Japanese meaning of 親の心子知らず
Reading:
おやのこころこしらず (oya no kokoro ko shirazu)
English Translation:
Children don’t understand a parent’s heart
Meaning & Cultural Context
Meaning:
Children seldom grasp parents’ feelings.
Cultural Context:
Invoked in family counseling, education, and essays on filial piety.
子どもは親の気持ちを理解しにくいという意味。
家族相談・教育現場・親子関係の随筆で引用される。
Grammar & Learning Points
Grammar Point
• 親の心 (oya no kokoro) = “parent’s heart” (noun phrase)
• 子知らず (ko shirazu) = “child does not know” (classical negative form of 知る)
Noun phrase + verb phrase, indicating lack of understanding of a parent’s feelings by the child.
Trap for English Speakers
Literal meaning may confuse learners; it says children often fail to grasp parents’ feelings.
Example
Basic Example
子どもは親の気持ちを理解しない、親の心子知らずだ。
Children often don’t understand a parent’s feelings—children don’t understand a parent’s heart.
Applied Example
試合を休ませた理由を分かってない…親の心子知らずだな。
He doesn’t get why I benched him—children don’t understand a parent’s heart.