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How to say 'Proverb' in Japanese | ことわざ

Wondering how to say 'Proverb' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Proverb is 'Kotowaza', written as ことわざ in Japanese.

    Meaning

    Proverb

    Reading

    Kotowaza

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun 'ことわざ (kotowaza)' refers to a 'proverb' or 'saying'. These are traditional, short expressions that convey wisdom, advice, or cultural values. They are often metaphorical and deeply rooted in Japanese culture. For example: The early bird catches the worm「早起きは三文の徳」(はやおきはさんもんのとく). A rolling stone gathers no moss「転がる石に苔は生えぬ」(ころがるいしにこけははえぬ). 'ことわざ' are commonly used in everyday conversation, literature, and education to teach lessons or emphasize points.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Frequency

    4887

    Composition

    hiragana

    Handwriting

Hiragana in the Word ことわざ

This word contains 4 Hiragana characters :

  • hiragana

    Reading

    Ko
  • hiragana

    Reading

    To
  • hiragana

    Reading

    Wa
  • hiragana

    Reading

    Za

Learn the Word ことわざ

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What does 'Kotowaza' (ことわざ) mean?

'Kotowaza' means 'Proverb' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.