study hard while you are young
Proverb warning that youth passes quickly but true learning is difficult; often used to encourage diligent study early in life.
「少年老い易く学成り難し」という言葉を胸に、毎日勉強に励んでいる。
With the saying 'study hard while you are young' in mind, I devote myself to studying every day.
Standard kanji form of the proverb.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; easier to read for learners.
Further simplified kana spelling.
The opening line of the Chinese-style poem 偶成, traditionally attributed to Zhu Xi, though that attribution is uncertain. It warns that youth passes quickly while learning is difficult to complete.