How to Read “十で神童十五で才子二十過ぎれば只の人”
Tō de shindō jūgo de saishi hatachi sugireba tada no hito
Meaning of “十で神童十五で才子二十過ぎれば只の人”
This proverb expresses the reality of life that even people who showed exceptional talent in their youth may become ordinary as they grow up.
It depicts the changes in a person’s growth process: a child who was excellent enough to be called a “prodigy” at around ten years old is evaluated as a “talented person” at fifteen, and by the time they pass twenty, they become an ordinary person without special talents. This doesn’t simply refer to a decline in ability, but shows that the people around them also grow in the same way, relatively narrowing the gap, and that precocity in childhood doesn’t necessarily guarantee success in adulthood.
The situations where this proverb is used are mainly in educational and human development contexts. It’s used as a warning against placing excessive expectations on children’s talents, and when conveying the importance of evaluating people from a long-term perspective. Even today, when thinking about early education and gifted education, the deep insights this saying holds can serve as a reference.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of this proverb is thought to have emerged from the educational views and social conventions of the Edo period. At that time in Japan, there were many children who devoted themselves to learning and arts from a young age, and early education was particularly valued in samurai and merchant families.
The word “prodigy” is an expression that can also be found in ancient Chinese classics, referring to children with extraordinary talent. In Japan too, since the Heian period, there was a custom of calling children who excelled in learning “prodigies.” Meanwhile, “talented person” was used as a term to describe someone excellent in literature and learning.
This proverb is presumed to have become widely known probably from the mid-Edo period onward. In the society of that time, temple school education was widespread, and many children were learning reading, writing, and arithmetic. Among them, children who showed remarkable talent at a young age attracted attention, while the phenomenon of this gap narrowing as they grew up was widely observed.
Particularly in educationally enthusiastic families of the Edo period, there was a tendency to place excessive expectations on children’s precocious talents. Against this social background, this proverb is thought to have become established as a warning against excessive expectations and as a lesson teaching the importance of viewing things over the long span of life.
Interesting Facts
The age settings that appear in this proverb have interesting meanings. “Ten years old” in the Edo period was counted age, so it was actually around 8-9 years old in modern terms. This age corresponds to the time when children finished basic learning at temple schools and entered into full-scale academic study.
Also, the expression “past twenty” is thought to be related to the coming-of-age ceremony age of the Edo period. In samurai families, the coming-of-age ceremony was held around age 15, and by around age 20, one was considered a full-fledged adult bearing social responsibilities. In other words, this proverb was created with awareness of the important milestones from childhood to adulthood.
Usage Examples
- That child was called a genius when they were in elementary school, but it turned out just like the saying “At ten a prodigy at fifteen a talented person past twenty just an ordinary person”
- My son’s grades have been declining, but as they say “At ten a prodigy at fifteen a talented person past twenty just an ordinary person,” I’ll watch over him patiently with a long-term view
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the meaning of this proverb has become more multi-layered. In the information age, the speed of acquiring knowledge and skills has accelerated, and the “prodigy” phenomenon in early childhood is actually increasing. While children who show precocious talent in specific fields like programming and languages attract attention, the phenomenon indicated by this proverb is still observed.
One factor is the change in modern competitive environments. In the past, limited knowledge and skills were valued, but today multifaceted abilities such as creativity, cooperation, and problem-solving skills are required. People who were excellent in one field in their youth may see their relative evaluation change as the range of required abilities expands with growth.
Also, in modern times, the concept of “lifelong learning” has permeated society, and it has become normal to continue learning even after turning twenty. Therefore, regarding the part “past twenty just an ordinary person,” the interpretation “past twenty is when the real start begins” has also emerged.
In educational settings, while this proverb is sometimes quoted as a warning against excessive expectations for early education, it’s also used as an encouraging word showing the “possibility of late blooming.” Within modern diverse values, this proverb continues to acquire new meanings.
When AI Hears This
This proverb aligns remarkably with discoveries in neuroscience. Children’s brains up to age 10 have twice as many synaptic connections as adults, with exceptionally high information processing speed and memory capacity. When children at this age memorize vast amounts of kanji characters or mathematical facts and are called “child prodigies,” it’s precisely evidence that brain plasticity is at its peak.
However, around age 15, “synaptic pruning” begins. Unnecessary neural circuits are eliminated as the brain seeks efficiency. Memory capacity declines, but logical thinking and abstract conceptual understanding improve instead. At this stage, not just memorization but also application skills are required, causing evaluations to drop to the “talented child” level.
After age 20, the abilities society demands change completely. Rather than memory or processing speed, “executive functions” like creativity, judgment, communication skills, and stress tolerance become crucial. These develop alongside prefrontal cortex maturation, but individual differences are significant and unrelated to childhood “prodigy behavior.”
Modern research has revealed that cognitive abilities measured by IQ tests are separate from abilities that predict real-world success. This proverb represents an extraordinary insight that accurately observed the staged changes in human brain development and the mismatch between abilities required at different ages—all without scientific knowledge.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us today is the importance of viewing life over a long span. Rather than being elated or dejected by childhood excellence, it’s important to understand that people bloom at different timings.
Especially for those involved in child-rearing and education, this proverb serves as a valuable guideline. It teaches us the importance of not placing excessive expectations on precocious talent, and conversely, not giving up on the potential of children who aren’t currently standing out. Human growth is never linear and changes due to various factors.
In modern society, opportunities to compare ourselves with others through social media have increased. By remembering this proverb at such times, we can have the courage to grow at our own pace without being misled by temporary superiority or inferiority. Recognizing the value of being “just an ordinary person” and walking our own life path without rushing may be what leads to true richness.
Comments