Tag Archives: preparedness

Failure to plan is planning to…

…murder thousands of your own citizens, if one of the things you’re supposed to plan for is an emergency situation! 遠慮なければ近憂あり (Enryo nakereba kin’yuu ari; “Without forethought, worry is forthcoming”) Definition: If you don’t act and plan with an eye … Continue reading

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Gettin’ biblical before the match

緊褌一番 kin.kon.ichi.ban Literally: tense – loincloth – one – [ordinal counter] Alternately: To brace yourself mentally for something. To prepare to face difficulty or hardship, or at least a high-level competition of some sort. Literally, to gird one’s loins. Notes: … Continue reading

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A tip for an umbrella

濡れぬ先の傘 (Nurenu saki no kasa; “(Opening) an umbrella before getting wet”) Definition: Thorough advance preparation. Like opening an umbrella before any rain has even started falling. Prevention is better than cure; better early than late. Breakdown: We begin with the … Continue reading

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Our greatest foe

A more pithy relative of the most recent kotowaza: 油断大敵 yu.dan.tai.teki Literally: oil/fat – sever/refuse/decide – big – enemy Alternately: Your greatest enemy is your own unpreparedness. Feeling secure and letting your guard down is what makes you insecure. Notes: … Continue reading

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