[Japanese Idioms by Flashcards]
たで食う虫も好き好き
“Some bugs prefer bitters.”
(There is no accounting for tastes; some prefer nettles.)
This Japanese proverb acknowledges the reality that people have different tastes. Also used to warn people not to judge others by one’s own taste. Tade is smartweed, a bitter tasting plant. Yet some insects prefer it.
Sample text:
(Style: spoken/casual/A=male, B=female)
A: Aitsu naze anna ii okusan to wakarete, mata henna onna to saikon shita n daroo.
B: Datte “tade kuu mushi mo sukizuki” te you deshoo.
A: あいつなぜあんないい奥さんと別れて、
B: だって、「たで食う虫も好き好き」って言うでしょう。
A: Why did he divorce such a good woman and remarry such a weirdo?
B: Oh well, you know, there’s no accounting for tastes.
Japanese Idioms
