Proverb / Kotowaza
初物七十五日
Eating the first produce of the season extends one's life by seventy-five days.
first produce, seventy-five days
Quick Answer
Eating the first produce of the season extends one's life by seventy-five days.
- Literal Image
- first produce, seventy-five days
- How to Use It
- This proverb is used when someone is about to eat the first seasonal crop, such as new tea or the first fruit of the year. It expresses gratitude for the harvest and its health benefits.
Meaning
This expression reflects the traditional belief that eating the first harvest of the season brings health and longevity. It suggests that seasonal food is particularly nutritious and auspicious. The specific number of seventy-five days is used as a conventional figure to represent a significant duration of time.
Literal Image
first produce, seventy-five days
How to Use It
This proverb is used when someone is about to eat the first seasonal crop, such as new tea or the first fruit of the year. It expresses gratitude for the harvest and its health benefits.
Tone
The tone is positive and reflects a sense of appreciation for nature's bounty.
Examples
今年初めての新茶だ。初物七十五日というから、ありがたくいただこう。
This is the first new tea of the year. They say the first produce adds seventy-five days to your life, so let's enjoy it with gratitude.
Used to express appreciation for seasonal tea.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary includes compounds like hatsumono (first produce) and numerical phrases, which are accessible, but the idiomatic connection to longevity requires context.
初物
はつもの / hatsumono
first produce of the season; first crop
七十五日
しちじゅうごにち / shichijugo nichi
seventy-five days
Usage Profile
Usage note: Ensure the food being discussed is truly the first of its kind for the season.
Misread Risk
Avoid taking the number of days literally; it is a symbolic expression for a significant extension of life.
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Origin
This proverb originated from the historical belief that seasonal foods are nutrient-dense and bring good luck. The number 'seventy-five days' does not have a specific scientific foundation but is used as a conventional expression to mean a long period.
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