Skip to content

【No. 0655】Ishibashi wo Tataite Wataru

Oct 3, 2016 01:42
Today, I will talk about the Japanese proverb "ishibashi wo tataite wataru."

The literal meanings is "to cross a stone bridge after beating it," and it expresses "to do something cautiously and carefully."

This comes from that although stone bridges look firm, very careful people beat them for confirming safe conditions.

This proverb is often used to mean "someone is very careful," while it sometimes used to mean "someone is too cowardice" with irony.

Also, we sometimes say "ishibashi wo tataite kowasu" (to break a stone bridge by beating it too many times) for people who fail due to their carefulness, and say "ishibashi wo tataite wataranai" (not to cross a stone bridge after beating it) for people who don't act.

By the way, there is an English proverb "Hear twice before you speak once," which has the similar meaning.
石橋を叩いて渡る

今日は、日本のことわざ「石橋を叩いて渡る」を紹介します。

このことわざは、「ものすごく慎重に、用心深く物事を行う」ことのたとえです。

石橋は非常に堅固に見えますが、それでも叩いて壊れないかを確認する用心深さに由来します。

「用心深い」という意味で使われることもあれば、「臆病すぎる」などの皮肉を込めた意味で使われることもあります。

また、「慎重になりすぎて失敗した人」に対して「石橋を叩いて壊す」、「慎重になりすぎて結局行動しない人」に対して「石橋を叩いて渡らない」などと言うこともあります。

英語で同じ意味を表すことわざとしては、"Hear twice before you speak once" (話す前に二回聞け) があります。

Corrections (4)

No. 1　convexus
  • Ishibashi wo Tataite Wataru
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • Today, I will talk about the Japanese proverb "ishibashi wo tataite wataru."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • The literal meanings is "to cross a stone bridge after beating it," and it expresses "to do something cautiously and carefully."
  • The literal meaning is "to cross a stone bridge after beating it," and it expresses "to do something cautiously and carefully."
  • This comes from that although stone bridges look firm, very careful people beat them for confirming safe conditions.
  • This comes from that although stone bridges look firm, some very careful people beat them to confirm they are safe.
  • This proverb is often used to mean "someone is very careful," while it sometimes used to mean "someone is too cowardice" with irony.
  • This proverb is often used to mean "someone is very careful," while it sometimes used to mean "someone is too cowardly" with irony.
  • Also, we sometimes say "ishibashi wo tataite kowasu" (to break a stone bridge by beating it too many times) for people who fail due to their carefulness, and say "ishibashi wo tataite wataranai" (not to cross a stone bridge after beating it) for people who don't act.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • By the way, there is an English proverb "Hear twice before you speak once," which has the similar meaning.
  • By the way, there is an English proverb "Hear twice before you speak once," which has a similar meaning.
convexus
Cool story. Thank you for sharing!
Toru
Thank you so much for correcting my post! :)
No. 2　SallyG
  • Today, I will talk about the Japanese proverb "ishibashi wo tataite wataru."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • The literal meanings is "to cross a stone bridge after beating it," and it expresses "to do something cautiously and carefully."
  • The literal meanings is, "to cross a stone bridge after beating it," and it expresses the idea of "doing something cautiously and carefully."

    Your sentence was not wrong, but this makes it a bit more natural.

  • This comes from that although stone bridges look firm, very careful people beat them for confirming safe conditions.
  • This comes from the idea that although stone bridges look firm, very careful people will beat them to confirm safe conditions before crossing.

    Instead of 'beat' you may want to use the word 'test'. We generally do not 'beat' things in english when we are testing their fortitude, we 'test' them. :)

  • This proverb is often used to mean "someone is very careful," while it sometimes used to mean "someone is too cowardice" with irony.
  • This proverb usually means that "someone is very careful,". Ironically, it used to mean that "someone is too cowardly".
  • Also, we sometimes say "ishibashi wo tataite kowasu" (to break a stone bridge by beating it too many times) for people who fail due to their carefulness, and say "ishibashi wo tataite wataranai" (not to cross a stone bridge after beating it) for people who don't act.
  • Also, we sometimes say, "ishibashi wo tataite kowasu" (to break a stone bridge by beating it too many times) for people who fail due to their carefulness. Additionally, we say "ishibashi wo tataite wataranai" (not to cross a stone bridge after beating it) for people who don't act.

Very good! Your english is amazing, and very interesting to read! Keep up the good work. :)

Toru
Thank you very much for your corrections and comment!
I'm glad to hear you say that :)
No. 3　JoeStrout
  • This comes from that although stone bridges look firm, very careful people beat them for confirming safe conditions.
  • This comes from that although stone bridges look firm, very careful people beat them to confirm safe conditions.
  • This proverb is often used to mean "someone is very careful," while it sometimes used to mean "someone is too cowardice" with irony.
  • This proverb is often used to mean "someone is very careful," while it sometimes used to mean "someone is too cowardly" with irony.

    Or maybe "someone is over cautious."

  • By the way, there is an English proverb "Hear twice before you speak once," which has the similar meaning.
  • By the way, there is an English proverb "Hear twice before you speak once," which has the similar meaning.

    I haven't heard that English proverb. But the common proverb "look before you leap" seems similar.

Toru
Thank you so much for correcting my post!
And thank you for letting me know the English proverb, I learned something new :)
No. 4　onemillionthofreality

Very interesting!
Those who choose not to cross the stone bring might say the English proverb "Better safe than sorry".

Toru
Thank you for the comment!
And thank you for letting me know the interesting English phrase :)

Comments