Proverb / Kotowaza
猿も木から落ちる
Even experts can make mistakes in their own field of expertise.
even monkeys fall from trees
Quick Answer
Even experts can make mistakes in their own field of expertise.
- Literal Image
- even monkeys fall from trees
- Closest Equivalent
- Even Homer sometimes nods
- How to Use It
- Used to describe a situation where a highly skilled person fails at something they are usually perfect at, or to offer comfort when such a person makes a mistake.
Meaning
No matter how skilled or experienced someone is in a particular craft or field, they are not immune to making errors. It serves as a reminder that perfection is impossible and even a master can have an off day or commit a simple oversight.
Literal Image
even monkeys fall from trees
Equivalent Proverbs
Even Homer sometimes nods
A literary equivalent referring to the poet Homer making occasional errors.
Even the best horse stumbles
A similar image of a skilled animal failing.
How to Use It
Used to describe a situation where a highly skilled person fails at something they are usually perfect at, or to offer comfort when such a person makes a mistake.
Tone
Neutral to humbling; it acknowledges human fallibility without necessarily being critical.
Examples
ベテランの整備士が単純なミスをするなんて、猿も木から落ちることもあるものだ。
For a veteran mechanic to make such a simple mistake, it really goes to show that even monkeys fall from trees.
優勝候補の選手が予選で敗退するとは、まさに猿も木から落ちるだ。
The favorite to win being eliminated in the qualifiers is a perfect example of 'even monkeys fall from trees'.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
Uses basic vocabulary (monkey, tree, fall) and the common 'mo' particle, though the idiomatic usage is N3 level.
猿
さる / saru
monkey
落ちる
おちる / ochiru
to fall
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
It should not be used as a sarcastic insult for someone's failure, but rather as a general observation that nobody is perfect.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
Based on the observation of the habits of monkeys, who are expert climbers yet occasionally slip and fall from trees.
Index
Topics, Situations, and Tags
Topics
Situations
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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.