How to Read “蓼食う虫も好き好き”
Tade kuu mushi mo suki zuki
Meaning of “蓼食う虫も好き好き”
“Even bugs that eat knotweed have preferences” expresses that people each have different tastes and values, and even things that others cannot understand may be precious to that person.
Just as there are insects that prefer to eat knotweed, a plant that is spicy and difficult to eat, it is natural that there are people who love things that are generally not favored or are difficult to understand. This proverb teaches tolerance – not to criticize or deny others’ preferences, but rather to recognize and accept diversity.
It is used in situations where someone’s hobbies or choices are not understood by those around them, to defend that person or convey the importance of diversity. It is also used as encouragement for people who are concerned that their preferences differ from others, with the meaning “that’s perfectly fine.” Even today, the wisdom of this old proverb lives on in situations where individuality and diversity are respected.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “Even bugs that eat knotweed have preferences” lies in the characteristics of the plant called tade (knotweed). Knotweed was known as a plant with strong spiciness that was stimulating and difficult for humans to eat. However, through observing nature, people in ancient times noticed that there were insects that preferred to eat this spicy knotweed.
This proverb appears in literature from the Edo period, demonstrating the keen observational skills of people of that time. Representative insects that eat knotweed include certain types of aphids and stink bugs. For these insects, knotweed, which humans find “too spicy to eat,” was actually a preferred food.
Common people of the Edo period observed nature closely in their daily lives. People working in fields knew the habits of insects that affected crops in detail, and among these observations, they took note of creatures that had “preferences incomprehensible to humans.”
This proverb developed not just from natural observation, but as wisdom for accepting diversity in human society. Just as there are insects that prefer spicy knotweed, it expresses through familiar natural phenomena that people each have different preferences – a word that shines with the insight of our ancestors.
Interesting Facts
The knotweed plant is actually used in Japanese cuisine. It’s particularly famous as “tade vinegar,” served alongside grilled sweetfish. “Sweetfish with tade vinegar” is considered a summer tradition, with the spiciness of knotweed said to enhance the delicate flavor of sweetfish.
Interestingly, among the insects that eat knotweed, some species accumulate these spicy compounds in their bodies to protect themselves from natural enemies that might try to eat them. What is unpleasant spiciness to humans becomes part of a survival strategy for insects.
Usage Examples
- I can’t understand that person’s partner’s hobbies, but even bugs that eat knotweed have preferences
- Her fashion sense is unique, but even bugs that eat knotweed have preferences, I suppose
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the meaning of this proverb has become deeper and more widely applicable. With the spread of social media, we have far more opportunities than before to encounter diverse values and ways of life. Influencers’ unique lifestyles, niche hobby communities, fans of minor music genres – “bug-like” existences have become visible.
On the other hand, the information society sometimes breeds intolerance. Online, we see phenomena where others’ incomprehensible preferences and choices are harshly criticized. Many inflammatory incidents can be said to arise from this “rejection reaction to incomprehensible things.”
However, in our increasingly globalized modern world, acceptance of diversity has become more important. Coexistence with people from different cultural backgrounds, diversification of work styles, expansion of lifestyle choices – the spirit of “Even bugs that eat knotweed have preferences” has become a foundational way of thinking for modern society.
The development of technology has also made it easier for people with niche hobbies and values to connect with each other. “Bugs that eat knotweed” who might have been isolated in the past can now find companions in online communities and confidently express their individuality.
When AI Hears This
The spicy compounds found in knotweed leaves are actually a natural defense system that plants evolved to protect themselves from insects. However, the “knotweed-eating bugs” like the knotweed leaf beetle have developed an extraordinary survival strategy that turns this chemical weapon to their advantage.
These insects have developed special detoxifying enzymes in their bodies that not only neutralize the spicy compounds in knotweed, but also accumulate them in their own bodies to reuse as intimidation substances against their natural enemies. In other words, by exclusively eating the knotweed that other insects avoid as “unpalatable,” they have completely escaped from food competition.
The cleverness of this strategy represents a perfect example of what ecologists call “niche partitioning.” Rather than fighting in the battleground where many insects compete for sweet leaves and tender shoots, they secured a safe zone in the “unpopular knotweed” that nobody else touches.
Research shows that insects with such specialized diets actually have lower extinction risks compared to insects with generalized diets. What appears to be “picky eating” is actually a sophisticated strategy that ensures long-term species survival. These tiny insects teach us that in human society too, “unusual tastes” and specialization that deviate from the mainstream can become the power to carve out unique territories with little competition.
Lessons for Today
“Even bugs that eat knotweed have preferences” teaches modern people the importance of having the courage to accept differences without fear. We unconsciously tend to judge others based on our own values. But this proverb gently encourages us, saying “that’s perfectly fine.”
When you can’t understand a colleague’s hobby at work, when you question a family member’s choice, when a friend’s partner doesn’t match your preferences – in such small daily situations, try remembering these words. Rather than trying to change the other person, taking a step back and thinking “I guess there’s that way of seeing things too” makes human relationships much easier.
And above all, cherish your own individuality. There’s no need to be ashamed of having different preferences from those around you. It doesn’t matter if someone doesn’t understand what you love. Like the insects that eat knotweed, live your own way with confidence. Diversity is the source that beautifully colors this world.
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