How to Read “Don’t let bad words leave your mouth, and don’t let careless words stay in your ears”
Akugen wa kuchi yori idasazu, kōgo wa mimi ni todomezu
Meaning of “Don’t let bad words leave your mouth, and don’t let careless words stay in your ears”
This proverb teaches two important rules for communication. Don’t say bad words, and don’t pay attention to careless talk.
The first part means you should control yourself. Even when you’re angry or want to criticize someone, don’t say mean words. Once words leave your mouth, you can’t take them back.
Bad words can destroy relationships. They also damage your own character and reputation.
The second part teaches you to be wise. Don’t believe rumors or irresponsible comments. Just let them pass by without thinking too much about them.
The world is full of information without proof. If you get upset by every rumor, you can’t think clearly or make good decisions.
This proverb teaches wisdom about both “output” and “input” of words. Choose your words carefully when you speak. Filter the information you receive wisely.
When you can do both, you can keep healthy relationships. You can also maintain peace of mind.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb likely came from ancient Chinese teachings. “Akugen” means bad words. “Kōgo” means careless words or rumors without proof.
The character “苟” (kō) is especially interesting. It means “careless” or “reckless.” This character has been used in Chinese philosophy books for a long time.
In Confucian teachings, being careful with words was very important. Not being fooled by uncertain information was also valued. These were considered virtues of a noble person.
This proverb puts two important attitudes into one sentence. The first half teaches self-control over what you say. The second half teaches wisdom in handling information from others.
During Japan’s Edo period, educated people liked expressions written in Chinese style. This proverb was probably created by Japanese scholars influenced by Chinese classics.
The exact source isn’t known. But the structure shows strong Chinese influence. The proverb uses a balanced form that makes it easy to remember and powerful as a lesson.
Usage Examples
- I almost got caught up in gossip, but I stayed calm by following “Don’t let bad words leave your mouth, and don’t let careless words stay in your ears”
- Sometimes I get angry, but I try to follow “Don’t let bad words leave your mouth, and don’t let careless words stay in your ears” to avoid unnecessary trouble
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down for generations because words can hurt people. When we get emotional, we sometimes say things that attack others. Later, we regret what we said.
At the same time, humans are easily disturbed by rumors and unproven information. Someone’s comment keeps us awake at night. We believe gossip without checking and act on it.
Whether in the information age or in times of word-of-mouth, this human nature doesn’t change.
The deep wisdom of this proverb is about managing both “output” and “input” of words. Take responsibility not just for words leaving your mouth, but also for words entering your ears.
This isn’t just a survival trick. It’s essential wisdom for protecting your mind and relationships.
Everyone gets emotional sometimes. Everyone can be fooled by rumors. Nobody is perfect. That’s why our ancestors combined these two attitudes into one proverb.
Words can give life or take it away. Because they knew the power of words, they taught us to be careful.
When AI Hears This
From an information theory viewpoint, this proverb shows a double structure. It has both a “sender filter” and a “receiver filter” in a communication system.
In normal communication systems, noise happens during transmission. But in human society, the sender can be the noise source. This is a unique feature.
Imagine a group of 10 people talking. If each person sends 10 bad comments per day, the system has 100 pieces of noise. But if everyone stops sending bad words, the processing load drops dramatically.
Removing noise at the sender side reduces processing cost by the number of people. In computing terms, this is like reducing from O(n) to O(1).
The receiver filter role is even more interesting. Even if 10 percent noise leaks from senders, receivers can stop it by “not keeping careless words.”
Bad words and rumors spread exponentially when receivers remember and resend them. Blocking noise at the receiver side stops this chain reaction.
This proverb doesn’t just teach personal ethics. It proposes a distributed architecture for maintaining information quality in society.
Each node has filtering functions for both sending and receiving. This design creates a high-quality information environment without central management.
Lessons for Today
In today’s social media world, this proverb’s lesson is more important than ever. With smartphones, we can send messages anytime, anywhere. That’s why self-control over bad words matters more than before.
Before you press the post button, take a breath. Is that message really necessary? Will it hurt someone? Will you regret it later?
In the digital world, once you send words, you can’t completely erase them. That’s why being careful is so important.
At the same time, you don’t need to get upset by every piece of information on your timeline. Rumors without proof, someone’s mean comments, uncertain information—you can ignore all of these.
Your peace of mind is yours to protect.
This proverb teaches us a healthy distance from words. Take responsibility for words you send. Filter the words you receive.
When you can do both, you won’t be controlled by words. You’ll gain a free and peaceful mind.
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