Proverb / Kotowaza
自縄自縛
To be trapped or restricted by one's own words, actions, or rules.
To bind oneself with one's own rope.
Quick Answer
To be trapped or restricted by one's own words, actions, or rules.
- Literal Image
- To bind oneself with one's own rope.
- How to Use It
- Used when someone brings trouble, constraint, or immobility upon themselves through their own strict rules, lies, or past actions.
Meaning
This proverb describes a situation where a person becomes unable to act freely because of their own previous statements, behaviors, or the regulations they themselves established. It is akin to tying oneself up with a rope of one's own making, illustrating how self-imposed constraints or past mistakes can lead to a loss of flexibility or freedom.
Literal Image
To bind oneself with one's own rope.
How to Use It
Used when someone brings trouble, constraint, or immobility upon themselves through their own strict rules, lies, or past actions.
Tone
Cautionary or critical, pointing out the irony of self-imposed restrictions.
Examples
独自のルールにこだわりすぎて、自縄自縛に陥っている。
By being too obsessed with their own rules, they have fallen into a trap of their own making.
嘘を突き通そうとして、結果的に自縄自縛となった。
By trying to stick to a lie, they ended up tying their own hands.
厳しい管理体制が、組織の柔軟性を奪う自縄自縛の状態を招いた。
The strict management system brought about a self-restricting situation that robbed the organization of its flexibility.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses basic kanji for 'self', 'rope', and 'bind', making the literal meaning deducible, but it is a formal four-character idiom (yojijukugo).
自
じ / ji
self
縄
じょう / jou
rope
縛
ばく / baku
to bind, to tie
Usage Profile
Usage note: Can be used in written Japanese or professional contexts to criticize restrictive systems or behaviors.
Misread Risk
Do not interpret it only as physical binding; it can be used metaphorically for situational or behavioral traps.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
Derived directly from the literal meaning of the words: the act of tying oneself up using one's own rope.
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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.