Tweet of the Week #132: Rats Biting Cats and Other Japanese Proverbs

Japanese Proverbs are often very metaphorical. But some are rooted in life experiences and express very down-to-earth practical wisdom. Last week, a classic Japanese adage was shared via video by user VDjvdq.

Rat bites cat

先日妹がとった動画。
私は見てなかったんですが窮鼠猫を噛むってこういうことだな、としみじみ思いました。 #窮鼠猫を噛む pic.twitter.com/UI4x5zez4y

— フトアゴラバー (@VDjvdq) May 15, 2021

先日（せんじつ）姉（あね）がとった動画（どうが）。

私（わたし）は見（み）てなかったんですが窮鼠猫（きゅうそねこ）を噛（か）むってこういうことだな、としみじみ思（おも）いました。

“[Here’s a] video my sister took the other day.

I did not witness the scene, but thought that’s what ‘despair gives courage to a coward’ means.”

Literally, the proverb means “a cornered rat will bite the cat.” The story illustrates that placed in a desperate situation, we rise above our limitations and act bravely—like this rat fighting for its life. A lesson learned for this stray kitty!

Japanese proverbs you should know

ハトが豆鉄砲（まめでっぽう）を食（く）ったよう

“A pigeon struck with a [pea-shooter].”

The real meaning is “to be startled or puzzled by a sudden event.” Hit by a pea out of nowhere probably does just that.

芋（いも）を洗（あら）うよう

“Like washing potatoes.”

This relatively new expression is about your morning commute during peak hours. In Japan, potatoes are traditionally washed in a barrel. This expression means being caught in a crowd in a narrow space like a train.

箸（はし）より重（おも）い物（もの）を持（も）ったことがない

“I’ve never held anything heavier than chopsticks.”

A cynical, but perhaps an accurate description of privileged people who don’t need to work hard and lift more than chopstick.

飛（と）んで火（ひ）に入（はい）[る夏（なつ）の虫（むし）

“Like a summer bug flying into fire.”

This ancient proverb goes back at least to the Kamakura period (1185–1333). Literally, the phrase means. The expression compares the foolish death of insects flying toward the light of a fire to the foolish actions of a reckless person and is used as a warning for other people.

Vocabulary

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