[Japanese Idioms by Flashcards]
良薬は口に苦し
“Good medicine tastes bitter in the mouth.”
(Good advice is often unpleasant and difficult to accept.)
Teaches that one cannot expect to hear only good news in life. Sometimes, although painful, it is good medicine to taste the bitter truth. It is implicit in the statement that the speaker “cares enough” to speak with unusual candor.
Sample text:
(Style: spoken/casual/male)
A: Itsumo kachoo kara komakaku chuui sareru no ga tamaran yo.
B: “Ryooyaku kuchi ni nigashi” tte yuu janai ka. Ima wa nigai to omottemo atode yokatta to kitto omou yo.
A: いつも課長から細かく注意されるのがたまらんよ。
B: 「
A: I can’t stand being constantly corrected in detail by the manager.
B: You know, they say, “Good medicine tastes bitter in the mouth.” You may think these detailed corrections are unpleasant now but later on you’ll realize their benefit.
Japanese Idioms
