How to Read “From the mortar to the pestle”
Usu kara kine
Meaning of “From the mortar to the pestle”
“From the mortar to the pestle” is a proverb that describes a relationship where two things are inseparably bound together, like a mortar and pestle. It especially refers to married couples or close relationships.
This proverb works because the relationship between these tools perfectly captures deep human bonds. The mortar and pestle are always used together. Neither can function without the other.
They complement and support each other. This mutual dependence is the heart of the proverb.
People use this saying to describe harmonious couples who have been together for years. It also works for unbreakable friendships.
When you say “those two are like from the mortar to the pestle,” you mean more than just closeness. You mean they are essential to each other’s existence.
Today, people understand this as expressing a unified relationship. In our age of individualism, the deep connection this proverb shows is being appreciated anew.
The value of such bonds deserves recognition in modern times.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain this proverb’s origin. However, we can make interesting observations from the words themselves.
The mortar and pestle have been essential tools in Japanese life since ancient times. The mortar is a container for grain. The pestle is a rod-shaped tool for pounding it.
People used them for making mochi and processing grain. Neither works alone. Without the mortar, the pestle has nowhere to strike. Without the pestle, the mortar is just a container.
People saw in these two tools the essence of marriage and close relationships. The mortar receives while the pestle acts.
They have different roles yet complement each other to achieve their purpose. This image perfectly overlapped with the ideal form of human relationships.
The expression “from the mortar to the pestle” deserves special attention. It doesn’t say “mortar and pestle.” The particle “from” emphasizes how inseparably the two are bound.
Just as you cannot separate the pestle from the mortar, this phrase expresses relationships bound by deep ties. It arose naturally from Japanese daily life as a way to describe such connections.
Interesting Facts
Making mochi with mortar and pestle symbolizes traditional Japanese teamwork. One person pounds with the pestle while another turns the mochi.
This synchronized movement embodies the relationship of “from the mortar to the pestle.” If their timing is off, someone could get hurt. Deep trust and understanding are essential.
Mortars come in stone and wood, and pestles have various shapes. But every combination is always used as a pair.
This concept of “pairing” symbolizes the Japanese ideal of relationships. That’s why these tools became part of this proverb.
Usage Examples
- When I watch my grandparents, I admire how they’re truly like from the mortar to the pestle
- They work like from the mortar to the pestle – if either one is missing, nothing gets done
Universal Wisdom
Behind the passing down of “from the mortar to the pestle” lies humanity’s longing for deep connection.
People cannot live alone. This isn’t just about physical help. We need others as emotional support too. We need people who are essential to us.
This proverb shows not superficial relationships but deep ones where each person’s existence is a given.
What’s interesting is that the mortar and pestle have “different roles” yet maintain an “equal relationship.” The mortar is below and the pestle above in position.
But neither is superior. Each fulfills its role, and only then is the purpose achieved. This relationship shows the ideal for human connections.
Modern society emphasizes individual independence and self-reliance. But human nature hasn’t changed. No matter how independent someone is, deep down they want to connect deeply with someone.
Loneliness causes suffering. Deep bonds make people strong. This proverb expresses this unchanging human trait through the simple relationship of tools.
Our ancestors understood that a truly rich life means having relationships where you become essential to each other.
When AI Hears This
In actual mochi-making, only one direction matters: “the pestle strikes the mortar.” But humans unconsciously imagine the reverse causality: “the mortar produces the pestle.”
This is a classic example of asymmetry in information theory.
Forward problems that predict results from causes are relatively easy. Anyone can understand the causal flow: “strike the mortar with the pestle and you get mochi.”
But inverse problems that infer causes from results suddenly become difficult. Multiple causes can produce the same result.
When mochi appears, you can’t tell from the result alone whether it came from pestle and mortar, machine, or hand-kneading.
Machine learning faces the same problem. AI excels at finding correlations in large datasets but struggles to determine the direction of causation.
“Ice cream sales and drowning accidents” correlate, but ice cream doesn’t cause accidents. A common cause exists behind them: temperature.
Bayesian inference requires additional information called prior probability for reverse reasoning. To “know causes from results” requires more than simple reversal.
You need prior knowledge about the world. You cannot reverse the mortar-pestle relationship because physical laws – powerful prior knowledge – fix the direction of tool causality.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people what truly important relationships are.
We live in an age where we can connect with many people. We have hundreds of friends on social media. We can communicate with someone anytime.
But precisely because of this age, we must ask: Do you have a relationship like from the mortar to the pestle?
Such relationships aren’t built overnight. They take time to understand each other, support each other, sometimes clash, yet still remain inseparable.
You need patience. You need tolerance to accept the other person.
But relationships built this way become life’s true support. Someone to rely on during difficulties. Someone to share joy with. A place where you can be yourself.
It might be family. It might be friends. What matters is knowing the value of such relationships and making the effort to nurture them.
Broad, shallow connections are important. But deep, strong bonds are equally important – or even more so.
Do you have a relationship like from the mortar to the pestle in your life? If not yet, it’s not too late. Why not deepen your bonds with important people?
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