棒ほど願って針ほど叶う ぼうほどねがってはりほどかなう Meanings Expression, Godan verb you can't always get what you want; man plans and God laughs; things don't always turn out the way you hope Kanji 棒 rod. Read as ボウ. 願 wish. Read as ねがう. 針 needle. Read as はり. 叶 grant; answer. Read as かなう. Word lists Proverbs Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists