Proverb / Kotowaza
惚れて通えば千里も一里
When you are visiting someone you love, even a very long journey feels short.
When traveling out of love, a thousand ri feels like one ri.
Quick Answer
When you are visiting someone you love, even a very long journey feels short.
- Literal Image
- When traveling out of love, a thousand ri feels like one ri.
- How to Use It
- Used to describe how strong feelings for someone or something make effort and distance seem trivial. It can apply to romantic devotion or intense focus on a personal interest or project.
Meaning
Love and passion have the power to make difficulties and hardships feel insignificant. Just as a long walk to see a loved one feels brief, having deep enthusiasm for a task or hobby allows a person to overcome challenges without feeling fatigue. It captures the psychological state where intense interest or affection overrides physical or mental strain.
Literal Image
When traveling out of love, a thousand ri feels like one ri.
How to Use It
Used to describe how strong feelings for someone or something make effort and distance seem trivial. It can apply to romantic devotion or intense focus on a personal interest or project.
Tone
positive and observant of the power of motivation.
Examples
毎週末、彼女に会うために新幹線で2時間かけて通っている。でも惚れて通えば千里も一里で、全然苦にならない。
Every weekend, I spend two hours on the Shinkansen to see my girlfriend. But when traveling for love, a thousand ri feels like one, so I don't mind it at all.
好きなことをやっていると時間があっという間に過ぎる。惚れて通えば千里も一里という感じで、仕事も趣味も熱中できるものは疲れを感じにくい。
Time flies when you're doing what you love. It's like 'horete kayoeba senri mo ichiri'—you rarely feel tired when you're absorbed in work or hobbies.
山頂まで3時間のトレッキングも、好きな仲間と一緒だと惚れて通えば千里も一里というように、あっという間だった。
The three-hour trek to the summit felt like nothing because I was with friends I like, just as love makes a long journey feel short.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses the classical distance unit 'ri' and a conditional '-eba' form, though the sentiment remains very relatable.
惚れて
ほれて / horete
falling in love
通えば
かよえば / kayoeba
if one travels/commutes regularly
千里
せんり / senri
a thousand ri (a very long distance)
一里
いちり / ichiri
one ri (a short distance)
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
Do not assume this only applies to physical walking; it describes the mental perception of any effort or distance when motivated by passion.
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Origin
This expression is rooted in the romantic culture of the Edo period. At the time, travel was primarily on foot, making a distance of 'senri' (roughly 4,000 km) an unimaginably long journey. The proverb uses hyperbole to show how the power of love can make such an extreme distance feel as short as 'ichiri' (roughly 4 km).
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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.