雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい

きじもなかずばうたれまい

Meanings

1. Expression avoiding unnecessary talk can prevent disaster falling on one; there is safety in silence (literally: the pheasant would not be shot but for its cries)

Kanji

• 雉 pheasant. Read as きじ.
• 鳴 cry. Read as なく.
• 撃 attack. Read as うつ.

Example sentences

• 雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい。
  The pheasant would not be shot but for its cries.

Word lists

• Proverbs

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists