How to Say "Saying" in Japanese

ことわざ

kotowaza

The Japanese word for "saying" is ことわざ (kotowaza).

The term ことわざ is used for traditional proverbs and folk wisdom rather than modern idioms or slang.

Meaning: proverb or maxim (noun)

How do you pronounce it?

kotowaza

Many ことわざ are based on the 'Four Character Idioms' known as 四字熟語, which condense complex moral lessons into exactly four kanji characters.
Some ことわざ are so ingrained in the culture that they are used as 'set phrases' where the speaker stops mid-sentence and the listener is expected to finish the proverb aloud.
The word ことわざ is composed of こと meaning 'thing' and わざ meaning 'skill' or 'art'. This implies that a proverb is not just a collection of words, but a 'skill of words' used to navigate life.

日本にも同様のことわざがありますか。
Do you have a similar saying in Japanese?
This sentence is useful for asking if a similar ことわざ exists in Japanese.
Tatoeba #122703 by arnab, translation #281299 by CK
「嘘つきは泥棒の始まり」ということわざを聞いたことある？
Have you ever heard the saying: "Lying leads to thieving?"
This sentence is useful for asking if someone has heard a specific ことわざ.
Tatoeba #894501 by bunbuku, translation #896041 by Scott
あなたが今言ったことで、私は古いことわざを思い出します。
What you have just said reminds me of an old saying.
This sentence is useful for explaining that something reminds you of an old ことわざ.
Tatoeba #234070 by mookeee, translation #71443 by CK
Watashi wa kotoba ga sukoshi heta desu. (私は言葉が少し下手です。)
I am a little awkward with words.
Ashita dareka ga nanka iu hazu da yo. (明日誰かがなんか言うはずだよ。)
Someone is supposed to say something tomorrow.

Two students are discussing a lesson in a classroom.

大翔 Hiroto

このことわざの意味を知っていますか？
Kono kotowaza no imi o shitte imasu ka?
Do you know the meaning of this saying?
結衣 Yui

いいえ、少し難しいです。
Iie, sukoshi muzukashii desu.
No, it is a little difficult.
大翔 Hiroto

結衣さん、一緒に調べましょう。
Yui-san, issho ni shirabemashou.
Yui, let's look it up together.
結衣 Yui

ありがとうございます、大翔君。
Arigatou gozaimasu, Hiroto-kun.
Thank you, Hiroto.

Sources

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