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Japanese Proverbs Starting by chi
小さくとも針は飲まれぬ
[ちいさくともはりはのまれぬ, chiisaku tomo hari wa nomarenu]
use even the smallest things with care and caution (lit.: though small a needle should not be swallowed)
近くて見えぬは睫毛
[ちかくてみえぬはまつげ, chikakute mienu wa matsuge]
we see not what sits on our own shoulders; we can eassily find others' faults but not our own (lit.: eyelashes though close are not visible)
力は正義
[ちからはせいぎ, chikara wa seigi]
might makes right (from the English proverb; the nature of politics and power are the same the world over, it seems)
知識は力なり
[ちしきはちからなり, chishiki wa chikara nari]
knowledge is power
知識は富の永久の泉
[ちしきはとみのえいきゅうのいずみ, chishiki wa tomi no eikyuu no izumi]
knowledge is the perennial spring of wealth (from the English proverb)
血で血を洗う
[ちでちをあらう, chi de chi o arau]
wash blood with blood, to (i.e.: a terrible fight or quarrel between warriors or family members, often over status or resources)
知徳は車の両輪の如し
[ちとくはくるまのりょうりんのごとし, chitoku wa kuruma no ryourin no gotoshi]
wisdom and virtue are like the two wheels of a cart (i.e.: they are inextricably linked and cannot be separated)
治にいて乱を忘れず
[ちにいてらんをわすれず, chi ni ite ran o wasurezu]
in fair weather prepare for foul (lit.: in peace do not forget war; in other words, the best defense is preparedness)
血は血だけ
[ちはちだけ, chi wa chi dake]
blood is only blood (i.e.: family can be helpful but not always reliable)
血は水より濃し
[ちはみずよりこし, chi wa mizu yori koshi]
blood is thicker than water (taken from English and accepted as a Japanese proverb)
茶人の物好き
[ちゃじんのものずき, chajin no mono zuki]
a very curious, interested person (lit.: the curiosity of a tea devotee; that is to say that people who participate in a tea ceremony are supposed to express interest in all the details, from teh age, maker, and cost of the materials, to the style or the rite itself)
茶腹も一時
[ちゃばらもいっとき, chabara mo ittoki]
when hungry any food is fit for a while (lit.: even a cup of tea [will calm hunger] for a little while)
茶碗を綿で受ける
[ちゃわんをわたでうける, chawan o wata de ukeru]
a soft answer turns away wrath; be oblivious to a slight or insult, to; ignore or dismiss a slight or insult, to (lit.: accept a teacup with cotton)
茶を飲むと色が黒くなる
[ちゃをのむといろがくろくなる, cha o nomu to iro ga kuroku naru]
drinking tea leads to a dark complexion (n.b.: this is why, at least traditionally, women tended to avoid drinking tea, since a fair if not white complexion was, and still is in some areas, highly prized)
忠臣は二君につかえず
[ちゅうしんはにくんにつかえず, chushin wa nikun ni tsukaezu]
no man can serve two masters (lit.: a loyal retainer does not serve two lords. This was often quoted during the feudal period, and is taken from the writings of the ancient Chinese historian Ssu-ma Ch'ien)
朝三暮四
[ちょうさんぼし, chousanboshi]
humbug; six of one or half a dozen of the other (lit.: morning three, evening four)
提灯に釣鐘
[ちょうちんにつりがね, chouchin ni tsurigane]
an ill-suited match [between a man and a woman] (lit.: a paper lantern with a hanging temple bell, two common items in ancient and modern Japan that simply do not go together at all)
提灯持ち足元暗い
[ちょうちんもちあしもとくらい, chouchin-mochi ashimoto kurai]
news at home is best gotten from afar (lit.: it is dark at the feet of the lantern bearer)
提灯持ちは先に立て
[ちょうちんもちはさきにたて, chouchin-mochi ha saki ni tate]
the candle that goes before gives the best light (lit.: the person with the lantern should go first; that is to say, whoever has the requisite knowledge or tool should lead the way)
町内で知らぬ者は亭主ばかりなり
[ちょうないでしらぬものはていしゅばかりなり, chounai de shiranu mono wa teishu bakari nari]
the good man is the last to know what is amiss at home (lit.: only the husband knows not what is happening in the neighborhood; this expression is often applied to a cuckold who is unaware of his wife's infidelity)
塵も積もれば山となる
[ちりもつもればやまとなる, chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru]
little and often makes a heap in time (lit.: even dust will accumulate into a mountain)
珍客も三日目には居候
[ちんきゃくもみっかめにはいそうろう, chinkyaku mo mikkame niwa isourou]
the first day a guest, the third day a pest (lit.: even a valued guest becomes a parasite on the third day)
沈黙は金なり
[ちんもくはきんなり, chinmoku wa kin nari]
silence is gold (probably a direct translation of the English proverb; n.b.: the character for "kin" [also read "kane"] can mean gold, money, or metal)
沈黙は金、雄弁は銀
[ちんもくはきん、ゆうべんはぎん, chinmoku wa kin, yuuben wa gin]
silence is golden, eloquence is silver
沈黙は承諾の内
[ちんもくはしょうだくのうち, chinmoku wa shoudaku no uchi]
silence is part of consent (from the English “silence gives consent”)
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