九層の台は累土より起こる
きゅうそうのうてなはるいどよりおこる
Meanings
- Expression, Godan verb many a little makes a mickle; every little helps (literally: the tower of nine storeys (stories) rose from a small heap of earth) (from Tao Te Ching, also as 九層の台も累土より起こる) See also: ちりも積もれば山となる (ちりもつもればやまとなる).
Kanji
- 九 nine. Read as キュウ.
- 層 layer. Read as ソウ.
- 台 platform. Read as うてな.
- 累 accumulate. Read as ルイ.
- 土 soil
- 起 rise. Read as おこる.