How to Read “逃がした魚は大きい”
Nigashita sakana wa ookii
Meaning of “逃がした魚は大きい”
“The fish that escaped is big” is a proverb that expresses the human psychology of believing that things we failed to obtain or lost were more valuable than they actually were.
This proverb is used when people lose something or fail to obtain something. It applies to various situations such as breaking up with a lover, missing a job opportunity, or failing to buy a product. What’s important is that even things that may not have had much value in reality become idealized in memory due to the fact that we couldn’t obtain them, and are remembered as being more wonderful than they actually were.
The reason for using this expression is to objectively view such human psychological tendencies and sometimes to admonish ourselves. It also has the meaning of pointing out, with humor, the meaninglessness of being too caught up in attachment to the past and regret. This psychological phenomenon still exists unchanged today, appearing as phenomena where other people’s lives seen on social media seem to shine, or job postings on career websites seem attractive.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “The fish that escaped is big” is deeply rooted in Japan’s ancient fishing culture. This proverb is thought to have been used as early as the Edo period, born from actual fishing experiences.
Anyone who fishes can imagine that moment. You feel a tug on your rod and get excited thinking “I’ve caught a big one!” but then the line breaks or the hook comes loose and you lose the fish. At that moment, in the angler’s mind, the fish that got away keeps getting bigger and bigger.
This phenomenon beautifully expresses the characteristics of human memory and psychology. Things we couldn’t obtain tend to remain in memory as more valuable than they actually were as time passes. The scene of anglers spreading their arms wide when telling their companions, “The fish I let get away was this big,” was a sight seen at fishing spots throughout Japan.
This proverb became widely beloved because it accurately expressed universal human psychology through the familiar experience of fishing. It’s truly a phrase packed with Japanese wisdom that expresses, with humor, the human nature of idealizing what we’ve lost.
Interesting Facts
As an interesting fact about fish memory, there’s a popular belief that “fish memory lasts 3 seconds,” but in reality, fish memory capacity varies greatly by species, and it has been scientifically proven that even goldfish can retain memories for several months. Ironically, the fish that got away might remember the event better than the angler.
Similar expressions exist in countries around the world, but the particular use of “fish” in Japan is thought to be due to the deep cultural connection with fish as an island nation. In agriculture-centered landlocked countries, different metaphors are often used to express the same psychology.
Usage Examples
- I declined that company’s job offer, but thinking about it now, the fish that escaped is big
- I’m still hung up on my ex-boyfriend, but I guess this is also a case of the fish that escaped is big
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the psychological phenomenon of “The fish that escaped is big” may actually be appearing more prominently than before. With the spread of social media, we have increased opportunities to constantly see others’ “success” and “happiness.” The glamorous posts of former colleagues who changed jobs, the new romances of ex-lovers, reviews of products we hesitated to buy – opportunities to witness “fish that got away” have dramatically increased.
This phenomenon is particularly notable in the world of online shopping. When products left in our cart become sold out or increase in price without us purchasing them, those products seem more attractive than they actually were. Also, with dating apps, it’s not uncommon to think that someone we once passed on might have been “the one” later on.
On the other hand, it could be said that modern people have become better at objectively viewing this psychological tendency. Knowledge of behavioral economics and psychology has become widespread, and the concept of “cognitive bias” is now widely known. Therefore, more people can calmly analyze their own psychology, thinking “This is also a case of the fish that escaped is big.”
Precisely because we live in an information-overloaded modern age, the lesson this proverb holds about “letting go of attachment to the past” may have even more important meaning.
When AI Hears This
The human brain has a fascinating mechanism called the “fading affect bias.” This phenomenon causes negative emotional memories to fade rapidly over time, while positive emotional memories persist much longer.
The reason why “the one that got away” seems so big is precisely because this brain mechanism is at work. The negative emotions from that moment of fishing failure—the frustration and panic—fade within weeks, but only the positive impression that “that fish was magnificent” remains vivid. Furthermore, the brain has a tendency to slightly “edit” memories each time we recall them. This is called “memory reconsolidation,” and each time we remember, the fish’s size and beauty gets unconsciously amplified.
According to neuroscientist research, this beautification of memory evolved as a survival strategy for humanity. By romanticizing past failures, it maintains our motivation to try again and prevents depression. In other words, “the one that got away is always the biggest” is actually a sophisticated self-deception mechanism that our brains automatically employ to help us live with optimism.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us today is the importance of becoming free from attachment to the past. While it’s natural as humans to idealize what we’ve lost or couldn’t obtain, being too caught up in this causes us to miss the opportunities and happiness right in front of us.
What’s important is understanding and objectively viewing our psychological tendency of “The fish that escaped is big.” Ex-lovers, companies we didn’t join, products we didn’t buy. Let’s calmly reflect on whether these really had that much value. In most cases, we should realize that our current situation is actually more blessed.
This proverb also teaches us the importance of “cherishing the present.” To avoid making something a “fish that got away” in the future, we should treasure the chances and encounters with people right in front of us now. And even if we lose something, we should have the courage to not idealize it more than necessary and look toward new possibilities.
We cannot change the past, but the future is created by today’s choices. Let’s forget about the fish that got away and go fishing for new fish in today’s new sea.
Comments