080Japanese idiom 四字熟語
大器晩成
たいきばんせいTaiki bansei
“Great vessels take long to complete.”
Word for wordThe great vessel is finished late.
The meaning
Ample talents ripen slowly. Blooming late is not lateness: some works, some lives, simply need more kiln.
At the origin
An expression from the Tao Te Ching, much used in Japan to encourage late bloomers.
The characters
In practice
Do not compare your chapter two to someone else's chapter ten.
Editorial note
Classical Chinese origin (Tao Te Ching).
Themes
Similar proverbs
- 078 待てば海路の日和あり Wait, and fair weather will come for the crossing.
- 012 失敗は成功のもと Failure is the foundation of success.
- 017 井の中の蛙大海を知らず The frog at the bottom of the well knows nothing of the great ocean.
- 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.
- 096 器用貧乏 Skilled at everything, rich in nothing.