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鶏口となるも牛後となるなかれ. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
鶏口となるも牛後となるなかれ, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
鶏口となるも牛後となるなかれ in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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鶏口となるも牛後となるなかれ, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Japanese
Etymology
Calque of Literary Chinese 寧為雞口，無為牛後／宁为鸡口，无为牛后 (literally “Better be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox”). Originally read as 寧ろ鶏口となるも牛後となる勿れ. The initial 寧ろ is redundant in Japanese and therefore omitted.
Proverb
鶏口となるも牛後となるなかれ • (keikō to naru mo gyūgo to naru nakare)
- It is better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond.
See also