Proverbs that start with 「A」
An empty barrel makes a high sound.
This is a metaphor for shallow, empty-minded individuals who speak confidently about things they know nothing about. It comes from the fact that striking an empty barrel produces a loud sound.
The Deep Affection of a Wicked Woman
Beautiful women may look good, but they tend to be indifferent, whereas ugly women tend to have deep affection and strong jealousy. It is also used as a metaphor for something that is well-intentioned but bothersome.
Greetings are the deity of the moment.
When a person who can skillfully mediate appears during a fight or argument, it helps both sides save face, making it easier to settle the situation. Just like a guardian deity, a mediator is someone to be grateful for, so it is better to comply with the mediation.
A boiled dish that lacks flavor.
Bad-tasting, unappetizing things tend to increase in quantity when boiled. This is a metaphor for how boring things tend to have a lot of quantity.
top-heavy and bottom-light
It starts off vigorously but gradually loses momentum and ends up in a miserable outcome.
To make a mistake and not correct it is called a mistake.
It is inevitable for people to make mistakes, but when they realize their mistakes, they should correct them immediately, and it is the refusal to correct them that constitutes the true mistake.
Evil deeds travel a thousand miles.
Information about bad deeds spreads very quickly and widely. Therefore, the lesson is that one should not commit wrongdoing.
Evil deeds return to oneself.
If you commit wrongdoing, the consequences will come back to you.
Dig a hole and say it in.
Things that are painful and cannot be told to others can be relieved by digging a hole and venting everything out inside it.
Hiding your head while leaving your butt exposed.
It is ironic to think that one has hidden all flaws or wrongdoings when only a part of them is concealed. This expression comes from the image of a pheasant burying its head in the grass while its tail remains exposed, unaware of it.