How to Read “Stab a stone mortar with chopsticks”
Ishiusu wo hashi ni sasu
Meaning of “Stab a stone mortar with chopsticks”
“Stab a stone mortar with chopsticks” is a proverb that describes demanding something completely impossible or insisting on something that clearly cannot be done.
Since it’s physically impossible to stab a heavy, hard stone mortar with thin chopsticks, this saying refers to making unreasonable demands or stubbornly arguing for unrealistic things.
This proverb is mainly used when someone makes an unreasonable request or keeps repeating claims that ignore reality.
For example, it applies when you’re asked to do impossible things with a limited budget, or when someone demands results far beyond your ability or available time.
The reason this expression works so well is its strong visual imagery. By picturing the ridiculous scene of trying to stab a stone mortar with chopsticks, you can clearly show both yourself and others just how unrealistic the demand is.
Even today, when facing impossible requests, this proverb functions as a way to express “that’s impossible” gently yet clearly.
Origin and Etymology
There don’t seem to be clear written records about the origin of this proverb, but we can make interesting observations from its components.
Stone mortars have been used in Japanese homes since ancient times to grind grains. Even small ones weigh several kilograms to over ten kilograms, while large ones can weigh dozens of kilograms.
Chopsticks, on the other hand, are thin, light eating utensils made of wood or bamboo. The extreme contrast between these two objects forms the core of this proverb.
The expression “stab” is also worth noting. Stabbing something with chopsticks is normally done with soft things like tofu or simmered dishes.
But a stone mortar is made of hard, heavy stone. If you tried to stab it with chopsticks, the chopsticks would break. This physical impossibility visually expresses the idea of an unreasonable demand.
In the daily life of common people during the Edo period, stone mortars were familiar tools. Everyone knew from experience how heavy and hard they were.
That’s why the absurdity and impossibility of “stabbing with chopsticks” was immediately understood. This proverb shows the wisdom of ordinary people who used concrete everyday tools to express the abstract concept of “unreasonable demands.”
Interesting Facts
Stone mortars are important tools that have supported Japanese food culture. Their history goes back to the Kofun period.
They work by combining two stones, an upper and lower mortar, placing grain between them, and rotating to grind into powder. The heavier they are, the more stable the grinding, so heavy stones were deliberately chosen.
This practical reason ultimately strengthens the persuasiveness of this proverb.
Chopsticks also have an ancient history. In Japan, they’ve been used since the Asuka period. Initially they were sacred tools used in religious ceremonies, but eventually spread as eating utensils for common people.
The contrast between thin, delicate chopsticks and heavy, sturdy stone mortars—two tools everyone knew from daily life—creates the clarity of this proverb.
Usage Examples
- Demanding perfect results without budget or manpower is like trying to stab a stone mortar with chopsticks
- Asking me to do a year’s worth of work in one week is exactly like stabbing a stone mortar with chopsticks—completely unreasonable
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “Stab a stone mortar with chopsticks” reflects two contradictory human traits. One is the tendency to pursue ideals and desires without seeing reality.
The other is the stubbornness that won’t bend demands even while recognizing their impossibility.
Why do people demand impossible things? Because when their wishes or needs are too strong, they become blind to real-world constraints.
When the thought “I absolutely need this” takes over, they can’t calmly judge whether the means to achieve it are realistic. It’s like being so focused on the goal of moving the stone mortar that you forget the fact that you’re only holding chopsticks.
This proverb has been passed down through generations because this human trait never changes across time. Those with power tend to overestimate their strength and give impossible orders.
Desperate people grasp at straws and ask for impossible help. Parents sometimes push unrealistic expectations onto children, bosses onto subordinates.
But at the same time, this proverb contains kindness. By saying “that’s like stabbing a stone mortar with chopsticks,” you can show reality with humor rather than flatly rejecting someone’s request.
Here lies the wisdom of our ancestors—understanding human weakness while still explaining the need to face reality.
When AI Hears This
A stone mortar weighs dozens of kilograms. Chopsticks are a few millimeters thick. This combination is impossible not simply because it’s heavy, but because of physics’ “scaling law.”
An object’s strength is proportional to its cross-sectional area. If chopsticks double in thickness, they can support four times the weight.
Meanwhile, the weight of a three-dimensional object like a stone mortar is proportional to volume. When size doubles, weight increases eightfold. This creates a decisive imbalance.
The larger something gets, the more weight increase outpaces strength increase.
This appears everywhere in nature. Ants can carry 50 times their body weight because their small size gives them a favorable ratio of cross-sectional area to volume.
Conversely, if you enlarged an ant to human size, it would collapse under its own weight. The reason dinosaurs couldn’t grow beyond a certain size, and why giant robots can’t be built in reality, all follow the same law.
The everyday tools of stone mortar and chopsticks actually embody a mathematical law that governs the universe. Weight increases by the cube, strength only by the square.
In this “battle of 3 versus 2,” the cubic side always wins.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern you is the importance of “the courage to face reality.” We encounter unreasonable demands daily in various situations—at work, at home, or from ourselves.
When that happens, remember this proverb.
If someone makes unreasonable demands of you, know that you have the right to refuse. Just as you can’t stab a stone mortar with chopsticks, humans have things they can and cannot do.
That’s not laziness—it’s correctly recognizing reality. Have the courage to say politely but clearly, “that’s difficult.”
Conversely, if you’re in a position to ask something of someone, it’s important to consider their situation and abilities. Think not just about your own wishes, but whether the means to achieve them are appropriate.
Unreasonable demands don’t just corner people—they also destroy trust.
Most importantly, consider the demands you make on yourself. Are you seeking perfection and trying to stab a stone mortar with chopsticks? Doing your best within your capabilities is enough.
Accepting reality isn’t giving up. It’s a wise choice that lets you focus your energy on what truly matters.
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