Japanese Proverbs
200 Gems of Traditional Wit and Wisdom
Tuttle Publishing · Print & ebook · March 25, 2025
"Destroy a nation, but its mountains and rivers remain." — Japanese Proverb This is a collection of 200 Japanese proverbs with illustrations and explanations for each saying.
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- Who it’s for
- Explore 200 Japanese proverbs through calligraphy, direct translations, explanations, and illustrations.
- Themes
- Traditional Japanese proverbs, Japanese customs and culture, Perseverance and wisdom
- Genres
- Quotations, Japanese Language Study, Japanese Literary Collections
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"Destroy a nation, but its mountains and rivers remain." — Japanese Proverb This is a collection of 200 Japanese proverbs with illustrations and explanations for each saying. Japanese Proverbs: 200 Gems of Traditional Wit and Wisdom is a delightfully illustrated compilation of traditional Japanese sayings and maxims. Some of the classic Japanese quotes and quotations, like "Fall down seven times, get up eight," capture the dogged perseverance of the Japanese heart.
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Others, such as "A red lacquer dish needs no decoration" illuminate both a universal truth and Japan's unique, aesthetic traditions. Japanese Proverbs has proverbs of great cultural significance as well as proverbs on matters of daily life and customs. Pleasing to expert and new comer alike, the 200 traditional proverbs in this unique collection are presented in Japanese calligraphy form, along with direct English translations. Similar proverbs are given from English, and the sumi-e style ink drawings are a delight in their own right. Amateurs and Japanese language enthusiasts alike will speak Japanese with the verve and nuance of a native when they use these apt and witty expressions.
Japanese Sayings
Explore 200 Japanese proverbs through calligraphy, direct translations, explanations, and illustrations.
Come here for
- Traditional sayings in Japanese calligraphy with direct English translations
- Related English proverbs and sumi-e-style ink drawings
Expect
- Explanations of each saying, including cultural significance and daily customs
- Similar proverbs from English
Where it sits
| Quotations | 86% |
|---|---|
| Japanese Literary Collections | 32% |
| Japanese Language Study | 30% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Japanese Language Study
- Japanese Literary Collections
- Eastern Philosophy
- Authors
- David Galef
- Publisher
- Tuttle Publishing
- Published
- March 25, 2025
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Traditional Japanese proverbs · Japanese customs and culture · Perseverance and wisdom
- Reading lane
- Japanese Language Study