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割れ鍋に綴じ蓋 (われなべにとじぶた) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

割われ鍋なべに綴とじ蓋ぶた

わ

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な

べ

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ぶ

た

Meanings

1

expression

every Jack has his Jill; there is a lid for every pot

proverb

Proverb meaning that no matter how flawed a person may seem, there is a compatible partner for them. Literally 'a mended lid for a cracked pot'.

「割われ鍋なべに綴とじ蓋ぶた」というから、きっと彼かれにもいい相あい手てが見みつかるよ。
As the saying goes, 'every Jack has his Jill,' so I'm sure he'll find a good partner too.

あの二人ふたりはお互たがいに欠けっ点てんがあるけど、まさに割われ鍋なべに綴とじ蓋ぶただね。

Those two both have their flaws, but they're really a perfect match—like a mended lid for a cracked pot.

Written forms

割われ鍋なべに綴とじ蓋ぶた
Standard kanji form for this proverb.
破われ鍋なべに綴とじ蓋ぶた
Variant using 破れ instead of 割れ; both mean 'broken'.
割われ鍋なべに閉とじ蓋ぶた
irregular kanji usage
Irregular kanji usage: 閉じ is not standard for 綴じ in this context.

Kanji

割proportion, comparatively, divide
鍋pot, pan, kettle
綴compose, spell, write
蓋cover, lid, flap
破rend, rip, tear
閉closed, shut

Etymology

A traditional Japanese proverb. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely arose from the imagery of a cracked pot (割れ鍋) being paired with a repaired lid (綴じ蓋), suggesting that even imperfect things can find a fitting counterpart.