086Japanese proverb ことわざ
二度あることは三度ある
にどあることはさんどあるNido aru koto wa sando aru
“What happens twice will happen three times.”
The meaning
Events repeat as long as their causes remain. Two occurrences are not chance: they are a pattern asking to be addressed.
At the origin
An observational proverb, often cited for mistakes and incidents.
The characters
- 二度 nidotwice
- ある aruto happen
- こと kotothing, fact
- は
- 三度
- ある
In practice
At the second time, look for the cause instead of waiting for the third.