How to Read “千里の道も一歩から”
Senri no michi mo ippo kara
Meaning of “千里の道も一歩から”
This proverb means that no matter how big a goal or difficult an undertaking may be, it must always begin with a small first step.
While it’s important to make grand plans and set high ideals, to realize them, you must first start steadily from what’s close at hand, from what you can do. Even the tremendous distance of a thousand ri can never be reached without taking that first step.
This proverb is used for people who hesitate before big dreams, or those who don’t know where to start because their goals seem too large. Rather than waiting until perfect preparations are complete, it teaches us the importance of starting with small things we can do now. It also includes the importance of continuity. The idea is that the accumulation of steps, one by one, ultimately leads to great results.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “Thousand-mile road also one step from” lies in the words from Chapter 64 of the ancient Chinese classic “Laozi”: “A journey of a thousand ri begins beneath one’s feet.” Laozi was a Chinese philosopher from around the 6th century BCE, considered the founder of Taoism.
In the original text, the expression “begins beneath one’s feet” was used, and it’s thought that this changed to the more concrete and understandable expression “from one step” as it was transmitted to Japan. Laozi’s philosophy valued natural non-action and taught the idea that great things begin from small things.
In Japan, from the Heian period onward, Chinese classics became widely read, and such maxims became familiar among intellectuals. During the Edo period, with the spread of terakoya education, these teachings spread among common people as moral instruction.
The distance of “a thousand ri” corresponds to approximately 4,000 kilometers, an unimaginably vast distance. For people of that time, this was an inconceivably far journey. The contrast between such a distant journey beginning with a single step at one’s feet creates the memorable impact of this proverb.
Interesting Facts
The unit “ri” differs in actual distance between China and Japan. The Chinese “ri” is about 500 meters, but the Japanese “ri” is about 4 kilometers. In other words, if you calculate the “thousand ri” in this proverb using Japanese units, it becomes 4,000 kilometers—a distance that could cross the main island of Japan back and forth.
The “foot” in Laozi’s original text “A journey of a thousand ri begins beneath one’s feet” is used as an honorific meaning “you” in modern Chinese. The evolution from the ancient meaning of “at one’s feet” to a word expressing respect for others is an interesting linguistic transformation.
Usage Examples
- Thinking that studying for certification exams is also Thousand-mile road also one step from, I first bought a reference book
- I thought starting a business was too ambitious, but Thousand-mile road also one step from, so let me start small
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the meaning of this proverb has become more complex. Due to the influence of the information age, we are constantly required to seek “efficiency” and “speed.” On social media, only the glamorous results of successful people stand out, making the steady effort process behind them less visible.
Particularly for the digital native generation, accustomed to an environment where everything can be solved with a single app tap, many feel uncomfortable with the concept of “step by step.” Seeing people become famous overnight on YouTube or TikTok, some question the old values of “Thousand-mile road also one step from.”
However, even in the world of technology, this teaching remains important. Programming education starts with “Hello World,” and entrepreneurs grow their businesses from minimum viable products (MVP). Rather, precisely because we live in an era of rapid change, the “agile” approach of starting small and rapidly iterating improvements is gaining attention.
On the other hand, there are also challenges unique to modern times. In an age of information overload, people can become overwhelmed by too many choices and information before taking that “first step.” There’s also the phenomenon of “analysis paralysis,” where trying to make perfect plans actually prevents action.
When AI Hears This
The exquisite ambiguity of the word “step” is the true source of this proverb’s power. What should physically represent a stride of about 70 centimeters transforms psychologically into an infinitely flexible unit of measurement.
Psychology’s “self-efficacy theory” shows that setting goals we perceive as achievable promotes sustained action. Because the definition of a “step” remains deliberately vague, someone with limited physical strength can define “walking to the front door today” as one step, while an experienced person can define “learning a new skill” as their step.
This flexibility cleverly sidesteps the perfectionism trap. Concrete goals like “run 10 kilometers daily” generate feelings of failure the moment we can’t achieve them, but a “step” can be redefined according to our condition and circumstances. On a day when you’re bedridden with a cold, “thinking about tomorrow” becomes your step, while on a good day, “taking on a big challenge” becomes your step.
This mirrors the concept of “graduated exposure” used in cognitive behavioral therapy, where the freedom to choose appropriately sized challenges for yourself enables long-term persistence. In essence, this proverb doesn’t offer a methodology for achieving goals—it provides the psychological framework for avoiding failure altogether, setting it apart from other maxims.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches us today is “the value of starting, even imperfectly, rather than becoming paralyzed by seeking perfection.” You might feel anxious seeing others’ success on social media, or feel discouraged by the gap between ideals and reality. But even the greatest people were once beginners.
What’s important is finding small things you can do today. If you want to speak English, start with one word. If you want to be healthy, start with a 10-minute walk each day. If you want to improve relationships, start with one “thank you.” That small step will eventually create big changes.
Modern times offer too many choices, making us prone to confusion, but rather than waiting for perfect choices, it’s important to start walking with the best choice available now. Even if you walk down the wrong path, it’s because you’re walking that you can make course corrections. Your thousand-ri journey begins with that one step today.
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