THE INKLINGO LANGUAGE GUIDES
60 Short Japanese Quotes About Life, Love & Wisdom
Find 60 short Japanese quotes about life, love, wisdom, motivation and friendship. Each line has a traceable work, an original English translation, furigana and romaji. Fictional speakers and historical spellings are explained so a memorable line keeps its meaning.
Short quotes to start with
- 人生は落丁の多い書物に似ている。Life resembles a book with many missing pages.
- とかくに人の世は住みにくい。One way or another, the human world is hard to live in.
- しかし恋人と云うものは滅多に実相を見るものではない。Yet lovers rarely see things as they really are.
- 私はお嬢さんの顔を見るたびに、自分が美しくなるような心持がしました。Whenever I saw her face, I felt as though I myself were becoming more beautiful.
- 智に働けば角が立つ。Rely only on intellect, and you create friction.
- 義務心を持っていない自由は本当の自由ではないと考えます。I think freedom without a sense of obligation is not true freedom.
- 創作は常に冒険である。Creation is always an adventure.
- 私はこの自己本位という言葉を自分の手に握ってから大変強くなりました。I became much stronger once I took hold of the idea of judging from my own ground.
- 僕たちしっかりやろうねえ。Let us do our best, together.
- 友と友の間は、それでよかった。Between friends, that was enough.
Japanese Quotes About Life
Notice small pleasures, changing seasons and the value of an ordinary day. Some lines come from a fictional narrator; the context explains whose view you are reading.
をにする為には、の瑣事を愛さなければならぬ。
Jinsei o kōfuku ni suru tame ni wa, nichijō no saji o aisanakereba naranu.
To make life happy, you must love its everyday little things.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); 瑣事
Akutagawa immediately adds that sensitivity to small pleasures also makes us vulnerable to small sorrows.
Source noteは一のマッチに似ている。
Jinsei wa hitohako no matchi ni nite iru.
Life is like a box of matches.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); 人生・又
The next sentences say that treating it too seriously is foolish, while treating it carelessly is dangerous.
Source noteは落丁の多いに似ている。
Jinsei wa rakuchō no ōi shomotsu ni nite iru.
Life resembles a book with many missing pages.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); 人生・又
The following lines insist that this incomplete collection still forms a whole.
Source noteとかくに人の世は住みにくい。
Tokaku ni hito no yo wa suminikui.
One way or another, the human world is hard to live in.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Kusamakura; Chapter 1
The narrator goes on to consider how art can offer a different view of that difficult world.
Source note世は定めなきこそいみじけれ。
Yo wa sadame naki koso imijikere.
The world is moving precisely because nothing in it is permanent.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 7
Kenkō connects impermanence with the capacity to feel the poignancy of living.
Source noteいづくにもあれ、暫し立ちたるこそ、目さむる心地すれ。
Izuku ni mo are, shibashi tabidachitaru koso, me samuru kokochi sure.
Wherever it may be, a brief journey feels like waking up.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 15
The essay notices how unfamiliar surroundings renew attention to ordinary things.
Source note折節のうつり變るこそ、物毎に哀れなれ。
Orifushi no utsurikawaru koso, monogoto ni aware nare.
The changing seasons make everything deeply moving.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 19
The original uses the older character 變; the reading follows the familiar modern pronunciation.
Source noteは盛りに、は隈なきをのみ見るものかは。
Hana wa sakari ni, tsuki wa kuma naki o nomi miru mono ka wa.
Must we look at flowers only in full bloom, and the moon only when it is unclouded?
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 137
Kenkō finds beauty in anticipation, absence, fading and incompleteness as well as in perfect moments.
Source note身をあさく思世をふかく思ふ
Mi o asaku omoi yo o fukaku omou.
Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Miyamoto Musashi (c. 1584–1645), Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone); Precept 4
A compact personal precept by Musashi; the old spelling omofu is read omou in the modern reading shown here.
Source noteの萬金よりもおもし。
Ichinichi no inochi bankin yori mo omoshi.
A single day of life outweighs a fortune.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 93
Kenkō reports a bystander's response to a scene of petty distraction: attention to the value of the present day.
Source note存命の喜び日々に樂しまざらむや。
Zonmei no yorokobi hibi ni tanoshimazaran ya.
Should we not enjoy, each day, the joy of being alive?
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 93
Part of the reported reflection in section 93; the rhetorical question affirms ordinary life rather than promising permanent happiness.
Source note和歌こそなほをかしきものなれ。
Waka koso nao okashiki mono nare.
Waka poetry is, after all, a delightful thing.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 14
This is a prose remark about poetry, followed by examples of how a poem can transform an ordinary or forbidding subject.
Source noteExplore these words: Age & life stages (flashcards) · Emotions & feelings (flashcards) · Books & writing (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Japanese storiesJapanese Quotes About Love
These romantic lines include tenderness, hesitation and the self-deception that love can bring. Keep the author and character attached when you share a line.
しかし恋人と云うものは滅多に実相を見るものではない。
Shikashi koibito to iu mono wa metta ni jissō o miru mono de wa nai.
Yet lovers rarely see things as they really are.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); クレオパトラの鼻
The essay considers the flattering stories that love can lead people to tell themselves.
Source note我我も微妙に楽しむ為には、やはり又微妙に苦しまなければならぬ。
Wareware mo bimyō ni tanoshimu tame ni wa, yahari mata bimyō ni kurushimanakereba naranu.
To enjoy life's subtleties, we must also suffer its subtleties.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); 瑣事
A reflection on sensitivity and affection, paired with the section's praise of everyday pleasures.
Source note情に棹させば流される。
Jō ni sao saseba nagasareru.
Push off on emotion, and you get swept away.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Kusamakura; Chapter 1
The river image belongs to the narrator's opening reflection on living among other people.
Source note恋の満足を味わっている人はもっと暖かいを出すものです。
Koi no manzoku o ajiwatte iru hito wa motto atatakai koe o dasu mono desu.
Someone enjoying fulfillment in love speaks with a warmer voice.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Kokoro; Sensei and I, chapter 12
Sensei says this to the young narrator; the novel later complicates his understanding of love.
Source note本当の愛は宗教心とそう違ったものでないという事を固く信じているのです。
Hontō no ai wa shūkyōshin to sō chigatta mono de nai to iu koto o kataku shinjite iru no desu.
I firmly believe that true love is not so different from religious devotion.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Kokoro; Sensei's Testament; early account of falling in love
Sensei describes his own idealized feelings; this is fictional testimony, not a universal definition endorsed by the guide.
Source note私はお嬢さんのを見るたびに、自分が美くなるような心持が。
Watashi wa ojōsan no kao o miru tabi ni, jibun ga utsukushiku naru yō na kokoromochi ga shimashita.
Whenever I saw her face, I felt as though I myself were becoming more beautiful.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Kokoro; Sensei's Testament; early account of falling in love
Sensei recalls the way affection seemed to improve his inner life, before the story's moral complications unfold.
Source noteは恋と革命のために生れて来たのだ。
Ningen wa koi to kakumei no tame ni umarete kita no da.
Human beings were born for love and revolution.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Osamu Dazai (1909–1948), Shayō (The Setting Sun); Kazuko's reflections on love and revolution
Kazuko imagines overturning inherited social expectations; this is her declaration in the novel.
Source note恋、と書いたら、あと、書けなくなった。
Koi, to kaitara, ato, kakenaku natta.
Once I wrote the word love, I could write no more.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Osamu Dazai (1909–1948), Shayō (The Setting Sun); Kazuko starts a private note
A small moment of hesitation gives the word more weight than an effortless declaration would.
Source note男女の情も、偏に逢ひ見るをばいふものかは。
Otoko omina no nasake mo, hitoe ni aimiru o ba iu mono ka wa.
Is love between a man and a woman only a matter of meeting each other?
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 137
The following passage gives longing, absence and memory a place in romantic experience; the historical wording is gendered.
Source noteExplore these words: Body parts (flashcards)
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Read Japanese storiesJapanese Quotes About Wisdom
Compare questioning, freedom, practical knowledge and the beauty of incompleteness. These are individual writers’ observations, not anonymous proverbs.
我々の信念を支配するものはに捉え難い流行である。
Wareware no shinnen o shihai suru mono wa tsune ni toraegatai ryūkō de aru.
Our convictions are always governed by elusive fashions.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); 信念
A skeptical observation about accepted opinions, not an argument that evidence is worthless.
Source note智に働けば角が立つ。
Chi ni hatarakeba kado ga tatsu.
Rely only on intellect, and you create friction.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Kusamakura; Chapter 1
The painter-narrator's opening contrasts intellect, emotion and stubbornness; it is not a rejection of thought.
Source note意地を通せば窮屈だ。
Iji o tōseba kyūkutsu da.
Insist on having your way, and life becomes constricting.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Kusamakura; Chapter 1
The third part of the opening balances the pitfalls of intellect, emotion and stubbornness.
Source note義務心を持っていない自由は本当の自由ではと考えます。
Gimushin o motte inai jiyū wa hontō no jiyū de wa nai to kangaemasu.
I think freedom without a sense of obligation is not true freedom.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism); Freedom and obligation
A short clause excerpt from Sōseki's explanation of freedom accompanied by responsibility.
Source noteけれどもほんとうのさいわいは一体何だろう。
Keredomo hontō no saiwai wa ittai nan darō.
But what, really, is true happiness?
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Kenji Miyazawa (1896–1933), Ginga Tetsudō no Yoru (Night on the Galactic Railroad); Chapter 9; Giovanni's question
The question remains a central inquiry of the story; it is not followed by a simple slogan-answer.
Source note読書は学問の術なり、学問は事をなすの術なり。
Dokusho wa gakumon no jutsu nari, gakumon wa koto o nasu no jutsu nari.
Reading is a means to learning; learning is a means to doing things.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 5
This sentence distinguishes a tool from the practical purpose for which it is used.
Source note信の世界に偽詐多く、疑いの世界に真理多。
Shin no sekai ni gisa ōku, utagai no sekai ni shinri ōshi.
The world of unquestioning belief holds much deception; the world of questioning holds much truth.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 15
The passage encourages examining claims instead of accepting rumor or authority without thought.
Source note独立とは自分にて自分の身を支配し他によりすがる心を言う。
Dokuritsu to wa jibun nite jibun no mi o shihai shi ta ni yorisugaru kokoro naki o iu.
Independence means directing your own life without a mind that simply leans on others.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 3
The argument concerns personal judgment and responsibility within society.
Source note天は人のに人を造らず人の下に人を造らず
Ten wa hito no ue ni hito o tsukurazu hito no shita ni hito o tsukurazu.
Heaven creates no person above another, and no person below another.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 1; opening proposition
Fukuzawa opens with this proposition as something said, then discusses equality, education and social differences; it is not labeled his invented proverb.
Source note萬にその道を知れるものは、やんごとなきものなり。
Yorozu ni sono michi o shireru mono wa, yangotonaki mono nari.
In every field, someone who truly knows the craft deserves respect.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 51
The conclusion follows a practical story about building a waterwheel that actually works.
Source noteすこしの事にも先達はあらまほしきことなり。
Sukoshi no koto ni mo sendachi wa aramahoshiki koto nari.
Even in small matters, a knowledgeable guide is worth having.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 52
A traveler visits the outlying shrines but misses the main destination because he has no guide.
Source note吉凶は人によりて日によらず。
Kikkyō wa hito ni yorite hi ni yorazu.
Good or bad fortune depends on people, not on the date.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 91
The section questions the habit of assigning success or failure to auspicious calendar days.
Source note努力萬能なりとは斷じ得ぬ。
Doryoku bannō nari to wa danjienu.
We cannot conclude that effort is all-powerful.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Kōda Rohan (1867–1947), Doryokuron (On Effort); Preface
The surrounding discussion stresses direction and preparation, rather than merely working harder.
Source note我事におゐてをせす
Waga koto ni oite kōkai o sezu.
Do not dwell on regret for your own actions.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Miyamoto Musashi (c. 1584–1645), Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone); Precept 6
This is a rule Musashi set down for himself, not advice to avoid taking responsibility for mistakes.
Source note萬の事も始め終りこそをかしけれ。
Yorozu no koto mo hajime owari koso okashikere.
In everything, beginnings and endings have their own charm.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 137
The passage finds interest before and after a thing reaches its height, as with blossoms and the moon.
Source noteExplore these words: Time & dates (flashcards) · Directions & position (flashcards) · Emotions & feelings (flashcards)
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Read Japanese storiesJapanese Quotes for Motivation
Learning takes action, and creative work takes persistence. These short lines also recognize the limits of effort and the importance of choosing its direction.
我我はと闘いながら、と闘うことを学ばねばならぬ。
Wareware wa jinsei to tatakainagara, jinsei to tatakau koto o manabaneba naranu.
We must learn how to struggle with life while struggling with it.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); 人生
The essay compares life to a contest that gives its participants no rehearsal.
Source note創作はに冒険である。
Sōsaku wa tsune ni bōken de aru.
Creation is always an adventure.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); 創作
The next sentence recognizes the uncertainty that remains even after doing everything within one's power.
Source noteどこへ越しても住みにくいと悟った、詩が生れて、画が出来る。
Doko e koshite mo suminikui to satotta toki, shi ga umarete, e ga dekiru.
When you realize that life is difficult wherever you go, poetry is born and pictures take shape.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Kusamakura; Chapter 1
The narrator links the making of art to a fresh response to ordinary human difficulty.
Source note私はこの自己位という言葉を自分の手に握ってから大変強くなりました。
Watashi wa kono jiko hon'i to iu kotoba o jibun no te ni nigitte kara taihen tsuyoku narimashita.
I became much stronger once I took hold of the idea of judging from my own ground.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism); Account of discovering self-reliance
In this lecture, self-reliance means developing an independent basis for judgment, not ignoring everyone else.
Source note学問の要は活用にあるのみ。
Gakumon no yō wa katsuyō ni aru nomi.
The heart of learning lies in putting it to use.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 12
Fukuzawa connects study with action rather than treating the accumulation of information as its final goal.
Source noteおおよその事物、進まざる者は必ず退き、退かざる者は必ず進む。
Ōyoso seken no jibutsu, susumazaru mono wa kanarazu shirizoki, shirizokazaru mono wa kanarazu susumu.
In the affairs of the world, what does not move forward retreats; what does not retreat moves forward.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 5
A deliberately forceful statement about change, from the fifth installment's discussion of education and action.
Source noteもっぱら勤むべきは日用に近き実学なり。
Moppara tsutomubeki wa ningen futsū nichiyō ni chikaki jitsugaku nari.
What we should chiefly pursue is practical learning close to ordinary daily life.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 1
A clause excerpt from the argument for useful education, after setting aside learning pursued only for display.
Source note努力を忘れて努力する、それが眞の好いものである。
Doryoku o wasurete doryoku suru, sore ga shin no yoi mono de aru.
To work so absorbedly that you forget the effort: that is what is truly good.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Kōda Rohan (1867–1947), Doryokuron (On Effort); Preface
Rohan contrasts strained striving with effort that has become natural through deep engagement.
Source note活用学問は無学に等し。
Katsuyō naki gakumon wa mugaku ni hitoshi.
Learning that is never put to use is no different from no learning.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 12
The sentence develops the preceding claim that learning has its purpose in use, with a deliberately sharp contrast.
Source noteExplore these words: Age & life stages (flashcards) · Time & dates (flashcards) · Books & writing (flashcards)
Put these words into context with a story at your level.
Read Japanese storiesJapanese Quotes About Friendship and Kindness
Trust, consideration and generosity connect these lines. Several discuss our responsibilities toward other people beyond close friendships.
強者とはを恐れぬ代りにを恐れるものである。
Kyōsha to wa teki o osorenu kawari ni yūjin o osoreru mono de aru.
The strong fear their friends rather than their enemies.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1892–1927), Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf); 強者
The explanation makes this a fear of accidentally hurting a friend, not a fear of friendship itself.
Source note我々は他が自己の幸福のために、己れのを勝手に発展するのを、相当のして妨害してはならないのであります。
Wareware wa ta ga jiko no kōfuku no tame ni, onore no kosei o katte ni hatten suru no o, sōtō no riyū naku shite bōgai shite wa naranai no de arimasu.
We must not, without good reason, prevent others from developing their individuality for their own happiness.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism); Respect for other people's individuality
The lecture insists that the independence one claims for oneself also belongs to other people.
Source note私はあなたがたが自由にあらん事を切望するものであります。
Watashi wa anatagata ga jiyū ni aran koto o setsubō suru mono de arimasu.
I earnestly hope that you will be free.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Natsume Sōseki (1867–1916), Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism); Closing wish for the students
Sōseki addresses students after explaining the obligations that accompany individual freedom.
Source note世界がぜんたいにうちはのはあり得
Sekai ga zentai kōfuku ni naranai uchi wa kojin no kōfuku wa arienai.
Until the whole world becomes happy, individual happiness is impossible.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Kenji Miyazawa (1896–1933), Nōmin Geijutsu Gairon Kōyō (Outline of Peasant Art); Introduction
A statement of interdependence in Miyazawa's outline for art rooted in ordinary working life.
Source note僕たちしっかりやろうねえ。
Bokutachi shikkari yarō nē.
Let us do our best, together.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Kenji Miyazawa (1896–1933), Ginga Tetsudō no Yoru (Night on the Galactic Railroad); Chapter 9; Giovanni and Campanella
Giovanni says this as he feels renewed strength beside his friend.
Source noteとのは、それでよかった。
Tomo to tomo no aida wa, sore de yokatta.
Between friends, that was enough.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Osamu Dazai (1909–1948), Hashire Melos (Run, Melos!); The friends' reunion before the pledge
The line follows Selinuntius's silent nod and embrace when Melos asks him to stand as a pledge.
Source note私は、に報いなければならぬ。
Watashi wa, shinrai ni mukuinakereba naranu.
I must live up to the trust placed in me.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Osamu Dazai (1909–1948), Hashire Melos (Run, Melos!); Melos regains the resolve to run
Melos renews his promise to the friend waiting for him; the story also admits his earlier moment of doubt.
Source note自由とわがままとの界は、の妨げをなすとなさざるとのにあり。
Jiyū to wagamama to no sakai wa, tanin no samatage o nasu to nasazaru to no aida ni ari.
The boundary between freedom and selfishness lies in whether you interfere with others.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 1
Fukuzawa explains freedom through its relationship to other people's equal freedom.
Source noteひとり燈火のもとに文をひろげて、見ぬ世の人をとするこそ、こよなう慰むわざなれ。
Hitori tōka no moto ni fumi o hirogete, minu yo no hito o tomo to suru koso, koyonō nagusamu waza nare.
Opening a book alone by lamplight and making friends with people of unseen ages is a great comfort.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 13
Reading becomes a form of companionship across time; fumi here refers to books and writings.
Source note萬の科あらじと思はば、何事にも誠ありて、人を分かず恭しく、言葉すくなからむには如かじ。
Yorozu no toga araji to omowaba, nanigoto ni mo makoto arite, hito o wakazu uyauyashiku, kotoba sukunakaran ni wa shikaji.
To avoid giving offense, nothing beats sincerity in all things, respect for everyone and restraint in speech.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yoshida Kenkō (c. 1283–c. 1350), Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness); Section 233
The section recommends treating people considerately instead of showing off one's familiarity or skill.
Source note禽は蔭深き枝に宿り、人は慈愛深きところに依るものである。
Tori wa kage fukaki eda ni yadori, hito wa jiai fukaki tokoro ni yoru mono de aru.
Birds settle in leafy shelter; people gather where kindness is deep.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Kōda Rohan (1867–1947), Doryokuron (On Effort); Sharing happiness
The passage treats sharing good fortune and relieving another person's worries as forms of care.
Source note福を惜むといふことの重んずべきと同樣に、福を分つといふことも亦甚だ重んずべきことである。
Fuku o oshimu to iu koto no omonzubeki to dōyō ni, fuku o wakatsu to iu koto mo mata hanahada omonzubeki koto de aru.
Sharing good fortune deserves as much care as preserving it.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Kōda Rohan (1867–1947), Doryokuron (On Effort); Sharing happiness
Rohan distinguishes keeping blessings from wasting away and allowing others to benefit from them.
Source note善惡に他をねたむ心なし
Zen'aku ni ta o netamu kokoro nashi.
In good or bad fortune, hold no envy toward others.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Miyamoto Musashi (c. 1584–1645), Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone); Precept 7
The precept turns attention away from comparing one's circumstances with other people's.
Source note自他共にうらみかこつ心なし
Jita tomo ni urami kakotsu kokoro nashi.
Harbor no resentment or grievance toward yourself or others.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Miyamoto Musashi (c. 1584–1645), Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone); Precept 9
A personal discipline against brooding on grievances; the guide does not treat this as a command to accept mistreatment.
Source note人にして人を毛嫌いするなかれ。
Hito ni shite hito o kegirai suru nakare.
As a human being, do not reject other people out of blind dislike.
Literary quotation; older works retain historical spelling.
— Yukichi Fukuzawa (1835–1901), Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning); Part 17
The work ends by encouraging a wider circle of social contact instead of shutting oneself away from unfamiliar people.
Source noteExplore these words: Family & relationships (flashcards) · Emotions & feelings (flashcards) · War & military (flashcards)
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Read Japanese storiesJapanese quotes: frequently asked questions
What is a short Japanese quote about life?
Akutagawa compares life to a box of matches. The surrounding passage says that taking it too seriously is foolish, while treating it carelessly is dangerous. Read the short line together with that balance.
What are good Japanese quotes about love?
Sōseki explores affection and idealization in Kokoro, while Dazai’s Kazuko speaks about love and revolution in The Setting Sun. Both are fictional voices: sharing the author and work keeps the quotation honest.
Are these Japanese quotes or proverbs?
These are attributed excerpts from essays, lectures, fiction and personal precepts. Anonymous sayings belong in the Japanese idioms and proverbs guide. Complete waka and haiku are collected on the Japanese poems page.
Can I use these Japanese quotes as captions?
Choose a short line whose context fits what you mean, keep the Japanese wording intact and include the author. The quick list offers concise options; the full entries explain the source and any fictional speaker.
Why do some spellings look old?
Older works use historical kana or character forms. The guide preserves the cited wording and provides a modern conventional reading in romaji. For example, 思ふ is read omou.
Are these ordinary conversational Japanese phrases?
No. Several lines use literary or classical grammar. For practical greetings, requests and daily conversation, use the Japanese common-phrases guide.
Who wrote the English translations?
The translations, reading support and context notes were written directly for this guide. They are not copied from published English translations.
Where did the classical waka go?
All sixty waka from the earlier quotation collection are preserved on the Japanese poems page, with their original anthology numbers, readings and media provenance.
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Find a story at your levelSources and verification
English translations and examples were written for this guide. Source notes distinguish documented expressions, original practice sentences, and literary quotations. Literary excerpts retain the language of their original period.
- Ryūnosuke Akutagawa — Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf) — Essays and aphorisms first published in 1923–27; original Japanese text at Aozora Bunko.
- Natsume Sōseki — Kusamakura — 1906 novel; quotations are the painter-narrator’s words.
- Natsume Sōseki — Kokoro — 1914 novel; the character Sensei speaks these lines.
- Natsume Sōseki — Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism) — Lecture delivered in 1914; primary text, including its account of freedom and obligation.
- Kenji Miyazawa — Nōmin Geijutsu Gairon Kōyō (Outline of Peasant Art) — Written in 1926; one short attributed excerpt, not a full-text reproduction or a claim about its first publication.
- Kenji Miyazawa — Ginga Tetsudō no Yoru (Night on the Galactic Railroad) — Posthumously published in 1934; two short excerpts, attributed to the fictional speakers in context.
- Osamu Dazai — Hashire Melos (Run, Melos!) — 1940 short story; two brief excerpts totaling 31 Japanese characters, with original translations.
- Osamu Dazai — Shayō (The Setting Sun) — 1947 novel; two brief excerpts totaling 38 Japanese characters, voiced by Kazuko.
- Yukichi Fukuzawa — Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning) — Published in seventeen installments, 1872–76; each selected part checked against the primary text.
- Yoshida Kenkō — Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness) — Fourteenth-century essays; checked against the 1925–26 National Diet Library edition transcribed here. Section numbers identify the passages; editorial glosses are excluded.
- Kōda Rohan — Doryokuron (On Effort) — 1912 essay collection; historical character forms and kana are retained.
- Miyamoto Musashi — Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone) — 1645 manuscript preserved by Kumamoto Prefectural Museum. This page follows the transcription with variant kana normalized to ordinary kana; unvoiced historical spellings are retained.
Source notes for all 60 entries
- 人生を幸福にする為には、日常の瑣事を愛さなければならぬ。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), 瑣事. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- 人生は一箱のマッチに似ている。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), 人生・又. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- 人生は落丁の多い書物に似ている。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), 人生・又. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- とかくに人の世は住みにくい。: Exact excerpt from Kusamakura, Chapter 1. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kusamakura]
- 世は定めなきこそいみじけれ。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 7. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- いづくにもあれ、暫し旅立ちたるこそ、目さむる心地すれ。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 15. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 折節のうつり變るこそ、物毎に哀れなれ。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 19. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 花は盛りに、月は隈なきをのみ見るものかは。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 137. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 身をあさく思世をふかく思ふ: Exact excerpt from Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone), Precept 4. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [musashi]
- 一日の命萬金よりもおもし。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 93. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 存命の喜び日々に樂しまざらむや。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 93. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 和歌こそなほをかしきものなれ。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 14. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- しかし恋人と云うものは滅多に実相を見るものではない。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), クレオパトラの鼻. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- 我我も微妙に楽しむ為には、やはり又微妙に苦しまなければならぬ。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), 瑣事. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- 情に棹させば流される。: Exact excerpt from Kusamakura, Chapter 1. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kusamakura]
- 恋の満足を味わっている人はもっと暖かい声を出すものです。: Exact excerpt from Kokoro, Sensei and I, chapter 12. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kokoro]
- 本当の愛は宗教心とそう違ったものでないという事を固く信じているのです。: Exact excerpt from Kokoro, Sensei's Testament; early account of falling in love. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kokoro]
- 私はお嬢さんの顔を見るたびに、自分が美しくなるような心持がしました。: Exact excerpt from Kokoro, Sensei's Testament; early account of falling in love. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kokoro]
- 人間は恋と革命のために生れて来たのだ。: Exact excerpt from Shayō (The Setting Sun), Kazuko's reflections on love and revolution. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [shayo]
- 恋、と書いたら、あと、書けなくなった。: Exact excerpt from Shayō (The Setting Sun), Kazuko starts a private note. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [shayo]
- 男女の情も、偏に逢ひ見るをばいふものかは。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 137. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 我々の信念を支配するものは常に捉え難い流行である。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), 信念. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- 智に働けば角が立つ。: Exact excerpt from Kusamakura, Chapter 1. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kusamakura]
- 意地を通せば窮屈だ。: Exact excerpt from Kusamakura, Chapter 1. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kusamakura]
- 義務心を持っていない自由は本当の自由ではないと考えます。: Exact excerpt from Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism), Freedom and obligation. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [individualism]
- けれどもほんとうのさいわいは一体何だろう。: Exact excerpt from Ginga Tetsudō no Yoru (Night on the Galactic Railroad), Chapter 9; Giovanni's question. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [ginga]
- 読書は学問の術なり、学問は事をなすの術なり。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 5. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- 信の世界に偽詐多く、疑いの世界に真理多し。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 15. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- 独立とは自分にて自分の身を支配し他によりすがる心なきを言う。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 3. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- 天は人の上に人を造らず人の下に人を造らず: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 1; opening proposition. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- 萬にその道を知れるものは、やんごとなきものなり。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 51. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- すこしの事にも先達はあらまほしきことなり。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 52. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 吉凶は人によりて日によらず。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 91. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 努力萬能なりとは斷じ得ぬ。: Exact excerpt from Doryokuron (On Effort), Preface. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [rohan]
- 我事におゐて後悔をせす: Exact excerpt from Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone), Precept 6. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [musashi]
- 萬の事も始め終りこそをかしけれ。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 137. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 我我は人生と闘いながら、人生と闘うことを学ばねばならぬ。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), 人生. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- 創作は常に冒険である。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), 創作. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- どこへ越しても住みにくいと悟った時、詩が生れて、画が出来る。: Exact excerpt from Kusamakura, Chapter 1. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kusamakura]
- 私はこの自己本位という言葉を自分の手に握ってから大変強くなりました。: Exact excerpt from Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism), Account of discovering self-reliance. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [individualism]
- 学問の要は活用にあるのみ。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 12. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- おおよそ世間の事物、進まざる者は必ず退き、退かざる者は必ず進む。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 5. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- もっぱら勤むべきは人間普通日用に近き実学なり。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 1. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- 努力を忘れて努力する、それが眞の好いものである。: Exact excerpt from Doryokuron (On Effort), Preface. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [rohan]
- 活用なき学問は無学に等し。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 12. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- 強者とは敵を恐れぬ代りに友人を恐れるものである。: Exact excerpt from Shuju no Kotoba (Words of a Dwarf), 強者. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [akutagawa]
- 我々は他が自己の幸福のために、己れの個性を勝手に発展するのを、相当の理由なくして妨害してはならないのであります。: Exact excerpt from Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism), Respect for other people's individuality. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [individualism]
- 私はあなたがたが自由にあらん事を切望するものであります。: Exact excerpt from Watakushi no Kojinshugi (My Individualism), Closing wish for the students. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [individualism]
- 世界がぜんたい幸福にならないうちは個人の幸福はあり得ない: Exact excerpt from Nōmin Geijutsu Gairon Kōyō (Outline of Peasant Art), Introduction. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [noumin]
- 僕たちしっかりやろうねえ。: Exact excerpt from Ginga Tetsudō no Yoru (Night on the Galactic Railroad), Chapter 9; Giovanni and Campanella. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [ginga]
- 友と友の間は、それでよかった。: Exact excerpt from Hashire Melos (Run, Melos!), The friends' reunion before the pledge. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [melos]
- 私は、信頼に報いなければならぬ。: Exact excerpt from Hashire Melos (Run, Melos!), Melos regains the resolve to run. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [melos]
- 自由とわがままとの界は、他人の妨げをなすとなさざるとの間にあり。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 1. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]
- ひとり燈火のもとに文をひろげて、見ぬ世の人を友とするこそ、こよなう慰むわざなれ。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 13. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 萬の科あらじと思はば、何事にも誠ありて、人を分かず恭しく、言葉すくなからむには如かじ。: Exact excerpt from Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), Section 233. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [kenko]
- 禽は蔭深き枝に宿り、人は慈愛深きところに依るものである。: Exact excerpt from Doryokuron (On Effort), Sharing happiness. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [rohan]
- 福を惜むといふことの重んずべきと同樣に、福を分つといふことも亦甚だ重んずべきことである。: Exact excerpt from Doryokuron (On Effort), Sharing happiness. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [rohan]
- 善惡に他をねたむ心なし: Exact excerpt from Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone), Precept 7. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [musashi]
- 自他共にうらみかこつ心なし: Exact excerpt from Dokkōdō (The Way of Walking Alone), Precept 9. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [musashi]
- 人にして人を毛嫌いするなかれ。: Exact excerpt from Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning), Part 17. Author attribution and fictional voice are distinguished in the context note. Translation and reading support were written for this guide. [gakumon]