Japanese proverbs

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A Japanese proverb (諺, ことわざ, kotowaza) may take the form of:

• a short saying (言い習わし, iinarawashi),
• an idiomatic phrase (慣用句, kan'yōku), or
• a four-character idiom (四字熟語, yojijukugo).

Although "proverb" and "saying" are practically synonymous, the same cannot be said about "idiomatic phrase" and "four-character idiom". Not all kan'yōku and yojijukugo are proverbial. For instance, the kan'yōku kitsune no yomeiri (狐の嫁入り, literally 'a fox's wedding', meaning "a sunshower") and the yojijukugo koharubiyori (小春日和, literally 'small spring weather', meaning "Indian summer" – warm spring-like weather in early winter) are not proverbs. To be considered a proverb, a word or phrase must express a common truth or wisdom; it cannot be a mere noun.