ProverbWisdomJapanese origin

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down

Meaning: Conformity protects individuals; standing apart invites suppression or punishment from society.

Origin: A Japanese proverb, deru kui wa utareru (出る杭は打たれる) — literally, the stake that sticks out gets hammered. It expresses the pressure to conform rather than stand out, and is the opposite of the Western "the squeaky wheel gets the grease."

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