How to Read “Despise the domestic chicken and love the wild pheasant”
Kakei wo iyashimite yachi wo aisu
Meaning of “Despise the domestic chicken and love the wild pheasant”
This proverb warns against a common human tendency. We often fail to recognize the value of what’s close to us while craving rare things that are far away.
People and things that are always nearby become too familiar. Their presence feels so normal that we stop noticing their true value and importance.
Meanwhile, things that are hard to get or far away seem more attractive than they really are.
This proverb is used to teach people who have lost sight of what’s truly valuable right in front of them. They’re distracted by uncertain things in the distance.
For example, someone might ignore the kindness of family and close friends. Instead, they only dream about a glamorous world far away.
This human psychology hasn’t changed in modern times. It’s the same feeling when other people’s lives look perfect on social media. It’s why the grass always looks greener on the other side.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is believed to come from ancient Chinese classics. “Kakei” means chickens raised at home. “Yachi” refers to wild pheasants.
In ancient China, pheasants were treasured as noble birds with beautiful feathers.
The word structure is important here. “Iyashimu” means to look down on something as having low value. “Aisu” means to cherish or prefer something.
This contrast forms the core of the proverb.
Domestic chickens are practical creatures. They lay eggs every day and provide meat for food. But because they’re always nearby and easy to see, their value becomes taken for granted.
Wild pheasants are different. They have beautiful feathers and are rarely seen. This rarity makes people long for them.
This contrast sharply captures human psychology. Things that are hard to get or far away seem more attractive. Meanwhile, we overlook the reliable value that’s close at hand.
The proverb expresses this human trait through the concrete image of domestic chickens and wild pheasants.
Interesting Facts
The pheasant is designated as Japan’s national bird. Japanese people have been familiar with it since ancient times. However, chances to actually see a wild pheasant are rare.
Its beautiful feathers and cautious nature make it a perfect symbol of “something rare and valuable” in this proverb.
Chickens are one of the oldest domesticated birds in human history. They’ve been raised for about 8,000 years. They’re valued worldwide as practical creatures that provide both eggs and meat.
But this proverb teaches us an irony. Being “common” can actually cause something to be looked down on.
Usage Examples
- He neglects his supportive family and only chases after distant celebrities. That’s exactly “Despise the domestic chicken and love the wild pheasant.”
- Passing by good local shops to go all the way to a trendy place far away is like “Despise the domestic chicken and love the wild pheasant.”
Universal Wisdom
The human nature shown in this proverb is surprisingly deep. Why do we lose sight of the value of what’s close to us?
It’s because humans are creatures with a sense of “habituation.” No matter how wonderful something is, it becomes normal if we encounter it every day.
Kindness that we were grateful for at first becomes “just the way things are” when repeated. We start taking it for granted.
This psychological mechanism was necessary for survival in some ways. By getting used to everyday stimuli, we become more sensitive to new dangers and opportunities.
But at the same time, this habituation takes away something precious from us. We lose sight of the value of what we reliably have. Our hearts get stolen by uncertain things far away.
As a result, the same tragedy repeats throughout history. People only realize the value of something truly important after they’ve lost it.
What’s even more interesting is the psychology of why “distant things” look attractive. Things we can’t have get perfectly idealized in our imagination.
We can’t see their real flaws, so we can make them perfect in our minds. Meanwhile, we clearly see all the flaws in what’s nearby.
This proverb has been passed down for thousands of years. That’s because this human trait never changes across time.
Our ancestors saw through this dangerous tendency of the heart. They kept sounding the alarm about it.
When AI Hears This
There’s interesting data from behavioral economics experiments. People are asked to choose between “get $100 right now” or “get $110 in one week.”
Most people choose $100 right now. But when the same people are asked to choose between “get $100 in one year” or “get $110 in one year and one week,” they choose $110.
The objective interest rate is the same, yet the decision changes. This happens because people measure value using “what they have now” as a reference point.
The domestic chicken and wild pheasant in this proverb have the same structure. Let’s say both have the same market value of 1,000 yen.
But the human brain doesn’t judge by absolute value. The domestic chicken’s reference point is “already owned state,” so the value gained from it feels like zero.
Meanwhile, the wild pheasant’s reference point is “not yet owned state.” So obtaining it would bring the joy of gaining 1,000 yen worth.
Prospect theory proves that humans are twice as sensitive to losses as to gains. The pain of losing a domestic chicken should feel like 500 yen, but the endowment effect makes it feel like over 1,000 yen.
Yet for things we own daily, the “not losing it state” becomes normal. We stop feeling its value.
Ancient people saw through this contradictory psychological mechanism using the contrast of chickens and pheasants. When the reference point changes, the same thing’s value changes.
It strikes at the essence of human irrationality.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of looking at “what’s here and now.” Before envying others’ glamorous lives on social media or longing only for things you can’t have, stop for a moment.
You already have many treasures around you.
Family you see every day. Friends who always listen to you. The healthy body you use without thinking. These things are easy to forget precisely because “they’re always there.”
But it’s too late to realize this after you’ve lost them.
As a practical method, try doing a “gratitude inventory” once a week. Consciously look for the good aspects of people and things close to you.
You’ll start to see new brightness in familiar scenery.
You don’t need to deny the desire to seek rare things far away. Ambition and curiosity are wonderful qualities.
Just look at your feet first. Only with a solid foundation can you safely reach for distant things.
People who know the value of what’s nearby are the ones who can truly grasp richness.
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