030Japanese proverb ことわざ
実るほど頭を垂れる稲穂かな
みのるほどこうべをたれるいなほかなMinoru hodo kōbe o tareru inaho kana
“The riper the rice ear, the lower it bows its head.”
The meaning
Maturity makes one humble. As the grain-laden ear bends toward the earth, those who have truly learned grow gentler, not prouder.
At the origin
Farming wisdom that became Japan's classic image of humility.
The characters
- 実る minoruto ripen
- ほど hodothe more
- 頭 kōbehead
- を
- 垂れる
- 稲穂
- かな
In practice
Measure your progress by your gentleness as much as your knowledge.