Japanese meaning of 自業自得
Reading:
じごうじとく (jigou jitoku)
English Translation:
You reap what you sow
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
To experience the direct consequences of one's own actions, whether good or bad. It emphasizes personal responsibility and the inevitability that people will face the results of what they do.
自分がしたことに対して、必ず自分自身がその結果を受け取ることになるという意味。善行も悪行も巡り巡って自分に返ってくるという、因果応報や自己責任の考え方です。
Cultural Context:
Rooted in Buddhist teachings on cause and effect, it entered everyday Japanese and is frequently referenced in moral lessons, legal contexts, and interpersonal disputes. In Japanese culture, it aligns with social expectations of accountability.
仏教の因果応報思想に基づき、日常語として広まった。道徳教育、法律、対人トラブルの場面などでよく用いられ、日本文化における「自己責任」の価値観とも結びついている。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
This phrase uses the simple present tense and agricultural metaphors: “reap” (harvest) and “sow” (plant). It highlights that results come from one’s own actions.
Trap for English Speakers
Don’t take the farming imagery literally; it refers to actions and their outcomes, not agriculture.
Example
Basic Example
徹夜続きで体調を崩すなんて自業自得だ。
It’s your own fault—you reap what you sow by overworking yourself.
Applied Example
「そんな無茶するからだろ。自業自得だな。」
That's what happens when you act reckless. You reap what you sow.