Last Updated
：2026/01/11
呑舟の魚は枝流に游がず
Hiragana
どんしゅうのうおはしりゅうにあそばず / どんしゅうのうおはしりゅうにおよがず
Kanji
呑舟の魚は枝流に遊ばず
Phrase
figuratively
literally
Japanese Meaning
大きな存在や器の大きい人物は、些細なことや取るに足らない相手には関わらない、ということを表すことわざ。字義どおりには「舟を飲み込むほどの大魚は、細い支流では泳がない」という意味。
Easy Japanese Meaning
とても大きな人やえらい人は、小さな人やつまらないことにかかわらないというたとえ
Chinese (Simplified) Meaning
比喻有大志或大本事者不屑与小人物为伍 / 大人物不理会琐碎小事
Chinese (Traditional) Meaning
比喻大人物不與無足輕重者為伍，也不屑理會瑣碎小事。 / 字面：能吞舟的大魚不在支流中游動。
Korean Meaning
거물은 사소한 일에 얽매이지 않고 하찮은 사람들과 어울리지 않는다. / 배를 삼킬 만큼 큰 물고기는 지류에서 헤엄치지 않는다.
Indonesian
Tokoh besar tidak bergaul dengan orang tak berarti; tidak memusingkan perkara sepele. / (Literal) Ikan yang dapat menelan perahu tidak berenang di anak sungai.
Vietnamese Meaning
(nghĩa bóng) Người phi thường không giao du với kẻ tầm thường, không bận tâm chuyện nhỏ. / (nghĩa đen) Cá lớn nuốt thuyền không bơi trong nhánh sông.
Tagalog Meaning
Ang mga natatangi at makapangyarihan ay di nakikisama sa di‑kapansin‑pansin, ni nag‑aabalá sa mumunting bagay. / (literal) Ang isdang kayang lumulon ng bangka ay di lumalangoy sa mga sanga ng ilog.
Sense（1）
(figuratively) larger-than-life characters do not associate with unnoteworthy characters, nor do they concern themselves with trivial matters
Sense（2）
(literally) boat-swallowing fish do not swim in tributaries
（ canonical ）
（ romanization ）
Quizzes for review
(figuratively) larger-than-life characters do not associate with unnoteworthy characters, nor do they concern themselves with trivial matters / (literally) boat-swallowing fish do not swim in tributaries
See correct answer
呑舟の魚は枝流に游がず
See correct answer
He is a person who follows his own path, and the phrase 'a big fish does not swim into a small stream' fits him perfectly.
He is a person who follows his own path, and the phrase 'a big fish does not swim into a small stream' fits him perfectly.
See correct answer
彼は自分の道を進む人で、呑舟の魚は枝流に游がずという言葉がぴったりだ。
Japanese - English
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