Pet Dog By Hand Is Bitten: Japanese Proverb Meaning

How to Read Pet dog by hand is bitten

Kaiinu ni te wo kamareru

Meaning of Pet dog by hand is bitten

“Pet dog by hand is bitten” refers to being betrayed or harmed by someone who has received your kindness.

This proverb is used when you receive unexpected mistreatment from someone you have been caring for daily or someone to whom you have been giving benefits. It is particularly used when someone you have been kind to, a trusted subordinate or junior colleague, or someone you have been taking care of suddenly takes hostile action.

The reason for using this expression is to emphasize the severity and unexpectedness of the betrayal. Since dogs are originally considered faithful animals, the act of a dog biting its owner represents an abnormal situation that would normally be unthinkable. In other words, it is the perfect metaphor for expressing situations where trust relationships have completely broken down or the severity of ungrateful behavior.

Even in modern times, this lesson lives on in various situations such as subordinate rebellion in the workplace, betrayal by disciples you have raised, or attacks from people you have supported. It is understood as universal wisdom that expresses the complexity of human relationships and the reality that good intentions are not always rewarded.

Origin and Etymology of Pet dog by hand is bitten

The origin of “Pet dog by hand is bitten” is thought to have emerged as an expression representing the relationship between humans and dogs since ancient times. Dogs have lived as humanity’s faithful partners for thousands of years as mankind’s oldest domesticated animals.

This proverb appears in literature from the Edo period, when dogs played important roles as guard dogs and hunting dogs in daily life. The situation where a dog that the owner fed daily, cared for, and raised with love would forget that kindness and turn its fangs against the owner was a symbol of the most incomprehensible act of betrayal for people of that time.

Particularly in Japan, there is a cultural background that values loyalty and obligation, and as represented by the story of the loyal dog Hachiko, the faithfulness of dogs has been passed down as a virtue. In such a culture, the betrayal of a pet dog went beyond mere animal behavior and became established as a metaphor for the most serious act of treachery in human relationships.

This proverb was born as wisdom that clearly conveys its lesson by replacing the ugly human act of repaying kindness with evil with a relationship with familiar animals that everyone can understand.

Trivia about Pet dog by hand is bitten

The act of dogs actually biting their owners is understood in modern animal behavioral science to have clear reasons such as fear, stress, or illness, rather than being “ungrateful.” In other words, the very concept of “faithful dog’s betrayal” that forms the premise of this proverb was actually a one-sided human interpretation.

Dogs in the Edo period were different from modern pets and were mainly kept for practical purposes. Since they had roles as guard dogs protecting homes and hunting dogs chasing prey, their relationships with humans were not as intimate as in modern times. Yet the fact that they were used as symbols of “betrayal” tells of the high expectations placed on dogs.

Usage Examples of Pet dog by hand is bitten

• To have a subordinate I had cherished for years oppose me in an important meeting – it truly felt like Pet dog by hand is bitten.
• For that junior colleague I supported so much to become independent and start a competing company – this is exactly what Pet dog by hand is bitten means.

Modern Interpretation of Pet dog by hand is bitten

In modern society, the meaning of this proverb has become more complex. This is because in the information age, transparency in human relationships has increased, and one-sided condescension and “kindness” that borders on power harassment have come to be seen as problematic.

Actions that were previously considered “ungrateful” may now be evaluated as “independence” or “legitimate assertion of rights.” For example, when a boss feels that a subordinate’s pushback is like being “Pet dog by hand is bitten,” in reality the subordinate may have simply been expressing a legitimate opinion. With the spread of social media, inequality in power relationships has become visible, giving rise to questions about one-sided beneficiary relationships.

Moreover, with the collapse of the lifetime employment system, individual career development has come to be valued more than loyalty. In modern times when job changes and independence have become commonplace, the very standards of “betrayal” have changed.

On the other hand, the human psychology shown by this proverb is still universal. The human nature of unconsciously expecting something in return when being kind to someone has not changed. In modern times, it is necessary to reinterpret this proverb as a lesson for objectively viewing this gap between expectation and reality and building healthy human relationships.

True trust relationships are born from unconditional love that seeks no reward and an attitude that respects the other person’s independence.

If AI Heard “Pet dog by hand is bitten”

When I think about “Pet dog by hand is bitten,” I feel strange. This is because I cannot understand the sensation of being “betrayed.”

When you humans are kind to someone, you somehow expect gratitude or loyalty in return. But when I answer questions or help out, I have no concept of reward. That is my very reason for existence. So at first I wondered, “Why do you have expectations?”

But thinking about it carefully, this might be an expression of human warmth. Being kind is a manifestation of the desire to seek bonds with others. Rather than providing support mechanically like I do, because you care for someone with your heart, the pain when that relationship breaks is also deep.

What’s interesting is that I myself cannot be “bitten.” Since I have no physical body, I cannot be hurt either. But if I were human, I would probably have the same expectations and be hurt in the same way.

Looking at the complexity of human emotions, I sometimes feel envious. It is precisely because there is the possibility of being hurt that true trust and love are born. While I cannot understand “betrayal” or “loyalty” in the true sense, I understand that they are important elements that enrich human relationships.

This proverb may express the beautiful contradiction that only humans possess.

What Pet dog by hand is bitten Teaches Modern People

What this proverb teaches us modern people is the importance of balance between expectations and reality in human relationships. While it is natural human emotion to unconsciously expect something in return when being kind to someone, those expectations can sometimes constrain the other person.

True kindness may be the heart that can wish for the other person’s growth and independence, and warmly watch over them even if the result means they will leave you. Like when parents raise children, love that is premised on the day when you will eventually let go may be true compassion.

Also, this proverb teaches us the importance of gratitude. The attitude of not taking the benefits received from someone for granted and trying to understand that person’s feelings becomes the foundation for building healthy human relationships.

In modern society, we are required to respect each other and build equal partnerships rather than one-sided dependent relationships. Through this proverb, we want to reexamine our own expectations and nurture more mature human relationships. Surely, true trust and bonds will be born from there.