Proverb / Kotowaza
得たり賢し
An expression of satisfaction used when things go exactly as planned or an opportunity is cleverly seized.
captured and clever
Quick Answer
An expression of satisfaction used when things go exactly as planned or an opportunity is cleverly seized.
- Literal Image
- captured and clever
- How to Use It
- Used to describe a person's triumphant reaction or internal feeling of success, especially when outmaneuvering a rival or solving a difficult problem.
Meaning
This expression conveys the feeling of "I've done it" or "it worked out" when a person successfully handles a situation by seizing a chance with quick wit. It reflects a sense of satisfaction and pride in one's own skillful or clever response to a circumstance.
Literal Image
captured and clever
How to Use It
Used to describe a person's triumphant reaction or internal feeling of success, especially when outmaneuvering a rival or solving a difficult problem.
Tone
Conveys a self-satisfied, triumphant, or clever tone.
Examples
ライバルが油断したすきに一気に追い越した。心の中で得たり賢しとほくそ笑んだ。
I overtook my rival in an instant when they let their guard down. I smirked to myself, thinking, 'I've got them!'
難しい交渉をうまく切り抜けた部長は、得たり賢しとばかりに満足げな顔をした。
The manager, who successfully navigated a difficult negotiation, had a satisfied look on his face as if to say, 'I've done it!'
複雑な算数の問題をひらめきで解けたとき、子どもは得たり賢しとガッツポーズをした。
When the child solved a complex math problem with a flash of inspiration, they did a victory pose, feeling triumphant.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The proverb uses the classical adjective ending '-shi' and the past/completed form 'etari', making it idiomatic and structurally distinct from modern Japanese.
得たり
えたり / etari
captured; obtained
賢し
かしこし / kashikoshi
clever; skillful
Usage Profile
Usage note: It implies a level of self-satisfaction or having outwitted someone, so use it carefully to avoid sounding overly boastful.
Misread Risk
Do not use this to describe success that came purely from luck; it specifically highlights the cleverness or quick wit used to seize an opportunity.
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Origin
The expression is composed of 'etari', meaning to have captured or gained a chance, and 'kashikoshi', an archaic form of 'kashikoi' (clever or well-done). It was used in the spoken language of the Sengoku and Edo periods as an exclamation of joy when one successfully seized an opportunity and handled it with skill.
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