscapes. It’s a word I like, though I’m not good with the cold lol.Snow, Moon, Wind, FlowersWinterCalligrapherCalligraphyTranslation
♬ Kaede – Ryuta Shibuya
These words—snow, moon, wind, and flower—evoke the beautiful scenery of the four seasons.
They embody a distinctly Japanese sensibility that delights in the passage of nature and appreciates the unique charm of each season.
Gently falling snow, the moon hanging in the night sky, a pleasantly blowing breeze, and flowers blooming in spring—this expression reminds us of the importance of pausing to savor the world around us, even amid busy days.
For example, simply noticing the cherry blossoms on your way to school or the hues of the evening sky can bring a moment of calm.
As we attune ourselves to landscapes that change with the seasons, we also bring our hearts into balance.
It is a refined and beautiful four-character idiom that calls to mind such intentional, graceful moments.