039Japanese proverb ことわざ
遠くの親戚より近くの他人
とおくのしんせきよりちかくのたにんTōku no shinseki yori chikaku no tanin
“A close neighbor beats a distant relative.”
The meaning
In hardship, presence is what counts. Everyday bonds, tended with care, are worth blood ties kept at a distance.
At the origin
A traditional proverb about neighborly help.
The characters
- 遠く tōkufar away
- の noof (link)
- 親戚 shinsekirelative
- より
- 近く
- の
- 他人
のParticleLinks two words: possession or belonging, like “of”.
In practice
Tend your nearby bonds: a greeting, a favor, a small attention.