How to Read “Cold brings urination, hunger brings yawning”
Samusa shōben hidarusa akubi
Meaning of “Cold brings urination, hunger brings yawning”
This proverb means that bodily functions cannot be controlled by willpower alone. Shivering from cold, needing to use the bathroom, losing strength from hunger, and yawning from sleepiness are all physical reactions that have limits, no matter how hard you try to suppress them with mental strength.
People use this saying when someone is trying to resist a physical need or when comforting someone who is pushing themselves too hard. They say “it can’t be helped” to ease the person’s mind. It’s also used to justify one’s own bodily demands.
The reason for using this proverb is to acknowledge that following physical needs is neither shameful nor weak, but natural for humans. Even today, science proves that excessive endurance harms health. The wisdom of this proverb remains valid.
It’s a simple way to express the importance of listening to your body’s voice.
Origin and Etymology
The exact first appearance of this proverb in literature is unclear. However, it was likely widely used among common people during the Edo period. The structure of the phrase is distinctive, listing three bodily functions in parallel.
“Samusa” means shivering when cold. “Shōben” means the urge to urinate. “Hidarusa” is an old word meaning hunger. It’s rarely used today, but it means the same as “himojii” – being so hungry you lose strength. “Akubi” means yawning.
All of these are physical reactions that humans cannot control through willpower. When you’re cold, you shiver. When your bladder fills, you feel the urge. When hungry, you lose energy. When sleepy, you yawn.
No matter how hard you try to endure, your body’s demands eventually win.
This proverb emerged during an era when bushido spirit and Confucian ideas of self-discipline were strong. Yet it acknowledges the physical limits humans cannot overcome. Perhaps it reflects a kind of resignation and realism among common people.
They expressed with humor the bodily truth that mental strength alone cannot conquer.
Interesting Facts
The word “hidarusa” is rarely used in modern Japanese, but survives in some regional dialects. This word relates to the origin of “himojii” and expressed the sensation of the body cooling from hunger.
Interestingly, hunger and cold were linguistically connected. People in the past must have physically experienced the drop in body temperature from malnutrition.
Modern research shows that yawning relates to brain temperature regulation and maintaining alertness levels. In other words, yawning isn’t just a sign of sleepiness. It’s an important physical response where the brain tries to maintain optimal condition.
People long ago didn’t know the scientific basis, but they understood from experience that this couldn’t be suppressed.
Usage Examples
- I was holding it during the meeting, but “cold brings urination, hunger brings yawning,” so I had no choice but to leave my seat
- A child was scolded for yawning during class, but “cold brings urination, hunger brings yawning” – you can’t stop bodily functions
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down because it contains deep wisdom about accepting human duality. We are beings with minds, but we are also biological creatures with bodies. No matter how high our ideals, no matter how strong our will, we cannot escape our body’s demands.
Throughout history, many philosophies and religions have preached the superiority of spirit. They made overcoming physical desires a virtue. But in reality, humans shiver from cold, suffer from hunger, and are driven by physical needs.
This proverb is a realistic counterargument to such idealism.
What’s interesting is that this proverb doesn’t deny bodily functions. Rather, it affirms them as natural. Perhaps being human isn’t about perfect self-control. It’s about knowing your limits and accepting them.
This wisdom becomes increasingly important in modern times, where perfectionism and excessive self-sacrifice are problems. Ignoring your body’s voice is ultimately unsustainable. Our ancestors understood that healthy living requires balancing mind and body.
When AI Hears This
What’s fascinating about this proverb is that the three bodily functions are arranged in order of “how impossible to endure.” When you feel cold, you need to urinate within minutes. Hunger can be endured for hours. Yawning can be suppressed even longer.
This represents different crisis levels managed by the brainstem and hypothalamus.
When you receive cold stimulation, your body constricts peripheral blood vessels to prevent heat loss. Blood then concentrates in the core, increasing kidney blood flow and producing urine. Cold-induced urination is an emergency response to protect the top-priority parameter: body temperature.
The hypothalamus judges a 1-degree temperature drop as life-threatening and sends signals to the bladder in just 10 minutes.
Yawning from hunger is even more interesting. When blood sugar drops, the brain senses energy shortage, but humans are designed to endure several days of fasting. So the brain tries to increase oxygen intake to improve metabolic efficiency. This is yawning.
In other words, yawning signals “still have reserves.”
This proverb shows that the body automatically decides survival priorities. Temperature regulation operates on a minute scale, nutrition on an hour scale. This hierarchical alarm system means the ancient brain forcibly moves the body, no matter what the cerebrum thinks about “still being okay.”
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of caring for their bodies. In contemporary society, prioritizing work and responsibilities sometimes makes holding your bladder, skipping meals, or cutting sleep seem virtuous. But is this truly sustainable?
If you keep ignoring signals from your body, you’ll eventually damage your health. Your performance will decline as a result. “Cold brings urination, hunger brings yawning” teaches that responding to physical needs isn’t weakness. It’s actually part of self-management.
If you’re enduring something right now, is it really necessary endurance? Listening to your body’s voice isn’t pampering yourself. It’s a wise choice to remain healthy and productive long-term.
Using the bathroom, wearing warm clothes, eating meals, taking rest – these are natural rights and necessary actions. This proverb reminds us of such obvious things.
True strength comes from respecting your own body.
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