Ishi no ue ni mo san-nen
Even on a rock, three years
We've all heard the saying, “Patience is a virtue.” To the Japanese, three years is the magic number. If you persevere at anything for three years something will come of it. Even a cold rock, if you sit on it for three years, will become warm. This does not mean that you should give up after three years! It just means that if you keep trying at something and don't give up, you can achieve results a little at a time. Of course, you have to be serious about what you are doing, even if it is sitting on a rock.
We all know people who try something for a little while and, when they are not successful, feel like giving up (maybe even ourselves!). We need to remind them (ourselves), “Ishi no ue ni mo san-nen.” Say you are studying Japanese. You've studied for two whole months and still haven't mastered the backwards sentence structures, can't remember the difference between “wa” and “ga”, and basically just can't speak to a Japanese person. Well, don't give up! Even a rock will become warm if you sit on it for three years. Keep at it. Learn and try to use things a little at a time. Little by little, you will get better and better. Perhaps, after three years, you will be speaking like a native. If not, keep at it for another three years. And another three years... You get the picture.
Ganbare!!! Ishi no ue ni mo san-nen desu ne.
Usage note: Most Japanese sayings can be turned into complete sentences just by adding “desu” to the end. To add emphasis, add “desu yo”. To ask for agreements (think, “yeah,” “right,” “you know”), add “desu ne”.
 |
© 1995-2013 NACOS International Institute. All Rights Reserved. |