Proverb / Kotowaza
冷や酒と親の意見は後から利く
A parent's advice, like cold sake, may not be felt immediately but proves its value over time.
Cold sake and the advice of parents take effect later.
Quick Answer
A parent's advice, like cold sake, may not be felt immediately but proves its value over time.
- Literal Image
- Cold sake and the advice of parents take effect later.
- Closest Equivalent
- Advice from parents is felt only later in life.
- How to Use It
- Used when reflecting on past advice from parents that has finally proven to be true or helpful in a current situation, acknowledging that the advice was wiser than one initially thought.
Meaning
Cold sake does not intoxicate the drinker immediately; the effects set in only after some time has passed. Similarly, a parent's guidance or warnings might not make sense or feel useful when first heard, but their truth and practical value become clear as one gains life experience.
Literal Image
Cold sake and the advice of parents take effect later.
Equivalent Proverbs
Advice from parents is felt only later in life.
A direct English expression of the proverb's sentiment.
How to Use It
Used when reflecting on past advice from parents that has finally proven to be true or helpful in a current situation, acknowledging that the advice was wiser than one initially thought.
Tone
Reflective and appreciative of parental wisdom.
Examples
あの時の父の言葉の意味がやっと分かった。冷や酒と親の意見は後から利くというのは本当だ。
I finally understand the meaning of what my father told me back then. It's true that a parent's advice, like cold sake, takes effect later.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary is relatively accessible, but the overall length and the idiomatic comparison between alcohol and advice require familiarity with idiomatic use.
冷や酒
ひやざけ / hiyazake
cold sake
親の意見
おやのいけん / oya no iken
parents' opinion or advice
後から
あとから / ato kara
later on
利く
きく / kiku
to be effective; to take effect
Usage Profile
Usage note: This is best used in a reflective context rather than as a lecture to someone else.
Misread Risk
Do not use this to describe immediate consequences; the core of the proverb is the delayed realization of value.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
Unlike warm sake (nurukan), cold sake takes time for the alcohol to be absorbed and for the drinker to feel intoxicated. This physiological delay is compared to the time it takes for a person to mature and realize the wisdom in their parents' warnings.
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Source Note
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