Mochi wa Mochiya (餅は餅屋 - The Expert Know Best)

Mochi wa Mochiya

No matter what the work is, the expert will always do a much better quality job than the amateurs.

To explain this fact, you can use the Japanese proverb, 'mochi wa mochiya' (餅は餅屋).

Since 'mochi' (餅) means "(traditional Japanese) rice cake," and 'mochiya' (餅屋) means "rice cake shop," the literal meaning of 'mochi wa mochiya' is "(good) rice cakes are (sold) in rice cake shops."

In other words, the most delicious rice cakes are made at rice cake shops.

In practice, this proverb is often used when asking experts to repair plumbing or home electronics.

餅は餅屋

何事も、専門家がいるのならば、その専門家に任せたほうが、素人よりもずっとよい仕事をしてくれます。

このことを表すのに、「餅は餅屋」ということわざを使うことができます。

「餅」は "(traditional Japanese) rice cake"、「餅屋」は "rice cake shop" を意味するので、「餅は餅屋」の文字どおりの意味は "(good) rice cakes are (sold) in rice cake shops" となります。

餅を作るのは餅屋が一番上手であるということです。

実際には、食べ物に対してよりも、水道の修理や家電製品の修理などを、専門家に頼む際によく使われます。

• No matter what the work is, the expert will always do a much better quality job than the amateurs.
• No matter what the work is, the expert will always do a much better quality job than amateurs.

I knew an American guy who always thought the opposite - that he knew more than the experts. He would visit a dentist and think he understood dentistry better than them. He would apply for a translating job, and think that the reason why he wasn't hired was because they didn't understand how to translate properly. He refused to take the standardized Japanese Language Proficiency Test because he thinks that the test is flawed and doesn't test normal Japanese ability. Despite recycling being an important part of Japanese culture, he thinks he understands recycling better than the average Japanese, but he doesn't. That guy drives me crazy. Mochi wa mochiya! (But not all the time.)