關於Proverb的意思和用法的提問

A:

The meaning is not literal – it is expressive, metaphorical.

It is basically saying – the beginning of anything is always very difficult.

Or you could say – if you get the beginning right, the rest will be much easier.

I hope that helps.

A: It is not a proverb; it's an idiom.

A:

Basically it means you talk too much so shut up

Or

Look after your own life rather than worrying about someone else’s

A: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”
(Sometimes “absence” is replaced with “distance”)
Meaning when something or especially someone is gone, you tend to think about them more because you miss them. For example, if someone is away from their significant other and is stressed because of it, a friend might comfort them by saying this phrase. Reminding them that they’re significant other is probably thinking about them more.

“Actions speak louder than words”
Meaning doing something rather than just saying something will show people that you care. Someone might say this while asking people to donate to charity.

“Love is love”
Meaning the feeling of love is undeniable and unchangeable. Often used to express support of gay relationships but can be used for other things as well.

“Blood is thicker than water”
Meaning family bonds are stronger than friendships. This is actually often misunderstood and I’ll explain why.

“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb”
Covenant = contract/agreement
This is the full version of the phrase above. It’s meaning is the opposite of how most people use it. It means that the blood you shed while fighting battles alongside others is more important than family bonds. Meaning the tough experiences that bring you closer to friends is stronger than pointless family ties.

“A bad workman always blames his tools”
Meaning that someone who isn’t doing something right will blame whatever they’re working with and won’t take responsibility. Used when someone is placing blame on the thing they were trying to do rather than how they were doing it.

“All’s well that ends well”
Meaning that if things turn out okay in the end, it doesn’t matter if they seemed dangerous or disastrous. Used after something dramatic happens but ends with nothing bad happening.

“The straw that broke the camels back”
Meaning that when a camel is carrying a heavy amount of straws, there’s one final straw that makes it so heavy the camel can’t carry it anymore. It’s used when referring to something’s braking point. For example, if someone gets bullied everyday, then one day someone says something mean that makes the person cry. That mean thing they said would be the straw that broke the camels back.

A: They’re the same thing but a proverb is more traditional and teaches a lesson. (absence makes the heart grow fonder, early bird gets the worm, cleanliness is next to godliness, etc)

A: A quotation just means you’re copying someone else’s words. We often shorten the word to a quote. You can use a quotation from a book when you’re writing an essay about that book, and reporters use quotations from interviews in their news articles. I could give you a quotation of something my friends told me. None of these are proverbs. They are just quotations.

A proverb is something short and profound that is often a quotation from a famous philosopher from long ago.

A: For me, "proverb" and "old saying/saying" are interchangeable (同義語), with "saying" being more common. "Maxim" means that the saying sort of has a moral (教訓) to it, and "epigram" means that the saying is kind of sarcastic (皮肉) as well as poetic (詩的). "Maxim" and "epigram" are both rarer words. I would usually only use "saying" or "proverb" unless I was writing something. There's also a bunch of other words that mean very similar things, such as "adage", "aphorism", etc. all of which are also things I'd mostly say in writing.

^w^

A: An idiom is a phrase that has a meaning of its own that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words.

Examples:

- to be "fed up" with means to be tired and annoyed with something that has been happening for too long
"He always cancels out plans last minute. I'm so fed up with him."

- to "rub someone the wrong way" means to irritate someone
"I don't like her. She rubs me the wrong way."

- by the skin of your teeth means that something was successful, but only just barely.
"She didn't study very much for the exam. She passed by the skin of her teeth."




A proverb is a short popular saying that gives advice about how people should behave or that expresses a belief that is generally thought to be true.

Examples:

- "Don’t cry over spilled milk" means it's not a big problem and can be fixed easily so don't be upset or worried about it.

- "Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones" means that those who have weaknesses or cannot take criticism well should not judge or criticize others.

- "A stitch in time saves nine" means it's better to solve a small problem immediately. Otherwise the problem will grow and become worse, causing out to have more trouble and it will be harder to fix.


Both idioms and proverbs have greater meaning shins the individual words themselves, but idioms on their own without knowledge of their meaning make no sense. Proverbs on their own without knowledge of their meaning can be figured out through thought. It's nearly impossible to figure out idioms unless you know them.

A: They're basically the same. However, proverbs tend to give life advice; while maxims tend to describe a general rule of conduct.

They're very similar though, I didn't know the difference before checking online. (I can't find any good examples though?)

A: Either of these would be acceptable but the first example would likely be more usual.

A: Kill two birds with one stone

This is also an English idiom
これも英語のことわざですよ

A:

A proverb

Actions speak louder than words

A tongue twister - Thought A Thought

I thought a thought.

But the thought l thought wasn't the thought l thought l thought.

A: 'He/she was fuming' is a common saying to express anger you could use :)

A: Other people's problems.

Someone else's problem.

I can't think of an equivalent English proverb.

A: There is a proverb, "[A] fool learn[s] from experience while a wise man learns from history." But now, I think it doesn't [apply] to our [time]. (OR: But I don't think it applies to our time anymore.) It's wrong because thanks to new technologies like smart phones, we can easily post our history or plausible history (plausible history?). It's not uncommon that [we have] totally opposite opinions. Then, we have no choice but to choose [our own] way, based on our experiences.

A: It means that if you find yourself under bad circumstances (like lemons, because they are sour), you take these circumstances and try to make something good out of them (like lemonade, because it is delicious)! :)

A: But why did such a weird proverb exist? I once watched a video and found out the reason. It dates back to 1592, …, many Japanese robbers had cut Koreans' noses ...

(Thanks for posting this story!)

A: There is a proverb in Korea that says "Women and dried fish need to be beaten once every three days."

A: Please tell me *an* interesting US proverb.

"Two wrongs don't make a right."

When someone has done something bad to you, trying to get revenge will only make things worse.

"The pen is mightier than the sword."

Trying to convince people with ideas and words is more effective than trying to force people to do what you want.

"When in Rome, do as the Romans."

Act the way that the people around you are acting. This phrase might come in handy when you're traveling abroad and notice that people do things differently than you're used to.

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

You can get better service if you complain about something. If you wait patiently, no one's going to help you.

"When the going gets tough, the tough get going."

Strong people don't give up when they come across challenges. They just work harder.

"No man is an island."

You can't live completely independently. Everyone needs help from other people.

"Fortune favors the bold."

People who bravely go after what they want are more successful than people who try to live safely.

"People who live in glass houses should not throw stones."

Don't criticize other people if you're not perfect yourself.

"Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."

Bad things might happen, so be prepared.

"Better late than never."

It's best to do something on time. But if you can't do it on time, do it late.