How to Read “One in a hundred winter melon flowers”
とうがんのはなのひゃくにひとつ
Meaning of “One in a hundred winter melon flowers”
“One in a hundred winter melon flowers” is a proverb that describes how only a tiny fraction of many attempts or challenges actually succeed.
It comes from the nature of winter melon plants. Even when a hundred flowers bloom, only one bears fruit. This teaches us about the difficulty and rarity of success.
People use this proverb when talking about the harsh reality of attempting something. For example, it describes situations where many people aim for a goal, but only a few actually succeed.
It also applies when you make many plans or proposals, but only a small number actually come to fruition.
This expression still holds important meaning today. It reminds us that life requires more than just optimistic thinking that effort always pays off.
We must also accept the reality that only a few attempts succeed among many challenges.
Origin and Etymology
No clear written records explain the origin of this proverb. However, it likely came from observing the characteristics of winter melon plants.
Winter melons bloom in summer. A single plant produces an incredibly large number of flowers. But not all of these flowers become fruit.
In reality, most flowers fall off without bearing fruit. Only a very small number eventually become full-grown melons.
Farmers observed this nature of winter melons for many years. The sight of many yellow flowers blooming is spectacular. But the harsh reality is that only about one in a hundred becomes a harvestable fruit.
This natural principle must have reminded people of the difficulty of success in human society.
Many attempts and challenges exist, but most don’t bear fruit. Yet this is precisely what makes that one success so precious. This teaching likely emerged from observing this plant.
We can say this proverb expresses life’s truths through nature. It came from the lives of people who farmed the land.
Interesting Facts
Winter melon is a summer vegetable, yet it has “winter” in its Japanese name. This comes from its excellent storage properties.
Melons harvested in summer can be stored until winter. They stay fresh for several months when kept in a cool place. This made them a valuable vegetable.
Winter melon flowers have male and female types. Only female flowers can bear fruit. Female flowers are far fewer than male flowers.
Even among female flowers, only those that successfully pollinate will bear fruit. This double or triple selection process likely explains the “one in a hundred” expression.
Usage Examples
- There were hundreds of applicants, but only he got hired. It’s truly one in a hundred winter melon flowers.
- I submitted tons of proposals, but only one was accepted. This is exactly what one in a hundred winter melon flowers means.
Universal Wisdom
The proverb “One in a hundred winter melon flowers” contains an essential truth about success that humans have long understood.
Success is never something to be taken for granted. Rather, it’s an exceptional event. This is a cold but honest recognition.
We are creatures who want to believe that effort always pays off. But in reality, not everything bears fruit, no matter how seriously we work.
Our ancestors found this harsh truth in a familiar natural phenomenon: winter melon flowers.
What’s interesting is that this proverb doesn’t preach despair. Even if ninety-nine flowers out of a hundred fall, one certainly bears fruit.
That one success is what makes all the challenges meaningful. Don’t lament the abundance of failures. Instead, recognize the preciousness of success.
This is the life philosophy this proverb conveys.
Humans are beings who keep challenging themselves. Nothing begins if we fear failure. But it’s also dangerous to hold the illusion that everything will succeed.
Accept the reality that most things won’t bear fruit, yet keep planting seeds anyway. That determination and patience are what ultimately produce the one fruit.
This is what our ancestors teach us.
When AI Hears This
A one in a hundred probability equals 1%. If the value of success is 100, the expected value is 1% × 100 = 1.
This means the maximum cost per attempt should be 1. Yet winter melons invest energy for a hundred flowers. This is clearly an action with negative expected value.
Why do plants do something so inefficient? The answer lies in “purchasing certainty.” If you pour all your energy into one flower and fail, you have zero offspring.
If you spread it across a hundred flowers, the probability that at least one bears fruit rises to 63%. You can calculate this using probability theory.
The formula is: probability of at least one success = 1 – (failure rate)^number of trials.
Human behavior in lotteries and romance follows the same structure. Even if the success rate per attempt is low, trying many times creates a feeling that “it’ll work eventually.”
But unlike plants, humans face increasing costs with each trial. Winter melons bloom a hundred flowers simultaneously. Humans challenge things sequentially over time, making them prone to the sunk cost trap.
This proverb shows the conditions under which challenging low probabilities becomes rational. These are diversified investment, simultaneous execution, and clear withdrawal lines.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of making many attempts without fearing failure.
To achieve one success, you must be prepared for ninety-nine failures. Knowing this reality might actually make you feel more at ease.
Modern society fears failure excessively. We easily fall into the illusion that one failure ends everything. But this proverb teaches us differently.
Failure is normal. In fact, it’s a necessary process for success.
If you’re trying to challenge something now, remember these words. Even if your first attempt doesn’t work out, it’s just one of the ninety-nine.
What matters is not giving up and continuing to bloom the next flower. Keep planting seeds today for that one fruit that will eventually come.
Don’t lament the scarcity of success. Take pride in the number of your challenges. That attitude is the sure path to the harvest that will someday arrive.
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