Proverb / Kotowaza
百年の恋も一時に冷める
Deep affection nurtured over many years can vanish in a single moment due to a small, disappointing event.
Even a hundred years of love cools in an instant
Quick Answer
Deep affection nurtured over many years can vanish in a single moment due to a small, disappointing event.
- Literal Image
- Even a hundred years of love cools in an instant
- Closest Equivalent
- Love flies when it sees a chance
- How to Use It
- Used to describe a situation where someone's romantic interest or deep affection suddenly disappears after witnessing a specific behavior or trait that causes disillusionment.
Meaning
Long-standing affection can be extinguished instantly when one discovers an unexpected or unpleasant side of their partner. It suggests that no matter how deep or enduring a relationship has been, a single moment of disillusionment can completely erase those feelings. The expression highlights the fragility and sudden shifts that can occur in human emotions.
Literal Image
Even a hundred years of love cools in an instant
Equivalent Proverbs
Love flies when it sees a chance
Suggests that love can depart quickly when an opportunity or reason arises.
How to Use It
Used to describe a situation where someone's romantic interest or deep affection suddenly disappears after witnessing a specific behavior or trait that causes disillusionment.
Tone
Reflective of human nature, occasionally used with a critical or humorous nuance regarding 'deal-breaker' behaviors.
Examples
食べ方があまりにも汚くて、百年の恋も一時に冷める思いがした。
Their eating manners were so messy that I felt even a hundred years of love could cool in an instant.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The kanji are basic, but the use of temporal metaphors like 'hyakunen' and 'ichiji' combined with 'sameru' for emotional shifts is an advanced idiomatic structure.
百年
ひゃくねん / hyakunen
one hundred years; a very long time
恋
こい / koi
love; romantic affection
一時
いちじ / ichiji
a moment; an instant
冷める
さめる / sameru
to cool down; to subside (of emotions)
Usage Profile
Usage note: While it deals with love, it can apply to relatively minor 'turn-offs' rather than deep tragedies.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret 'one hundred years' literally; it emphasizes the depth and perceived permanence of the feeling that was lost.
Search As
Related Proverbs
Origin
This expression illustrates the subtleties of human emotion, showing how disillusionment can occur in an instant regardless of how long or deeply someone has been loved. In this context, 'one hundred years' (hyakunen) refers to a long period of time, while 'one moment' (ichiji) signifies an instant.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
Tags
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.