Proverb / Kotowaza
武士に二言は無い
A person of integrity should never go back on their word or change a promise once made.
A samurai has no second word.
Quick Answer
A person of integrity should never go back on their word or change a promise once made.
- Literal Image
- A samurai has no second word.
- Closest Equivalent
- A man of his word.
- How to Use It
- It is used when someone wants to demonstrate their resolve or prove that their promise is unbreakable. It serves as an assertion that the speaker will follow through on what they have said.
Meaning
This proverb emphasizes the absolute weight of one's spoken word, drawing from the samurai code of honor where retracting a statement was a source of shame. It teaches that once a commitment is made, it must be fulfilled without excuses or changes, as a person's reliability is tied to their honor.
Literal Image
A samurai has no second word.
Equivalent Proverbs
A man of his word.
Refers to the same principle of reliability, though without the specific samurai imagery.
How to Use It
It is used when someone wants to demonstrate their resolve or prove that their promise is unbreakable. It serves as an assertion that the speaker will follow through on what they have said.
Tone
The tone is serious, firm, and honorable, carrying a sense of historical weight and personal responsibility.
Examples
武士に二言は無い、必ず明日までに仕上げてみせる。
A samurai does not go back on his word; I will definitely have this finished by tomorrow.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The sentence structure is simple, but it uses specialized vocabulary like 'bushi' (samurai) and 'nigon' (two words/retraction) which are less in daily conversation.
武士
ぶし / bushi
samurai; warrior
二言
にごん / nigon
two words; double-dealing; retracting what was said
無い
ない / nai
none; does not exist
Usage Profile
Usage note: Using this for very trivial matters (like changing a lunch order) can come across as overly dramatic or sarcastic.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret 'two words' as a literal count of words; it refers to the act of saying one thing and then later saying something different.
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Origin
This proverb is rooted in the spirit of Bushido (the way of the warrior). For a samurai, one's word was considered as heavy as their own life, and retracting a statement or breaking a promise was viewed as a source of extreme shame and a violation of their code of honor.
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