明鏡止水

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Meikyō shisui

A clear mirror and still water.

Japanese four-character idiom

A clear mirror and still water evoke a calm, unclouded state of mind. Kanjipedia traces the expression to the Zhuangzi, a classical Chinese text.

Language note: 明鏡 (めいきょう / meikyō) is a clear mirror; 止水 (しすい / shisui) is still water. Together they describe a tranquil, clear mind.

Pause long enough to see what is actually there.

Practice:

静かな場所で心を落ち着けよう。

Shizukana basho de kokoro o ochitsukeyō.

Let’s settle our minds in a quiet place.

Source:

Kanjipedia — 明鏡止水: https://www.kanjipedia.jp/kotoba/0006681200

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