028Japanese proverb ことわざ
出る杭は打たれる
でるくいはうたれるDeru kui wa utareru
“The stake that sticks out gets hammered down.”
The meaning
The proverb records a social reality: standing out sometimes draws criticism. It does not say to give up, but to advance knowing this headwind.
At the origin
A famous observation about group pressure in Japanese society — often quoted, often debated.
The characters
In practice
If you step out of line, expect friction: it is the price, not the verdict.