Japanese meaning of 雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい
Reading:
きじもなかずばうたれまい (kiji mo nakazuba utaremai)
English Translation:
Let sleeping dogs lie
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
Keeping quiet can avoid trouble.
Cultural Context:
Hunting image of a pheasant; cited in workplace politics and school life to advise discretion.
余計な発言や目立つ行動を控えれば災いを避けられるという意味。
猟のイメージに由来。職場の政治や学校生活で慎重さを促す。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• 雉も鳴かずば = “if even a pheasant didn’t call” (noun + particle + verb in negative conditional form)
• 撃たれまい = “probably would not be shot” (negative conjectural form of 撃つ “to shoot”)
Conditional–result structure showing that staying quiet can avoid trouble.
Trap for English Speakers
Might be taken as actually about hunting birds; it advises discretion—staying quiet avoids trouble.
Example
Basic Example
余計なことを言わなければ、雉も鳴かずば撃たれまいだ。
If you don’t speak unnecessarily, let sleeping dogs lie.
Applied Example
監督の機嫌が悪い日は、雉も鳴かずば撃たれまいだな。
On days the coach is in a bad mood, better let sleeping dogs lie.