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Proverbs

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.
日本語で読む
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。

Cultural Context:

Hunting image of a pheasant; cited in workplace politics and school life to advise discretion.
日本語で読む
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)<br>• 撃たれまい = “probably would not be shot” (negative conjectural form of 撃つ “to shoot”)<br>Conditional–result structure showing that staying quiet can avoid trouble.
日本語で読む
• 雉も鳴かずば = 名詞「雉」+ 副助詞「も」+ 動詞「鳴く」の未然形 + 助詞「ば」で「雉も鳴かなければ」の意味<br>• 撃たれまい = 動詞「撃つ」の未然形 + 推量の助動詞「まい」で「撃たれないだろう」<br>行動しなければ災難を避けられるという条件–結果構造です。

Trap for English Speakers

Might be taken as actually about hunting birds; it advises discretion—staying quiet avoids trouble.
日本語で読む
鳥の猟の話と受け取られがちだが、余計な発言・行動を慎む教訓。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. 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.

Example 2Applied Example

  1. 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.

Quick check

Meaning

What does 「雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい」 mean?

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