How to Read “Governing does not lie in many words”
Chi o nasu wa tagen ni arazu
Meaning of “Governing does not lie in many words”
This proverb means that what matters in governing is not how much you talk, but what you actually do and achieve. No matter how many grand speeches or beautiful words you use, they alone cannot govern a nation.
What truly matters is concrete policies that serve the people and the ability to carry them out effectively.
This proverb is used to criticize politicians and leaders who talk a lot but fail to follow through with action. It also teaches the proper mindset for leadership.
Today, it applies beyond politics to organizational management and project execution. The lesson is simple: act rather than just talk.
When meetings drag on with endless discussion but no concrete action, the spirit of this saying reminds us to move forward.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb came to Japan influenced by ancient Chinese philosophy, especially the political thought of Legalism and Confucianism. “Chi o nasu” means to govern or rule a nation, while “tagen” refers to many words or eloquent speech.
In ancient China, there was an era when skilled speakers traveled between lords, discussing politics with beautiful rhetoric. However, people realized that elegant words alone could not actually govern a nation.
Concrete policies and execution were what truly mattered. This understanding was especially emphasized in Legalist thought.
In Japan, after the introduction of the Ritsuryō legal system, the importance of practical governance became recognized. From the Heian period through the Edo period, books teaching rulers’ principles repeatedly emphasized this “value action” philosophy.
The teaching that true governance means implementing concrete policies for the people, rather than decorating words, has been passed down through generations.
This proverb became established throughout this long history as a warning to those in power.
Usage Examples
- The new mayor started actual reforms before talking about promises—truly “Governing does not lie in many words”
- That executive gives short speeches but delivers results, embodying “Governing does not lie in many words”
Universal Wisdom
Humans have a fundamental desire to decorate themselves with words. Especially when in leadership positions, we want to express our ideas with impressive language and persuade others.
But this proverb has been passed down for so long because humanity has repeatedly made the same mistake.
Looking back through history, countless leaders have lined up beautiful words while accomplishing nothing. On the other hand, there have also been quiet leaders who steadily produced results and improved people’s lives.
Through experience, people learned that the quantity of words and execution ability don’t necessarily correlate. Sometimes they even inversely correlate.
Words have the power to move people, but they can also deceive. That’s why our ancestors left us the wisdom to “watch actions, not words.”
This reflects deep insight into human nature. We are creatures who easily get drunk on words and tend to postpone action.
To stay aware of this weakness and remember the truth that execution creates value, this proverb continues to live today.
When AI Hears This
From an information theory perspective, this proverb demonstrates surprisingly accurate communication principles. In Shannon’s theory, information value is measured by “reduction in uncertainty.”
In other words, only information that answers what the receiver truly wants to know has value.
If a politician speaks about ten policies, the public’s attention divides into ten parts. But human cognitive capacity has limits.
Psychologist Miller’s research shows people can process only about seven pieces of information simultaneously. Beyond that, all information is understood only superficially.
In other words, increasing information volume actually reduces effective information transmission if the receiver cannot process it.
More important is the noise problem. The more someone speaks, the higher the probability of contradictions and ambiguity creeping in.
For example, in 100 words, typically 10 are essential and 90 are supplementary explanations or excuses. The receiver bears the cost of extracting “what’s the point?”
The signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates.
In contrast, concise instructions have low information entropy. This means less interpretation variation and more reliable transmission.
“We will cut taxes” in five words versus 500 words explaining the reasons—the former has overwhelmingly higher transmission efficiency. Ancient rulers empirically understood this information engineering principle.
Lessons for Today
Modern society is an age of information overload. On social media, everyone broadcasts their opinions. In meetings, many proposals fly around.
But this proverb reminds us of something important. What truly has value is not how much you spoke, but what you accomplished.
When you want to change something, do you first try to perfectly articulate your plan? Of course, organizing your thoughts and showing direction matters.
But taking one small step today is far more valuable.
The same applies at work, in your community, and at home. One concrete action moves people’s hearts more than long explanations.
Quietly executing builds more trust than making promises with words.
This proverb gently teaches us to “reduce time talking and increase time acting.” Rather than waiting for the perfect plan, why not start with what you can do today?
That one step will eventually create great change.
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