022Japanese proverb ことわざ
石橋を叩いて渡る
いしばしをたたいてわたるIshibashi o tataite wataru
“Tap even a stone bridge before crossing it.”
The meaning
Even what seems solid deserves checking. Caution is not fear: it is respect for consequences.
At the origin
A traditional proverb describing meticulous people; it can be said with admiration or with mischief.
The characters
- 石橋 ishibashistone bridge
- を o(object)
- 叩いて
- 渡る
をParticleMarks the object: what the action falls upon.
In practice
Before an important commitment, test once more what seems obvious.