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I've been posting Japanese words on my Instagram @nihongo_japanese since August 2017.
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★青(あお)は 藍(あい)より 出(い)でて 藍(あい)より 青(あお)し [Japanese Proverb]

Aug 12, 2019

ことわざ (Japanese Proverb) 日本の文化 (Japanese Culture)

This is probably one of the longest proverbs and looks like it is tongue twister.

青(あお)は 藍(あい)より 出(い)でて 藍(あい)より 青(あお)し

青(あお) - blue
藍(あい) - indigo (plant)

It literary means that the blue color for dyeing is bluer than the original plant (indigo).

In English, there is a similar saying.
"The scholar may be better than the master."

Let's say you are learning Japanese from me and your Japanese got better than me, you can use this proverb.

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★Let's use this proverb in the conversation!

A: 私(わたし)の日本語(にほんご)より上手(うま)くなるといいね
I hope your Japanese will get better than mine.

B: それは不可能(ふかのう)だね
That is impossible.

A: 可能(かのう)だよ!
青(あお)は 藍(あい)より 出(い)でて 藍(あい)より 青(あお)し だよ。
It is possible! "The scholar may be better than the master."
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