Japanese Proverbs About Success and Failure

Failing to obtain anything by being greedy and trying to grab two things at once.

Taking a significant risk or using dangerous methods to achieve a goal.

To rest on one's laurels or status and stop making an effort.

To pity someone who has failed or committed a fault while also disciplining them to prevent a recurrence.

To be so stunned or dumbfounded by someone's appalling behavior that one is left speechless.

Receiving unexpected good fortune or profit without making any effort.

Accomplishing something with extreme ease due to an overwhelming difference in strength or ability.

A metaphor for a result that is disappointing and falls short of one's high expectations.

A metaphor for a woman who has lost a man's love, or anything that was once valued but is now neglected after its time has passed.

Success in business is achieved by being persistent and steady rather than rushing for quick profits.

Success in the merchant world depends on talent and effort rather than family background or social status.

The most outstanding or impressive part of a work or performance that surpasses all others.

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

Fighting desperately against great odds or in a very difficult situation.

Even small efforts, when continued persistently over time, can achieve great success.

Good things can unexpectedly be found in what others have left behind or passed over.

Adversity or conflict leads to a more stable and stronger foundation than before.

Just as a net cannot trap the wind, money can flow away without staying, or chasing small details can be futile.

The state of a rider and horse moving in perfect harmony, or a master of a craft becoming one with their tools.

A bad situation continues with no signs of improvement and an ominous atmosphere.

Attempting something is easier than the anxiety felt beforehand.

A student or disciple who surpasses their teacher in skill or knowledge.

A state of extreme distress, suffering, or being cornered by financial hardship.

Describing someone who has lost their energy and become visibly dejected or wilted.

To suffer the secondary damage or negative aftermath of an event or someone else's actions.

A tiny flaw or a moment of carelessness can lead to a massive disaster or failure.

Starting early or taking proactive action leads to extra benefits and advantages.

Something very easy that can be accomplished in the brief time before eating breakfast.

To be tripped up or taken advantage of by unfair means when one is off guard.

To exceed a budget or planned expenditure, resulting in a deficit.

Starting an undertaking with great energy only to have it lose momentum and fail, or possessing knowledge without the ability to act.

Used to describe someone who cannot handle their own affairs yet tries to interfere in the business of others.

Hiding only a part of one's faults or misdeeds while thinking everything is concealed.

Take a bold leap and try your best, even if failure is a possibility.

A person who arrives later or starts later sometimes overtakes those who were ahead of them.

It refers to something that is useless because the appropriate time has already passed.

To become excessively cautious after a single failure or bad experience.

If you realize you have made a mistake, you should correct it immediately without worrying about your reputation or saving face.

Making mistakes is a fundamental part of being human.

To be in an extremely unstable and dangerous situation that could collapse at any moment.

To reveal one's hidden true nature or actual level of skill due to a slip-up.

A state where all measures have failed and it is too late to take further action.

There is no cure for foolishness or stupidity.

A metaphor for temptations or vices that destroy a person's inherent good nature or natural talents.

To be in a complete stalemate or at a total loss for how to proceed.

To waste all of one's previous efforts or hard work.

Even if you make a very large wish, only a tiny part of it may actually come true.

A metaphor for when many happy events or very busy tasks occur all at once.