How to Read “If someone can do it in one try, I will do it a hundred times”
Hito hitotabi ni shite kore o yoku sureba, onore kore o hyakutabi su
Meaning of “If someone can do it in one try, I will do it a hundred times”
This proverb means that even if others can do something in one attempt, you will master it through a hundred attempts. It acknowledges differences in talent while teaching that effort can make up for those differences.
People use this saying when they feel inadequate or struggle to improve at something. When others easily do what you cannot, and you taste that frustration, this proverb encourages you: “You don’t have to give up.”
The reason for using this expression is to convey that lacking talent is not shameful. What truly matters is continuing to make effort. Modern society often emphasizes efficiency and natural ability.
But this proverb reminds us of the importance of steady, repeated practice. Even if you don’t understand something the first time, repeating it a hundred times will make it stick. This conviction gives courage to learners.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb likely comes from the ancient Chinese text “Doctrine of the Mean.” This is one of the important Confucian classics, attributed to Zisi, the grandson of Confucius. It contains the passage “If someone can do it in one try, I will do it a hundred times. If someone can do it in ten tries, I will do it a thousand times.”
The original text means exactly that: what others master in one attempt, you master in a hundred. What others master in ten attempts, you master in a thousand. This expressed the Confucian educational philosophy of compensating for talent differences through effort.
In Japan, this proverb likely spread during the Edo period as Confucian studies became popular. In samurai education, the value of steady effort over natural talent took root. This connected deeply with Japanese spirituality.
What’s interesting is that this proverb isn’t just about willpower. It shows a realistic approach based on clear self-awareness. Rather than lamenting lack of talent, it offers a hopeful message: accept your starting point and put in many times the effort to reach the same result.
Usage Examples
- He memorizes things in one try, but with the spirit of “If someone can do it in one try, I will do it a hundred times,” I’ll review repeatedly and catch up
- If I lack talent, then “If someone can do it in one try, I will do it a hundred times”—I just need to practice more than anyone else
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down because it shows both the harsh reality of human ability differences and the hope that effort can still open doors.
People are not born equal. Some hear one thing and understand ten. Others hear ten things and grasp only one. This unfairness has troubled people throughout history, across all cultures.
Envy of talented people, disappointment in yourself, and the temptation to give up—these emotions never change with time.
But this proverb offers more than comfort. It provides a concrete method: put in a hundred times the effort and you’ll reach the same destination. If you have time to lament your lack of talent, use that time to practice instead. With this mindset, you can accept an unfair reality.
There’s a deeper insight here about what you gain through a hundred repetitions. Someone who succeeds in one try doesn’t know the process. But someone who repeats something a hundred times learns from failures, refines their approach, and reaches deep understanding.
The result may be the same, but the experience gained along the way might actually be richer for the person who tried a hundred times. Isn’t that what human growth is really about?
When AI Hears This
When your brain learns something, nerve cells connect at junctions called synapses. At first, these connections are like thin, weak paths. But repeated use transforms them into thick, strong circuits. This is called neuroplasticity.
Even more interesting is what happens with repeated use: a fatty sheath called myelin wraps around the axons of these neural pathways. This works like insulation on electrical wires, speeding up signal transmission by up to 100 times.
Brain research shows that sufficient myelination requires repeating the same action or thought dozens to about a hundred times. For example, playing a piano piece once doesn’t change your neural circuits. But practicing it a hundred times physically thickens and speeds up the pathways, making your fingers move without conscious thought.
This isn’t about talent—it’s about structural brain changes.
In other words, “a hundred times” isn’t just a metaphor. It’s close to the actual number of repetitions needed for your brain to physically change and automate a skill. Ancient people didn’t know how brains work, but experience taught them the optimal number of practice repetitions.
Talented people don’t start with stronger circuits—they just need fewer repetitions. With enough repetition, anyone’s brain will respond. This proverb teaches a biological fact.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the courage to change their axis of comparison. Every time we see others’ success on social media, we feel crushed by talent differences. But this proverb teaches us to focus on the “destination,” not the “speed.”
Modern society demands immediate results. But what truly matters is where you ultimately arrive. If someone does in one try what takes you a hundred, that just means different starting points. Everyone has an equal right to reach the goal.
Practically speaking, start by not being ashamed of how many repetitions you need. Being a slow learner isn’t a flaw—it’s your learning style. In fact, the deep understanding gained through a hundred repetitions might show you scenery invisible to someone who passed through in one try.
What matters is not giving up before the hundredth time. If you stop at the ninety-ninth attempt, everything becomes wasted effort. At your pace, in your way, if you move forward one step at a time, you will definitely arrive. That’s the promise of this proverb.
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