* 負うた子に教えられて浅瀬を渡る (Outakoni Oshierarete Asase wo Wataru), also a fool may give a wise man counsel * 馬鹿は死ななきゃ治らない (Baka wa shinanakya naoranai), sometimes stupidity will stay all over the lifetime * 馬鹿につける薬はない (ばかにつけりくすりはない), There is no cure for stupidity. * 盗人にも三分の理 Even thieves have their reasons, three in 10 thieves have their reason * 五月雨式に申し訳ございません。Sorry, this is dragging on and on.. (It's pesky like the rain in May/5th month) * 地獄の釜の蓋も開く- In Buddhism, there is hell, and bad guys are boiled in a kettle. Just on new years and August 16th, the lid is opened and even the evil guys get a day off: to visit the ancestors graves. [[https://kotowaza.avaloky.com/pv_oth21_03.html|link]] * 下駄を履かせる (Geta wo hakaseru), to lift someones shoes, so give the person benefit over others. * 口さみしい (Kuchi samishi), to eat because one is bored (literal translation: the mouth feels alone) * 一石二鳥 (Iseki nicyou), killing 2 birds with one stone. 例文:同僚とランチに出かけるのは一石二鳥です。 * 夜目遠目笠の内, seeing someone unclear from the far, imagination renders the opposite as pretty person * 頭かくして尻かくさず, hiding the head but leaving the but uncovered: trying to cover up something, but forgetting a piece * 蛙の子は蛙, a frogs children are frogs * 鬼に金棒, literally: giving an ogre a stick, meaning: making something strong even stronger * 気違いに刃物 * literally: giving a twisted mind a sharp tool * meaning: giving a dangerous person a tool makes them even more dangerous * 見てわからん者は聞いてもわからん * literally: if you could not understand it from watching, then you would also not understand an explanation * 百聞は一見にしかず * literally: seeing it one time is better than hearing it 100 times * 井の中の蛙大海を知らず, literally: the frog in the well does not know the ocean * 犬が西向きゃ尾は東, literally: when the dog looks towards west, the tail faces east * 清濁併せ呑む (せいだくあわせのむ) * literally: taking both the good and the bad * meaning: accepting people as they are, the good and the bad parts * 寄らば大樹の陰 (よらばたいじゅのかげ) * literally: living in the shadow of a big tree * meaning: serving someone can be to the benefit of both parties * 釈迦に説法(しゃかにせっぽう) * literally: preaching to Buddha * meaning: telling someone something, which he knows more about * 憎まれっ子世にはばかる(にくまれっこよにはばかる) * literally: behated children are everywhere in the world * meaning: Unkraut vergeht nicht, schlechten Menschen geht es immer gut * 出る杭は打たれる(でるくいはうたれる) * literally: the sticking out nail will be hammered down * people who are different will be brought in line with the majority * 月夜に釜を抜かれる(つきよにかまをぬかれる)[[https://www.nippon.com/ja/japan-topics/g01023/|source]] * literally: to put out the kettle into the moonlight * meaning: to make a big mistake. Putting out the kettle when there is moonlight, chances are high to get it stolen. * 桜切る馬鹿、梅切らぬ馬鹿(さくらきるばか、うめきらぬばか) * literally: people cutting down sakura trees are stupid, and the ones not cutting plum trees are stupid * meaning: one should know what to do at the right time? * 金魚の糞(きんぎょうのふん)or 金魚のうんこ(きんぎょうのうんこ) * literally: the poop of goldfish * meaning: yes-man, someone who is constantly following someone, a copycat, a flatterer * 医者の不養生 * 紺屋の白袴 * literally: the shoemakers children go barfoot * meaning: specialists often do not apply their advise to themself * 坊主の不信心、餅屋餅食わず * 二階から目薬 * literally: applying an eye medicine from the second floor of a building * describing a frustrating task, or an action not showing any impact * 歯に衣着せぬ * literally: not wearing clothes on ones teeth * meaning: to speak frankly/open * 足を洗う * literally: to wash ones feet * meaning: to change lifestyle or quit something