Proverb / Kotowaza
百聞は一見に如かず
Seeing something once is more effective for understanding than hearing about it many times.
Hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once
Quick Answer
Seeing something once is more effective for understanding than hearing about it many times.
- Literal Image
- Hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once
- Closest Equivalent
- Seeing is believing.
- How to Use It
- Used when encouraging someone to see something in person, or when expressing that a direct experience finally made something clear after hearing about it repeatedly.
Meaning
No matter how many times you hear an explanation or a description, it cannot compare to the clarity and conviction gained from seeing the actual thing or event once. It emphasizes that direct observation is the most reliable way to gain true understanding.
Literal Image
Hearing a hundred times is not as good as seeing once
Equivalent Proverbs
Seeing is believing.
A very close equivalent emphasizing that sight provides proof.
How to Use It
Used when encouraging someone to see something in person, or when expressing that a direct experience finally made something clear after hearing about it repeatedly.
Examples
百聞は一見に如かずだから、実際に現地を見に行こう。
Since seeing is believing, let's go and see the site for ourselves.
写真で見るよりも実物の方がずっと迫力がある。百聞は一見に如かずだ。
The real thing is much more powerful than seeing it in a photo. Truly, seeing is believing.
いくら説明を聞いても分からなかったが、実演を見て納得した。百聞は一見に如かずとはこのことだ。
I didn't understand no matter how much I heard the explanation, but once I saw the demonstration, I was convinced. This is exactly what they mean by 'seeing is believing.'
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The vocabulary for numbers is simple, but the classical 'shikazu' (not as good as) ending and the kanji compound reading 'hyakubun' make it idiomatic for learners.
百聞
ひゃくぶん / hyakubun
hearing a hundred times
一見
いっけん / ikken
one look; a glance
如かず
しかず / shikazu
is not equal to; is not as good as
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
While 'seeing is believing' is a close equivalent, the Japanese phrase emphasizes that seeing is superior to hearing repeatedly, rather than just providing proof.
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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.