Proverb / Kotowaza
人には添うてみよ馬には乗ってみよ
True character and quality can only be understood through direct personal experience.
Try living with a person; try riding a horse.
Quick Answer
True character and quality can only be understood through direct personal experience.
- Literal Image
- Try living with a person; try riding a horse.
- Closest Equivalent
- You never know a man until you live with him.
- How to Use It
- Used when suggesting that one should actually interact with someone or try something before forming a final opinion.
Meaning
Just as you cannot judge a horse's quality without riding it, you cannot truly know a person's character until you have lived with or spent significant time with them. It teaches that firsthand experience is more reliable than appearances or reputation.
Literal Image
Try living with a person; try riding a horse.
Equivalent Proverbs
You never know a man until you live with him.
Matches the 'living with a person' aspect of the Japanese proverb.
How to Use It
Used when suggesting that one should actually interact with someone or try something before forming a final opinion.
Tone
Instructive and reflective.
Examples
人には添うてみよ馬には乗ってみよ、あの人のことは実際に付き合ってみてから判断しよう。
As they say, you don't know a person until you live with them; let's judge that person after actually spending some time with them.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The proverb uses the classical imperative 'miyo' and 'soute' (te-form of sou), and is quite long.
人
ひと / hito
person
添う
そう / sou
to accompany / stay with
馬
うま / uma
horse
乗る
のる / noru
to ride
Usage Profile
Usage note: Ensure the context is about withholding judgment rather than literally talking about horses.
Misread Risk
Do not assume 'miyo' is a modern casual command; it is a classical imperative form used in proverbs.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
This proverb teaches the importance of experience, emphasizing that the true nature of humans and the quality of horses cannot be judged by appearance or reputation alone, but only understood through actual contact.
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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.