日本の知恵を、毎日お届けしています
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Satsumaimo.
sweet potato
さつまいも (satsumaimo) means sweet potato. 焼きいも (やきいも / yakiimo) is baked sweet potato, a familiar autumn snack.
Akogareru no o yamemashō.
Let’s stop putting them on a pedestal.
憧れる (あこがれる / akogareru) means to admire or look up to someone. 尊敬する (そんけいする / sonkei suru) means to respect. やめましょう (yamemashō) means “let’s stop.” Here, he asks the team to set aside awe for this game and compete as equals.
Ten takaku, uma koyuru aki.
The sky is high, and horses grow stout in autumn.
天 (てん / ten) is the sky; 肥ゆる (こゆる / koyuru) is a literary form meaning to grow fat. In present Japanese the saying evokes autumn's clear sky and comfortable season.
Boku wa dejitaru ni yotte, āto no gainen o kakuchō dekiru to shinjite imasu.
I believe digital technology can expand the concept of art.
概念 (がいねん / gainen) means concept; 拡張する (かくちょうする / kakuchō suru) means to expand. ～と信じています (...to shinjite imasu) states a considered belief.
Ato no matsuri.
Too late to be of use.
後 (あと / ato) means after; 祭り (まつり / matsuri) means festival. As an idiom, 後の祭り describes action taken only after it can help.
Kanro.
Cold Dew
寒 (かん / kan) means cold; 露 (ろ / ro) means dew. 寒露 (かんろ / kanro) is one of the twenty-four solar terms.
Niwasaki mawari.
neighborhood courtyard rounds
庭先 (にわさき / niwasaki) is the area in front of a home; 回り (まわり / mawari) means making rounds. In Nagasaki Kunchi, performance groups carry the festival into town through these rounds.
Tabi wa michizure, yo wa nasake.
On the road, a companion; in life, compassion.
道連れ (みちづれ / michizure) is a travelling companion; 情け (なさけ / nasake) is compassion. The proverb links practical companionship with humane treatment through life.
Mamotte kureru basho mo aru kedo jiyū mo aru
There is somewhere that protects you, and freedom too.
～てくれる frames protection as something received. Repeated も means both qualities are present; けど gives a conversational contrast. Readings: ～てくれる (-te kureru) も (mo) けど (kedo)
Benkyō mo kenkyū mo omoshiroi no desu
Both learning and research are fascinating.
勉強 means learning or study; 研究 investigates a question. Repeated も means both, while のです adds an explanatory tone. Readings: 勉強 (べんきょう / benkyō) 研究 (けんきゅう / kenkyū) も (mo) のです (no desu)
Jiyū kattatsu
Free and open-minded
自由 means free; 闊達 suggests an open, broad-minded disposition. Together the expression describes a culture in which people can think and speak freely. Readings: 自由 (じゆう / jiyū) 闊達 (かったつ / kattatsu) 自由闊達 (じゆうかったつ / jiyū kattatsu)
Tōfu
Tofu
豆 (mame) means bean when used on its own; in 豆腐 (tōfu), it is read tō. October 2 plays on tō for ten and fu for two. This is 語呂合わせ (goroawase): matching numbers with sounds.
Kuru fuku
Good fortune coming your way
来る (kuru) means to come; 福 (fuku) means good fortune. Together, 来る福 (kuru fuku) suggests good fortune arriving. 招き猫 (maneki-neko) is the beckoning cat associated with this playful reading of September 29.
Shinobu
To remember someone with affection
In this remembrance sense, しのぶ (shinobu) is commonly written 偲ぶ (shinobu). 忍ぶ (shinobu) has the same pronunciation but means to endure or conceal oneself.
Keikaku dōri ni ikanai koto mo keikaku no uchi.
Things not going according to plan are also part of the plan.
計画通り (keikaku dōri): according to plan. 行かない (ikanai): not go or work out. 計画の内 (keikaku no uchi): part of the plan. も (mo) adds “also” or “too.”
Ikiteru tte, omoide o tsukuru koto.
To live is to make memories.
生きてる (ikiteru) is the conversational form of 生きている (ikite iru), “to be alive.” って (tte) introduces an informal topic or definition. こと (koto) turns the preceding verb phrase into a noun phrase: “making memories.”
Ohagi
Ohagi: sweet rice cakes with bean paste
おはぎ (ohagi) are rice cakes with sweet bean paste. During お彼岸 (o-higan), families offer them to ancestors and share them—a seasonal food linked with care and remembrance.
Iki o awaseru
To get in sync
Literally, this is to match one's breathing. It emphasizes timing and coordination: performing an action together at the right moment. Readings: 息を合わせる (いきをあわせる / iki o awaseru)
Hirameki wa shūnen kara umareru.
Inspiration comes from tenacity.
ひらめき (hirameki): a flash of inspiration. 執念 (shūnen): tenacity or persistent determination. 生まれる (umareru): be born or arise.
Watashi wa anata de wa nai
I am not you.
私 (watashi) means “I”; あなた (anata) means “you.” ではない (de wa nai) is a plain way to say “is not.” Here, acknowledging difference makes room for respect.
Shitashiki naka ni reigi ari
Even close friends owe each other courtesy.
親しき (shitashiki) is an older form of 親しい (shitashii): close or familiar. 仲 (naka) means a relationship; 礼儀 (reigi) means courtesy. Closeness still calls for consideration.
Kanōsei o fuyashite iku
Keep opening up possibilities
可能性 (kanōsei) means “possibility.” 増やす (fuyasu) means “to increase.” ～ていく (-te iku) describes a process continuing from now.
Ikioi ga aru toki tte, ironna hōmen ni kyōmi ga muku.
When you have momentum, your interests turn in all sorts of directions.
興味が向く (きょうみが むく / kyōmi ga muku) means “one’s interest turns toward something.” 興味 (きょうみ / kyōmi) is interest; 向く (むく / muku) is to turn or face. 勢い (いきおい / ikioi) means momentum; 方面 (ほうめん / hōmen) means a direction or field.
Tatemono mo tatetara owari de wa nakute, sodatete ikanakute wa narimasen.
Buildings aren't finished when built; we have to keep nurturing them.
育てる (そだてる / sodateru) means to raise or nurture. Applied to a building, it suggests ongoing care. ～ていく (-te iku) carries an action into the future; ～なくてはなりません (-nakute wa narimasen) expresses necessity: “have to.”