知らぬ仏より馴染みの鬼

しらぬほとけよりなじみのおに

Meanings

1. Expression better the devil you know than the devil you don't know (literally: better the ogre you know than the Buddha you don't)

Kanji

• 知 know. Read as しる.
• 仏 Buddha. Read as ほとけ.
• 馴 familiar
• 染 stain. Read as しみ.
• 鬼 ogre. Read as おに.

Word lists

• Proverbs

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists