Proverb / Kotowaza
一期一会
Treasure every encounter as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
One life, one meeting
Quick Answer
Treasure every encounter as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
- Literal Image
- One life, one meeting
- How to Use It
- Used to express the importance of hospitality, meeting new people, or appreciating the uniqueness of a specific moment.
Meaning
This proverb teaches that every meeting or moment is a unique event that will never recur in exactly the same way. Even if the same people meet again in the same place, the specific moment and feelings are unique, so one should treat every interaction with absolute sincerity and care.
Literal Image
One life, one meeting
How to Use It
Used to express the importance of hospitality, meeting new people, or appreciating the uniqueness of a specific moment.
Tone
It carries a sincere, philosophical, and formal tone, deeply rooted in the traditions of the Japanese tea ceremony.
Examples
一期一会の精神で、すべてのお客様に心を込めて接したい。
I want to serve every customer with all my heart, in the spirit of a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
旅先での出会いは一期一会だ。この縁を大切にしよう。
Meeting people while traveling is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Let's treasure this connection.
一期一会と思えば、何気ない日常の出会いも特別なものに感じられる。
If you view every meeting as unique, even ordinary daily encounters will feel special.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses simple kanji for 'one' and 'meeting', but the Buddhist term 'ichigo' for lifetime and the four-character structure make it idiomatic.
一期
いちご / ichigo
one's lifetime (Buddhist term)
一会
いちえ / ichie
one meeting or gathering
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
It is not used for casual, repeated meetings with close friends, but for emphasizing the unique value of a specific moment or encounter.
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Origin
This term originates from the Japanese tea ceremony (sado). The phrase 'ichigo ni ichido no kai' (a meeting once in a lifetime) appears in the 'Yamanoue Soji Ki' (Record of Yamanoue Soji), written by a disciple of Sen no Rikyu. It reflects the tea ceremony spirit of treating every gathering as a unique, non-repeatable event.
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