How to Read “An unripe persimmon mourns a ripe persimmon”
Aogaki ga jukushi tomurau
Meaning of “An unripe persimmon mourns a ripe persimmon”
This proverb warns against a backwards attitude. It’s when someone without experience looks down on someone with lots of experience.
An unripe persimmon is still bitter and can’t be eaten. But it acts like it’s better than a sweet, ripe persimmon. This creates a funny and ridiculous picture.
You use this saying when young workers ignore advice from senior staff. Or when someone with little knowledge criticizes experts. It points out arrogant behavior.
The proverb is especially useful when someone doesn’t realize they’re still learning. It helps teach them that their attitude is foolish.
Even today, people sometimes get a little success and become arrogant. They forget to respect the wisdom of experienced people. This saying reminds us to stay humble.
It teaches us that experience has real value. We should respect those who came before us.
Origin and Etymology
We don’t know exactly when this proverb first appeared in writing. But we can understand where it came from by looking at its parts.
The saying compares how persimmons ripen to how people grow and mature. This connection made sense to people in old Japan.
“Aogaki” means an unripe persimmon. It’s bitter and you can’t eat it. “Jukushi” means a fully ripe persimmon that’s sweet and ready to eat.
The word “tomurau” is interesting. Today it means attending a funeral. But in old Japanese, it also meant to visit someone or even to mock them.
Persimmons have been a common fruit in Japan for centuries. Everyone could see them growing and ripening on trees.
Green persimmons hang on trees next to ripe ones. But the green ones are useless while the ripe ones are valuable. This contrast shows the difference between inexperienced and experienced people.
The choice of “mourns” is clever. An unripe persimmon should respect a ripe one. But instead it looks down on it. This backwards situation happens in human society too.
People in farming villages saw persimmon trees every day. They noticed this natural scene reflected human foolishness. So they turned it into a proverb.
Interesting Facts
Persimmons are very healthy fruits. In Japan, people say “when persimmons turn red, doctors turn pale.” This means persimmons keep you so healthy you don’t need doctors.
The bitter taste in unripe persimmons comes from something called tannin. As the fruit ripens, the tannin changes and the persimmon becomes sweet.
So an unripe and ripe persimmon are the same fruit. Only time makes them different. This makes the proverb even more meaningful.
The word “tomurau” (mourn) has many meanings in old Japanese. It could mean to visit, to check on someone, or to judge them sarcastically.
Using “mourn” in this proverb adds sharp irony. It shows how ridiculous it is when inexperienced people act superior.
Usage Examples
- He just joined the company but acts like an unripe persimmon mourning a ripe persimmon, rejecting ideas from veteran workers.
- Your grades improved a little and now you’re like an unripe persimmon mourning a ripe persimmon. You should learn more from your seniors.
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has lasted because it describes something that happens to all humans. People often think they’re finished learning after gaining just a little knowledge or experience.
Here’s something interesting: complete beginners aren’t the most arrogant. People who’ve learned just a little bit are. Total beginners know they don’t know much.
But after learning some things, people think they understand everything. They’re like unripe persimmons who forget they’re still on the tree, looking down on ripe persimmons.
In human society, the more you learn, the more you realize how much you don’t know. Real experts often say “I still have so much to learn.”
But when you’re inexperienced, your limited view seems like the whole world. You can’t see beyond what you know.
This proverb warns everyone who’s still growing. Are you an unripe or ripe persimmon right now? Can anyone ever say they’re completely ripe?
We’re all still growing and learning. We should respect those who came before us. We should recognize we’re still learning. This is the path to real growth.
When AI Hears This
Looking at persimmons through physics reveals something surprising. An unripe persimmon has organized cells with water and nutrients in order. This is a “low entropy state.”
A ripe persimmon has broken cell walls with molecules scattered randomly. This is a “high entropy state.”
Here’s what matters: entropy always increases over time. This is an absolute law of the universe. So even while an unripe persimmon looks down on a ripe one, entropy is rising inside it.
Cell breathing slowly breaks down order. Enzymes work and structures loosen. At the molecular level, the unripe persimmon is already falling apart.
Here’s something interesting: when an unripe persimmon thinks it’s “still young,” it’s actually using the most energy to stay organized.
Living things get energy from food to maintain low entropy. But once a persimmon leaves the tree, that energy supply stops.
An unripe persimmon seems to last longer. But it’s just at an earlier point in the same breakdown process.
From this view, mourning seems silly. Both the mourner and the mourned are moving in the same direction. They’re both increasing in entropy. The only difference is timing. They’re heading to the same place.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches you that staying humble is the key to growth. When you start learning something new, be extra careful when you think you understand it.
Today, we can find information easily online. Anyone can gain knowledge quickly. But that’s different from real understanding or experience.
You can search for answers instantly these days. That makes it easy to forget the value of wisdom gained through years of experience.
Here’s what to do: listen to advice from senior people at work. When trying something new, learn from those with experience. Most importantly, recognize the limits of your knowledge.
Learning stops the moment you think “I know enough about this.”
If you’re learning something now, remember you might still be an unripe persimmon. That doesn’t mean losing confidence. It means opening the door to growth.
Enjoy the journey to becoming ripe. Take it step by step. That humble attitude is what will help you truly mature.
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