Proverb / Kotowaza
腹が減っては戦ができぬ
One cannot accomplish anything when hungry.
You cannot fight a battle on an empty stomach.
Quick Answer
One cannot accomplish anything when hungry.
- Literal Image
- You cannot fight a battle on an empty stomach.
- Closest Equivalent
- An army marches on its stomach.
- How to Use It
- Used to suggest having a meal before starting work or to explain that a lack of food is hindering someone's ability to focus or perform.
Meaning
This proverb teaches that satisfying physical needs, particularly hunger, is the fundamental requirement for any action. It emphasizes that eating well is necessary to perform work or tasks effectively.
Literal Image
You cannot fight a battle on an empty stomach.
Equivalent Proverbs
An army marches on its stomach.
Uses a similar military metaphor to emphasize the importance of food.
How to Use It
Used to suggest having a meal before starting work or to explain that a lack of food is hindering someone's ability to focus or perform.
Tone
Used in a casual or neutral register.
Examples
まず食事をとってから仕事にかかろう。腹が減っては戦ができぬというからな。
Let's eat first before starting work. After all, they say you can't fight a battle on an empty stomach.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary for stomach and battle is basic, but the 'te-wa' construction and the negative 'dekinu' are slightly more advanced grammatical forms.
腹
はら / hara
stomach
減る
へる / heru
to decrease; to become hungry
戦
いくさ / ikusa
war; battle
できぬ
できぬ / dekinu
cannot do (literary negative)
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
It is not used for serious famine or life-threatening starvation, but rather as a practical reminder to eat before working or studying.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
This proverb originated from the real-world experience that soldiers on the battlefield cannot fight when hungry. It conveys that eating is the fundamental basis for action and that one cannot demonstrate their true strength when hungry.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
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Source Note
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