Proverb / Kotowaza
子はかすがい
A child’s presence serves as the bond that keeps a husband and wife together.
A child is a clamp
Quick Answer
A child’s presence serves as the bond that keeps a husband and wife together.
- Literal Image
- A child is a clamp
- Closest Equivalent
- Children are the bond between husband and wife
- How to Use It
- It is used to describe how children can resolve marital friction or provide the reason for a couple to stay together during tough times.
Meaning
This proverb expresses that affection for a child acts as a unifying force for a couple. Even when a husband and wife are facing difficulties or their relationship has cooled, their shared love and responsibility for their child can bridge the gap and prevent the family from drifting apart.
Literal Image
A child is a clamp
Equivalent Proverbs
Children are the bond between husband and wife
A direct conceptual equivalent.
How to Use It
It is used to describe how children can resolve marital friction or provide the reason for a couple to stay together during tough times.
Tone
The tone is generally reassuring and moralizing, emphasizing the importance of family bonds.
Examples
離婚の危機もあったが、子供の存在のおかげで踏みとどまれた。まさに子はかすがいだ。
There was a risk of divorce, but we stayed together thanks to the existence of our child. Truly, a child is the bond that holds us together.
喧嘩ばかりしている夫婦だが、子供の話になると笑顔になる。子はかすがいとはこのことだ。
They are a couple that does nothing but fight, but they smile when the topic turns to their child. This is exactly what they mean by 'a child is the clamp'.
子はかすがいと言うように、子供は家族をつなぐ大切な存在だ。
As the saying goes, a child is the bond that keeps a family together; they are a precious presence.
二人の間に問題が生じても、子供の顔を見ると互いに歩み寄れる。まさに子は鎹だと感じる。
Even when problems arise between the two of them, looking at their child's face allows them to reconcile. I truly feel that a child is the clamp that holds us together.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses simple vocabulary like 'ko' (child) and the 'wa' particle, but 'kasugai' (clamp/staple) is a specific noun that makes the phrase idiomatic.
子
こ / ko
child
かすがい（鎹）
かすがい / kasugai
clamp; staple; large metal fastener used to join timbers
夫婦
ふうふ / fuufu
married couple; husband and wife
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
While the proverb suggests children keep parents together, it should not be used to imply that children are responsible for fixing a broken marriage.
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Kanji in This Proverb
Related Proverbs
Origin
The term 'kasugai' (鎹) refers to a 'C'-shaped metal clamp used to join two pieces of timber together. This proverb compares a child to such a fastener, suggesting that the child serves as the 'clamp' that holds the husband and wife together and strengthens their bond, even when their relationship might otherwise drift apart.
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