Japanese Proverbs About Family and Home

Expresses deep sorrow and regret for being unable to repay the immense debt of gratitude to one's parents after their passing.

Autumn eggplants are either too delicious to share with a daughter-in-law or should be avoided for her health.

Marrying an unsuitable wife results in a lifetime of hardship comparable to sixty years of crop failure.

Having an older wife helps a husband live a steady and frugal life, leading to the growth of family wealth.

Parents tend to feel a deeper affection and concern for a child who is less capable or causes more trouble.

Poor families have many children.

Family ties and bonds between blood relatives are stronger than relationships with others.

The debt of gratitude owed to one's parents is immeasurably vast and impossible to fully repay.

The bond between a husband and wife lasts not only in this life but continues into the next life.

Outsiders should not interfere in marital disputes because the couple will likely reconcile on their own.

The deep regret of being unable to show filial piety because one's parents have already passed away.

A term for a matchmaker or a person who brings a man and a woman together in marriage.

A parent's advice, like cold sake, may not be felt immediately but proves its value over time.

Recovery from illness depends primarily on devoted nursing and care, with medicine playing a secondary role.

The idea that having a daughter as the first child and a son as the second is the ideal birth order.

One truly appreciates the value of a supportive spouse only after falling into poverty or hardship.

A child's true devotion and character are revealed during times of family hardship and poverty.

Children inevitably resemble their parents in character, ability, and lifestyle.

A child’s presence serves as the bond that keeps a husband and wife together.