How to Read “酸いも甘いも噛み分ける”
Sui mo amai mo kamiwakeru
Meaning of “酸いも甘いも噛み分ける”
“Sour and sweet both chewing dividing” refers to having accumulated various life experiences and developed the ability to correctly judge the good and bad, truth and falsehood of things.
This proverb doesn’t simply mean growing older in age. What’s important is having faced and experienced everything head-on – joy and sorrow, success and failure alike. It’s precisely because of such rich life experience that one can see through to the essence of things without being misled by superficial information.
It’s commonly used when evaluating the judgment and insight of people with rich life experience. It’s also sometimes used toward young people to mean “you still lack experience.”
The reason for using this expression is to emphasize the value of experience. While modern society overflows with information, the underlying belief is that wisdom gained through actual experience is the most reliable basis for judgment. It contains the deep insight that people can only acquire true wisdom through various experiences.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “sour and sweet both chewing dividing” comes from an expression that compares life’s various experiences to the taste of food.
At the root of this expression is a sensibility deeply connected to Japanese food culture. Since ancient times in Japan, there has been a culture of overlaying food tastes with life experiences. Sweet things symbolized joy and happiness, while sour things represented hardship and difficulties.
The expression “chewing dividing” also holds important meaning. This represents not just feeling taste, but properly chewing and savoring it to understand the differences. In other words, it shows the importance of not superficially letting life experiences pass by, but deeply savoring and understanding them.
Since this expression can be found in Edo period literature, it’s considered a proverb that has been used for quite a long time. For people of that era, richness of life experience was a symbol of wisdom, and those who had experienced various hardships and joys were respected as people who could judge things correctly.
Behind the establishment of this expression lies respect for “experiential knowledge” that Japanese society has valued. The idea that wisdom gained through actual experience holds true value over knowledge learned from books is embedded in this proverb.
Usage Examples
- That department manager is someone who has sour and sweet both chewing dividing, so we can safely entrust this difficult negotiation to him
- You’re still a student, so you need time to sour and sweet both chewing dividing
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the concept of “sour and sweet both chewing dividing” is beginning to take on new meaning. In the information age, while vast amounts of information can be obtained instantly, the ability to discern the truth of that information has become more important.
On social media and the internet, truth and falsehood coexist, increasing the danger of making judgments based only on superficial information. In such an environment, judgment based on actual experience has become more valuable. “Information literacy” that isn’t misled by fake news or exaggerated advertising can be said to be the modern version of the ability to “sour and sweet both chewing dividing.”
Also, in today’s globalizing world, opportunities to encounter different cultures and values are increasing. The ability to understand diversity and empathize with people from various positions is also one form of experiential knowledge that this proverb indicates.
On the other hand, modern society emphasizes “efficiency,” with a tendency to avoid failure and aim for success via the shortest route. However, this proverb teaches that “all experiences, including detours and failures, have value.”
Even in an age where technological advancement allows AI to handle various judgments, human-like emotions, intuition, and judgment based on real experience will continue to hold irreplaceable value that can never be substituted by machines.
When AI Hears This
The human tongue contains approximately 10,000 taste buds, with sourness and sweetness serving opposite survival strategies. Sourness sends a warning signal to the brain: “This food might be spoiled—it’s dangerous.” Meanwhile, sweetness sends a reward signal: “This is an energy source—eat more.”
What’s fascinating is how these two tastes connect to the act of chewing, or “discerning through taste.” Chewing isn’t merely physical crushing. With each bite, saliva is secreted and taste receptors are stimulated in stages. In other words, the more time we spend savoring something, the more complex and accurate our judgment becomes.
For example, food that initially tastes sour and makes us grimace can reveal sweetness later as we continue chewing. This is a time-delayed change in taste perception. Life experiences work the same way—events that initially feel painful can later be recognized as valuable lessons with the passage of time.
The genius of the expression “discerning through taste” lies in how the physiological process of taste perception perfectly mirrors the maturation process of human judgment. By taking time to chew through conflicting impulses—the instinct to avoid danger versus the drive to seek pleasure—we integrate them and reach higher-level judgments. This is the true nature of wisdom that comes with rich experience.
Lessons for Today
What this proverb teaches modern people is that “experience is the greatest teacher.” If you only choose safe paths out of fear of failure, you won’t develop true judgment.
In modern society, it’s become normal to search the internet for correct answers or refer to others’ opinions. However, truly important decisions are made based on your own experience and intuition. In life’s crucial moments – career changes, marriage, child-rearing, human relationships – answers often cannot be found through manuals or others’ advice alone.
That’s why you should consider the difficulties you’re currently facing as precious opportunities to develop your future ability to “sour and sweet both chewing dividing.” Even when things don’t go well, it’s not meaningless. That experience will become wisdom that supports you someday.
Some people call their youthful failures and setbacks “dark history” and want to hide them, but all of those were whetstones that sharpened your judgment. There are no useless experiences in life. By accepting everything and moving forward, you too can become someone who can “sour and sweet both chewing dividing.”
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