Proverb / Kotowaza
駑馬十駕
Even those with limited talent can match gifted individuals through persistent and continuous effort.
A slow horse pulling for ten days
Quick Answer
Even those with limited talent can match gifted individuals through persistent and continuous effort.
- Literal Image
- A slow horse pulling for ten days
- How to Use It
- This proverb is used to praise someone's steady perseverance or to express one's own determination to succeed through hard work despite not being naturally gifted.
Meaning
This expression teaches that success is not determined by innate talent alone. Just as a slow horse can cover the same distance as a swift horse by traveling for ten days instead of one, a person who works steadily and never gives up can eventually achieve results comparable to someone naturally talented.
Literal Image
A slow horse pulling for ten days
How to Use It
This proverb is used to praise someone's steady perseverance or to express one's own determination to succeed through hard work despite not being naturally gifted.
Tone
This is a literary four-character idiom (yojijukugo) used in formal or encouraging contexts.
Examples
駑馬十駕の精神で、毎日コツコツと勉強を続ける。
With the spirit of steady effort, I continue to study diligently every day.
彼は天才ではないが、駑馬十駕の努力によって今の地位を築いた。
He is not a genius, but he reached his current position through the persistent effort of 'doba juga'.
駑馬十駕、一歩一歩進めば必ず目的地に到達できる。
With steady perseverance, if you move forward step by step, you will surely reach your destination.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses an obscure kanji like '駑' and follows a four-character idiom structure that is literary and specialized.
駑馬
どば / doba
slow horse; dull horse
十駕
じゅうが / juga
ten days of pulling (a carriage)
Usage Profile
Usage note: As it emphasizes 'lack of talent' in the slow horse analogy, be mindful when applying it to others to avoid sounding like you are calling them untalented.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret this as a literal instruction about horses; it is an analogy for human effort and persistence.
Search As
Related Proverbs
Origin
Derived from the 'Encouraging Learning' (Quanxue) chapter of the Chinese classic Xunzi. It describes how a legendary swift horse (Kirin) can run a thousand ri in a single day, but a slow horse (doba) can cover the same distance if it continues to pull its load for ten days (juga).
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.