鳴く蝉よりも鳴かぬ蛍が身を焦がす なくせみよりもなかぬほたるがみをこがす Meanings Expression, Godan verb empty vessels make the most noise (literally: the silent firefly burns with more passion than the crying cicada) Kanji 鳴 cry. Read as なく. 蝉 cicada. Read as せみ. 蛍 firefly. Read as ほたる. 身 body 焦 scorch. Read as こがす. Word lists Proverbs Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists