expression, godan verb (-ru, irregular)
there is no rose without a thorn; every rose has its thorn
Proverb meaning that even beautiful things have hidden dangers or drawbacks. Used to caution against superficial judgments.
綺麗な薔薇には棘があるというように、見かけに惑わされてはいけない。
As the saying goes, 'every rose has its thorn,' so don't be fooled by appearances.
Standard kanji spelling using 棘 for 'thorn'.
Variant using 刺 for 'thorn'; less common but still encountered.
A Japanese calque of the Western proverb 'there is no rose without a thorn.' The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely entered Japanese through literary translation.