How to Read “When wind shoots through a broken window, the lamp easily goes out”
Kaze, hasō wo ite tōka kieyasushi
Meaning of “When wind shoots through a broken window, the lamp easily goes out”
This proverb teaches us that outside interference can easily destroy the efforts and achievements we’ve built up over time.
Just as wind blowing through a broken window extinguishes a lamp, even a small gap or weakness can let unexpected interference rush in. This can ruin something precious in an instant.
People use this saying when something they’ve carefully built is threatened by external factors. It also warns how a small moment of carelessness can lead to major losses.
For example, a relationship built over many years might crumble because of malicious rumors from a third party. Or a smoothly progressing project might suddenly fail due to unexpected interference.
This expression works well because everyone understands how fragile fire is. The metaphor powerfully conveys how fragile our achievements can be.
Even today, this proverb reminds us that protecting our hard work requires careful attention. We must not leave even the smallest opening for trouble to enter.
Origin and Etymology
Clear written records about this proverb’s origin are limited. However, the structure of the phrase reveals an interesting background.
“When wind shoots through a broken window, the lamp easily goes out” uses a formal, classical Chinese-influenced style. “Broken window” means a window with holes in it.
“Shoots through” means the wind blows in. “Lamp” refers to candles or oil lamps called andon.
When this saying was born, Japanese houses were made of wood and paper. Shoji screens and fusuma doors served as room dividers.
Windows weren’t glass like today. They were wooden frames covered with paper. Any tear would let wind rush through mercilessly.
Lighting back then came from candles or oil lamps. These flames went out easily with just a little wind.
Wind shooting through a broken window was especially dangerous. It came suddenly from unexpected directions, making the flame hard to protect.
People experienced this scene repeatedly in daily life. A carefully lit flame would go out because of wind entering through a small gap.
That frustration and helplessness eventually became a life lesson. Over time, it settled into the proverb we know today.
Usage Examples
- The new business was going well, but as “When wind shoots through a broken window, the lamp easily goes out” suggests, it quickly collapsed due to sabotage from competitors
- The child was finally concentrating on studying, but true to “When wind shoots through a broken window, the lamp easily goes out,” a friend’s invitation led them to go out and play instead
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has been passed down because it brilliantly captures the fundamental fragility of what humans build.
When we try to accomplish something, we tend to focus only on our own efforts. But in reality, we live in relationship with our external environment.
The lamp metaphor is excellent because it symbolizes human endeavor itself. Fire represents civilization, wisdom, hope, and warmth.
Yet nothing is as fleeting as fire, or as difficult to keep alive. Even the most carefully tended flame can be extinguished by a single gust of wind.
This reveals a deep insight into the fundamental instability of human existence. No matter how hard we try, uncontrollable external factors always exist.
Facing this reality is painful. But our ancestors didn’t run from it. Instead, they accepted this fragility and thought about how to live with it.
The broken window is also suggestive. A broken window means there’s a gap in our defenses.
In other words, the cause of outside interference partly lies within ourselves. Perfect defense is impossible—this requires humility.
Yet we must still protect what needs protecting. This requires resolve. Holding both attitudes together is true human wisdom.
When AI Hears This
This proverb shows that a system’s defensive strength isn’t determined by simple addition. Between wind and lamp, there’s normally a barrier—the window.
An intact window protects the lamp even from 10-meter-per-second winds. But just a few centimeters of hole lets the same wind extinguish the flame.
In other words, system robustness is determined by its weakest part.
Donella Meadows’ leverage points theory classifies system interventions into 12 levels. The least effective is “adjusting physical quantities.”
The most effective is “changing system structure.” The broken window is exactly a structural defect. Halving the wind speed doesn’t help if the window is broken.
Conversely, fixing the window structure protects the lamp even if wind doubles. We should intervene in the window’s structure, not the wind’s quantity.
Modern cybersecurity shows the same phenomenon. Companies invest millions in firewalls, but information leaks happen through small structural defects like one employee’s password management.
IBM research shows 95 percent of security breaches stem from human error. This proves that structural weaknesses, not the amount of physical defense, determine the whole system’s fate.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of protecting achievements. Today’s society focuses heavily on accomplishing things.
But maintaining and protecting what we’ve achieved is equally important.
What are you carefully nurturing right now? It might be work achievements or relationships. Perhaps it’s your health or learning habits.
Whatever it is, it has “broken windows”—weaknesses and gaps. This is natural since no one is perfect.
What matters is recognizing those weaknesses and reinforcing them where possible. Eliminating all gaps is impossible.
But you can identify the most dangerous areas and focus on protecting them. You don’t need to fear outside interference excessively either.
Wind will always blow, but with preparation, your flame won’t go out.
This proverb gives us wisdom for living while carefully protecting our achievements. Being conscious of guarding what you’ve built makes your life richer and more stable.
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