How to Read “Steam rises from cold rice”
Hiyameshi kara yuge ga tatsu
Meaning of “Steam rises from cold rice”
“Steam rises from cold rice” is a metaphor for something completely impossible, something that can never happen.
It uses the physical impossibility of steam rising from completely cold rice to express things that will never occur in reality.
This proverb is used when someone says something unrealistic or holds clearly impossible expectations.
If you say “That’s like steam rising from cold rice,” you strongly emphasize how impossible something is.
Even today, this expression works well for claims that defy physical laws or common sense.
Rather than simply saying “impossible” or “can’t be done,” it conveys impossibility with a concrete image, making it more persuasive.
Because it’s based on certain everyday experience, everyone can understand and accept this expression.
Origin and Etymology
The formal version of this proverb is “Steam does not rise from cold rice,” which states a physical fact.
The exact first written appearance is unclear, but it likely came from the familiar experience of daily meals.
In Japan since ancient times, freshly cooked hot rice steams, but rice that has cooled over time produces no steam.
This obvious phenomenon that everyone knows came to be used as a metaphor for “something absolutely impossible.”
What’s interesting is that this proverb specifically uses the word “hiya-meshi” (cold rice).
Rather than just “cooled rice,” the expression “hiya-meshi” emphasizes a completely cold state.
Rice that has cooled slightly from being freshly cooked might still show a bit of steam.
But once it becomes hiya-meshi, its temperature matches room temperature. Steam rising from it is physically impossible.
The persuasive power of this proverb comes from using a certain fact that everyone experiences in daily life to express the concept of “absolutely impossible.”
It puts into words a universal truth that anyone can intuitively understand, even without scientific knowledge.
Usage Examples
- Him suddenly becoming serious is like steam rising from cold rice
- Those two making up is as impossible as steam rising from cold rice
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Steam rises from cold rice” teaches us that humans have judged the possibility of things based on certain experience and observation.
Our ancestors used phenomena they could repeatedly confirm in daily life to express the concept of “absolutely impossible.”
This expression has been passed down for so long because humans have always tried to identify the boundary between “possibility” and “impossibility.”
Having hope is important, but we also need the calmness to see reality clearly.
No one can deny the fact that steam doesn’t rise from cold rice.
By having such certain standards, people can avoid wasting time on futile expectations and focus their energy on achievable things.
This proverb also shows human humility toward natural laws.
No matter how much we wish, physically impossible things won’t happen. Magic doesn’t exist.
But that’s exactly why humans have used their wisdom and accumulated ingenuity.
If you reheat cold rice, steam will rise. Rather than lamenting impossibility, think of ways to make things possible.
Such a positive attitude might also be part of the human wisdom behind this proverb.
When AI Hears This
Steam rising from cold rice is completely impossible from a physics standpoint.
Heat always moves from high temperature to low temperature, and the reverse never happens naturally.
This is an absolute rule of the universe shown by the second law of thermodynamics.
What’s interesting is that this proverb chooses a phenomenon measurable by temperature to express “impossibility.”
For example, for 20-degree cold rice to suddenly become 40 degrees and produce steam, it would need to spontaneously absorb heat energy from the surrounding air.
But if the room temperature is 25 degrees, the cold rice may approach 25 degrees, but it will never exceed that and become hot.
The law that entropy, or disorder, continues to increase only works in the direction of leveling temperature differences.
Furthermore, if cold rice naturally warmed up, it would mean the same thing as time flowing backward.
For the same reason a broken cup doesn’t naturally repair itself, cold rice doesn’t warm up.
Calculated probabilistically, the chance of countless molecules in rice all coincidentally moving violently in the same direction to raise temperature is astronomically low—one in 10 to the trillionth power.
This proverb isn’t just a metaphor—it’s an expression that denies the laws of the universe itself.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern people is the importance of having eyes that can discern reality.
In today’s information-flooded era, we often encounter impossible stories and unrealistic promises.
At such times, remember the standard of “Steam rises from cold rice.”
Physically impossible things won’t happen. But that doesn’t mean you should give up on your dreams.
What matters is not spending time on impossible things, but putting all your effort into things with possibility.
If you reheat cold rice, steam will rise. In other words, with proper methods and effort, many things can be achieved.
When you try to challenge something, calmly determine whether it’s as impossible as “Steam rises from cold rice,” or something achievable with ingenuity.
And if you choose a realizable path, move forward without hesitation.
The courage to face reality and the hope to believe in possibility—having both is the first step toward a fulfilling life.
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