failure is the foundation of success; failure teaches success
A common Japanese proverb encouraging learning from mistakes; often used to console someone after a failure or to promote a growth mindset.
Failure is the foundation of success, so don't get discouraged and try again.
彼は「失敗は成功のもと」と言って、何度も実験を繰り返した。
He repeated the experiment many times, saying 'failure teaches success.'
Another proverb about perseverance; literally 'fall seven times, stand up eight,' emphasizing resilience rather than learning from failure.
The noun 'failure' or 'mistake'; the proverb uses this word as its subject.
The noun 'success'; the proverb presents failure as the source or foundation of success.
Most common spelling using hiragana もと; widely recognized as the standard form of the proverb.
Uses 元, which can mean 'source' or 'origin'; a valid variant but less common than the hiragana spelling.
Uses 基, meaning 'foundation' or 'basis'; a rarer variant that emphasizes the idea of a foundation for success.
A Japanese calque or adaptation of the Western proverb 'failure is the mother of success,' which became popular in Japan during the Meiji era. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is now a firmly established Japanese expression.