Kotowaza - Japanese Proverb

Saru Mo Ki Kara Ochiru

This kotowaza is a useful Japanese proverbs. Like other kotowaza it talks about animals. Saru is the word for monkeys in Japanese and it has us re-evaluate our take on these skillful tree climbers of the jungle - monkeys. Have you ever seen monkeys, monkey'ing around? They are coordinated physically and are well suited to a life of trees proving that they are skillful animals when it comes to climbing and swinging around on the branches of trees.

This proverb - SARU MO KI KARA OCHIRU - helps me understand that there is not much we can do about our imperfectness. Everybody makes mistakes, nobody is perfect. Even the monkeys themselves, on occassion, have been spotted to fall from trees.

Even the greatest of mortals, and demi-gods like Hercules, Achilles and Samson, all possessed a particular vulnerability, weakness, or tragic flaw. But as this proverb points out even these great semi-mortal men had flaws and were not perfect in every way - "Even Monkeys Fall From Trees."

Nobody is perfect - Even monkeys fall from trees.

Next time you want to impress your Japanese friends with your smooth newly learned kotowaza, just say "saru mo ki kara ochiru" - nobody is perfect, even monkeys fall from trees. Slap this kotowaza on at just the right time in a conversation and watch the unmistakeable reactions you'll receive. Don't forget good pronunciation.

SARU MO KI KARA OCHIRU
EVEN MONKEYS FALL FROM TREES

As always,
Ganbatte Ne!
Do Your Best!
Makurasuki