Japanese Sayings about Autumn (秋, aki)

Every culture has many different sayings that don’t always make sense when translated. Think about, “It’s raining cats and dogs!” Or, “This dinner costs an arm and a leg!” Japanese is no exception. Here we’ve put together a collection of Japanese sayings and proverbs that all talk about autumn. Some use it literally, while others have figurative meanings. Have you come across any of these before?

Aki no ougi

It is the time when summer warmth is completely gone from the air so grab your coat and put that fan away!

On’na gokoro to aki no sora

Autumn weather can be very unpredictable. One day it feels like summer and the next the blustering winds require a coat and scarf. Obviously, this is just like a woman who changes her mind at the drop of a hat!

Akinasu wa yome ni kuwasuna

Basically this is used to mean don’t let yourself be taken advantage of. But there is also an alternative meaning to this which is that eating eggplants makes your body “cold,” which is not good for expectant mothers. So in this interpretation the mother-in-law is actually protecting her daughter-in-law!

Ichijitsu sansyuu or Ichijitsu sensyu

You can also say, “一日千秋” which is the same except one day seems like a thousand autumns! Since autumn only comes once a year, it feels like a thousand years! Either way, if you’re being impatient it will make your waiting feel much longer than it has to be. Similar in English to, “A watched pot never boils.”

Akikaze ga tatsu

This saying is used not to actually talk about autumn winds, but to talk about affection. If you say this about your girlfriend or boyfriend, it means that their feelings for you are waning and their love has “cooled” towards you.

Mono ieba kuchibiru samushi aki no kaze

This one may sound strange but it’s basically saying, “Think before you speak.” Or also, “Silence is golden.” Or in the most simple terms, “Keep your mouth shut!”

Ichiyou ochite tenka no aki wo shiru

This may sound obvious, of course when the leaves fall autumn has come! But it’s really used to talk about something that identifies something else. Maybe your girlfriend not calling you back shows that she is mad at you. See the obvious thing in front of you. “A falling straw shows which way the wind blows.”

Do you know any more Japanese sayings about autumn? What about English expressions that talk about the seasons? Share them here!