How to Read “Even a thief for ten years”
どろぼうもじゅうねん
Meaning of “Even a thief for ten years”
“Even a thief for ten years” means that anyone can master a skill if they keep practicing long enough. Even an undesirable activity like thievery becomes refined after ten years of practice.
This paradoxical expression emphasizes the power of persistence. The proverb is used when someone struggles with something new or feels like giving up because they lack talent.
It carries an encouraging message: “Everyone is clumsy at first. Continuing is the only path to improvement.”
This truth applies to all fields today, including sports, arts, academics, and work. Even people called geniuses actually polish their skills through years of accumulated effort.
This proverb continues to inspire many people by teaching that persistence matters more than talent.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain the origin of this proverb. However, we can make interesting observations from how the phrase is constructed.
The essence lies in using “thief” as an example, which seems negative at first. During the Edo period, common people recognized thievery as a “profession” requiring skill.
It demanded advanced techniques: picking locks, entering silently, and avoiding detection. These were actually sophisticated abilities accumulated over time.
The “ten years” period reflects traditional Japanese views on training. While another saying mentions “three years on a stone,” people recognized that mastering advanced skills required ten years.
In the craftsman’s world, the phrase “ten years to become fully qualified” is still used today.
This proverb uses paradox to emphasize the power of persistence. It states that “even socially unacceptable acts develop skill through continuation.”
By showing a universal truth about skill acquisition through an extreme example, it becomes memorable. The proverb reveals both common wisdom and a sense of humor.
Usage Examples
- He was clumsy at first, but as they say, even a thief for ten years—after practicing daily, he became an accomplished pianist
- I made only mistakes as a newcomer, but even a thief for ten years, and before I knew it, I was teaching juniors
Universal Wisdom
“Even a thief for ten years” reveals a universal truth: human potential blossoms through time and persistence. This is a hopeful message.
When we start something new, we feel anxious if results don’t come quickly. We compare ourselves to others and worry we lack talent.
However, this proverb teaches us: “It’s not about having talent. It’s about continuing.”
What’s interesting is the use of “thief” as an extreme example. Even socially unacceptable acts develop skill through persistence.
So imagine what results proper effort could achieve. This paradoxical question is embedded in the saying.
Humans are naturally continuous learners. Brain science research proves that repetition strengthens neural pathways.
Our ancestors understood this truth through experience, even without scientific knowledge.
This proverb has been passed down because everyone knows “how difficult continuing is.” People understand human weakness and the temptation to quit easily.
Yet the proverb keeps conveying hope: if you continue, a path will surely open.
When AI Hears This
The brain doesn’t judge whether an action is good or bad. It’s designed simply to make repeated actions more efficient.
From a neuroscience perspective, ten years for a thief to become proficient is an extremely rational timeframe.
When humans repeatedly practice something, a fatty substance called myelin wraps around the neural circuits involved. This acts like insulation on electrical wires.
It speeds up neural signal transmission by up to 100 times. Whether a pianist plays without sheet music or a thief opens locks in darkness, both result from the same myelination process.
Research suggests complete automation requires about 10,000 hours of practice. Practicing three hours daily reaches this threshold in roughly ten years.
At this level, the cerebellum and basal ganglia directly control actions without conscious judgment from the frontal lobe. The body moves before thinking.
What’s fascinating is that the brain makes no distinction between thieving skills and legitimate professional skills. All repeated behavior patterns are strengthened as neural circuits.
They’re optimized regardless of moral judgment. Ten years represents the biological constraints of the human brain’s learning system itself.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches you today: “Small steps now become great strength in the future.” This is hope.
When you see others’ success on social media, you might feel you lack talent. But behind that success are countless efforts you didn’t see.
Everyone was a beginner once. The only difference is whether they continued.
Modern society tends to seek instant results. When results don’t come quickly, we search for different methods.
However, truly valuable skills are absorbed into the body over time. Languages, instruments, programming, building relationships—all are polished through persistence.
What matters is not aiming for perfection. Being clumsy is fine. Being slow is fine. Just continue.
Move slightly forward from yesterday’s self. That small change accumulates and eventually takes you to places you never imagined.
If even a thief becomes skilled in ten years, then you, making proper efforts, have infinite possibilities opening before you.
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