Proverb / Kotowaza
朝鳶が鳴けば隣七軒出でがならぬ
A black kite calling in the morning is a traditional sign that rain is approaching, advising people to stay indoors.
If a black kite cries in the morning, the neighbors in the seven houses nearby should not go out.
Quick Answer
A black kite calling in the morning is a traditional sign that rain is approaching, advising people to stay indoors.
- Literal Image
- If a black kite cries in the morning, the neighbors in the seven houses nearby should not go out.
- How to Use It
- Used when observing nature to predict rain or when discussing traditional weather-related sayings.
Meaning
This weather-predicting proverb is rooted in the observation of nature. It suggests that when a black kite (tobi) cries out in the morning, it signals that rain will fall later that day, making it unwise for people in the neighborhood to venture out for work or travel. It represents the practical wisdom of ancestors who relied on animal behavior to forecast local weather conditions.
Literal Image
If a black kite cries in the morning, the neighbors in the seven houses nearby should not go out.
How to Use It
Used when observing nature to predict rain or when discussing traditional weather-related sayings.
Tone
Literary and cautionary, reflecting ancestral wisdom.
Examples
朝鳶が鳴けば隣七軒出でがならぬと祖母がいつも言っていたが、今日の朝も鳶の声がして、案の定午後から大雨になった。
My grandmother always said that if a kite cries in the morning, the neighbors shouldn't go out; sure enough, it rained heavily this afternoon after the kite called this morning.
昔の人は「朝鳶が鳴けば隣七軒出でがならぬ」と言って、鳥の鳴き声で天気を読んでいた。
People in the past used to read the weather by bird calls, saying, 'If a kite cries in the morning, the neighbors shouldn't go out'.
朝鳶が鳴けば隣七軒出でがならぬという言い伝えは、自然のサインを読む先人の知恵が詰まっている。
The saying 'If a kite cries in the morning, the neighbors shouldn't go out' is full of the wisdom of ancestors who read the signs of nature.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The proverb is lengthy and uses the classical 'naranu' negation, as well as specific bird names and numerical idioms.
朝
あさ / asa
morning
鳶
とび / tobi
black kite (bird of prey)
鳴けば
なけば / nakeba
if it cries / calls out
隣七軒
となりしちけん / tonari shichiken
the neighborhood; the surrounding seven houses
出でがならぬ
いでがならぬ / ide ga naranu
must not go out (classical form)
Usage Profile
Usage note: This is a traditional weather-lore expression rather than a scientific meteorology statement.
Misread Risk
Do not take 'seven houses' literally; in this context, it refers to the entire neighborhood or local community.
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Origin
The 'tobi' (black kite) is a bird of prey throughout Japan. It is believed that these birds are sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure and humidity, leading them to emit a distinct cry before it rains. 'Shichiken' (seven houses) is used idiomaticly to mean the surrounding neighborhood rather than a literal count of houses. This proverb is a product of long-term observation used as traditional weather forecasting.
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