ProverbWisdom
Japanese origin
Japanese origin出る杭は打たれる (Deru kui wa utareru)
Meaning: People who stand out attract criticism or are made to conform.
Literally: The nail that sticks out gets hammered down
Example: “会議で目立つ意見を言ったら、上司ににらまれた。出る杭は打たれるね。” — I voiced a bold opinion in the meeting and my boss glared at me: the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
Equivalents in English, French, and Spanish
English: The early worm gets eaten
French: Il faut savoir attendre son heure (literally: One must know how to wait for one's hour)
Spanish: No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano (literally: Getting up early doesn't make dawn come sooner)
Origin: Kui is a wooden stake: one that stands higher than the rest gets hammered back into line. It is often quoted abroad as a key to Japanese social norms.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- 隣の客はよく柿食う客だ (Tonari no kyaku wa yoku kaki kuu kyaku da) A tricky spiral on ka/ki/ku that accelerates as you try to keep the syllables distinct.
- なまむぎ なまごめ なまたまご (Nama mugi, nama gome, nama tamago) A nimble warm-up for the Japanese 'na / ma / ge' syllables.
- 東京特許許可局 (Tōkyō tokkyo kyokakyoku) A machine-gun of 'kyo' / 'kyoku' sounds.
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