Proverb / Kotowaza
父母の恩は山よりも高く海よりも深し
The debt of gratitude owed to one's parents is immeasurably vast and impossible to fully repay.
A parent's kindness is higher than mountains and deeper than the sea
Quick Answer
The debt of gratitude owed to one's parents is immeasurably vast and impossible to fully repay.
- Literal Image
- A parent's kindness is higher than mountains and deeper than the sea
- Closest Equivalent
- Honor thy father and thy mother.
- How to Use It
- Used to express deep respect or gratitude toward parents, or to reflect on the weight of parental care and sacrifice.
Meaning
This expression describes the immense scale of parental love and the lifelong debt of gratitude children owe to their parents. By comparing this kindness to the highest mountains and the deepest oceans, it emphasizes that no matter how much one tries to give back, the original debt remains far greater. It reflects a traditional view of the family bond where the sacrifice of parents is seen as a foundational and unrepayable gift.
Literal Image
A parent's kindness is higher than mountains and deeper than the sea
Equivalent Proverbs
Honor thy father and thy mother.
While the English is a commandment, both emphasize the supreme importance of the parental relationship.
How to Use It
Used to express deep respect or gratitude toward parents, or to reflect on the weight of parental care and sacrifice.
Tone
Serious and respectful.
Examples
父母の恩は山よりも高く海よりも深しというが、自分が親になって初めてその言葉の重さがわかった。
They say a parent's kindness is higher than mountains and deeper than the sea, but I only truly understood the weight of those words once I became a parent myself.
どれだけ親孝行をしても、父母の恩は山よりも高く海よりも深しで、とても恩返しをしきれるものではない。
No matter how much I try to fulfill my filial duties, the debt of gratitude to my parents is higher than mountains and deeper than the sea; it is simply impossible to fully repay.
父母の恩は山よりも高く海よりも深し。その恩に報いるためにも、精一杯努力しようと決意した。
A parent's kindness is higher than mountains and deeper than the sea. I have decided to work my hardest to repay that debt.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses vocabulary for nature, but the classical '-shi' adjective ending and the abstract concept of 'on' (gratitude/debt) make it less transparent for beginners.
父母
ふぼ / fubo
parents (father and mother)
恩
おん / on
debt of gratitude; kindness; favor
山
やま / yama
mountain
海
うみ / umi
sea; ocean
高く
たかく / takaku
high (adverbial form)
深し
ふかし / fukashi
deep (classical terminal form)
Usage Profile
Usage note: This is a formal and traditional expression; it may feel overly heavy or dramatic in very casual conversation.
Misread Risk
Ensure you use the classical 'fukashi' at the end rather than the modern 'fukai' to maintain the correct proverbial form.
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Origin
This expression is said to originate from the Buddhist scripture 'Fubo Onju-kyo' (父母恩重経). The text describes ten great types of kindness that parents bestow upon their children, using the scale of mountains and the sea to illustrate the depth of this debt. It also aligns with Confucian teachings, where filial piety (孝) is regarded as one of the most fundamental virtues.
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