012Japanese proverb ことわざ
失敗は成功のもと
しっぱいはせいこうのもとShippai wa seikō no moto
“Failure is the foundation of success.”
The meaning
A failure looked at honestly teaches what no success can. It shows precisely what is missing, and thereby opens the way.
At the origin
A common proverb in Japan, cited in education as in craftsmanship.
The characters
- 失敗 shippaifailure
- は watopic marker
- 成功
- の
- もと
はParticleMarks the topic: what the sentence is about — “as for…”.
In practice
After a miss, write down one thing learned before turning the page.
Themes
In the collections · Nanakorobi
Similar proverbs
- 093 亀の甲より年の功 Better than the tortoise's shell, the merit of years.
- 179 過ちて改めざる、是を過ちという The real fault is not to mend one's fault.
- 190 押してもだめなら引いてみな If pushing fails, try pulling.
- 080 大器晩成 Great vessels take long to complete.
- 081 為せば成る、為さねば成らぬ、何事も Act, and it will be done; do not act, and it will not — in all things.