expression
all lives are alike; we all live and die the same; a pike conger has one life, a shrimp does too
Proverb emphasizing the equality of all living beings, regardless of size or status. Often used to express that everyone shares the same fate or that life is equally precious.
「鱧も一期、海老も一期」という言葉があるように、どんな生き物にも命の重さは変わらない。
As the saying goes, 'a pike conger has one life, a shrimp does too'—the weight of life is the same for every creature.
A traditional Japanese proverb. The exact origin is uncertain, but it draws on the contrast between the large pike conger (鱧) and the small shrimp (海老) to illustrate that all lives are equally valuable.