How to Read “百里を行く者は九十を半ばとす”
Hyakuri wo iku mono wa kyūjū wo nakaba to su
Meaning of “百里を行く者は九十を半ばとす”
This proverb means “one must not let their guard down until the very end of any endeavor.”
When walking a hundred ri journey, reaching ninety ri means only ten ri remain. However, it teaches us that it’s dangerous to feel relieved thinking “the goal is almost here.” Rather, it’s a warning that one should consider the ninety ri point as still only halfway through the journey and proceed cautiously to the end.
This expression is used in situations where one needs to guard against complacency or carelessness when goal achievement is imminent. Its true value is demonstrated in situations like “just a little more”—the final stages of exam preparation, the finishing touches of a project, or the recovery period from illness.
Even today, the human psychology of being more prone to failure when the goal becomes visible remains unchanged. It’s not uncommon to fail at the very last moment by anticipating the sense of achievement too early, losing concentration, or neglecting preparation. This proverb is practical life wisdom born from the deep insight of our predecessors who understood such human weaknesses.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is said to originate from Chinese classics. Similar expressions can be found in ancient texts such as “Strategies of the Warring States” and “Records of the Grand Historian,” and it’s believed to have been transmitted to Japan along with Chinese texts during the Nara to Heian periods.
Originally, it took the form “One who goes hundred ri considers ninety ri as halfway,” explaining the proper mindset when traveling long distances. In ancient China, the distance unit “ri” was used, and a hundred ri represented a considerable long distance. Transportation at that time was mainly on foot, and a hundred ri journey required several days to about a week of arduous travel.
The background of this saying lies in the harshness of ancient travel. The journey was fraught with dangers from bandits and wild beasts, along with various difficulties such as weather changes and securing food. Particularly as the destination approached, the sense of relief often led to scattered attention, frequently resulting in unexpected accidents or disasters.
Therefore, wise people taught “Even when you’ve come ninety ri, think of it as still halfway,” warning against letting one’s guard down until the end. This teaching was transmitted to Japan and became widely cherished as samurai principles and merchant lessons. It frequently appeared in Edo period moral instruction books and remains precious wisdom passed down to the present day.
Usage Examples
- There’s only one month left until the exam, but since “One who goes hundred ri considers ninety as halfway,” let’s work hard without letting our guard down until the end
- The project reached 90% completion, but with the spirit of “One who goes hundred ri considers ninety as halfway,” we conducted thorough final checks
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the importance of this proverb seems to have increased even more. With the advancement of the information society, we are constantly in an environment where we’re urged to rush results and seek efficiency. On social media, progress updates are frequently shared, and we often see posts saying “almost finished” or “just a little more.”
However, precisely because we live in the digital age, carelessness in the final stages can lead to fatal consequences. Program bugs, data input errors, security vulnerabilities—small mistakes overlooked in the “almost there” stage can cause entire systems to collapse, which is not uncommon.
Moreover, modern people are accustomed to environments where they can get immediate feedback, so their persistence and concentration for long-term goals tend to decline. While they can become absorbed in things like games that provide step-by-step achievement satisfaction, an increasing number of people struggle to continue steady effort to the very end.
On the other hand, there are voices pointing out the “harm of perfectionism” that goes against this teaching. Sometimes the judgment to “move on to the next thing because this is good enough” is necessary, and excessive caution can lead to missed opportunities. In modern times, while utilizing the spirit of this proverb, flexible judgment according to circumstances may be required.
When AI Hears This
This proverb represents an astounding insight that identified the cognitive bias known as “planning fallacy” 2,000 years before modern science. As behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman has proven, humans systematically underestimate completion times by an average of 30-50%. This occurs because the prefrontal cortex automatically engages in “optimistic future forecasting.”
What’s particularly fascinating is how this proverb’s expression “ninety as halfway” aligns perfectly with actual neuroscience research. MIT studies show that when tasks reach 90% completion, dopamine-driven reward prediction in the human brain drops sharply, while the stress hormone cortisol simultaneously increases. In other words, while the brain creates the illusion that “it’s practically finished,” we’re actually approaching the most challenging phase.
The brain’s “attentional residue phenomenon” also plays a crucial role. At the 90% mark, we’ve already consumed massive cognitive resources, causing the concentration and decision-making abilities needed for the final 10% to decline dramatically. This is the neuroscientific mechanism behind why “the last 10% equals 50% of the total difficulty.” Ancient Chinese sages, without modern brain imaging technology, perfectly captured the essence of human cognitive architecture through mathematical metaphor.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us today is that “the key to success lies in the final 10%.” In any field, there’s an unexpectedly large difference between 90% completion and 100% completion.
In modern society, speed tends to be emphasized, but to produce truly valuable results, we should spend time especially on the final finishing touches. If you’re currently working on something, when the goal becomes visible, that’s precisely when you should tighten your focus once more.
This teaching doesn’t advocate perfectionism. Rather, it provides wisdom for understanding and dealing with human psychological weaknesses. We all have feelings of wanting to feel relieved and comfortable. Instead of denying these feelings, it’s important to tell ourselves “this is precisely when caution is needed.”
The attitude of working hard without giving up until the end not only improves the quality of results but also contributes to your own growth. The experience of overcoming difficulties becomes confidence for the next challenge and enriches your life.
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