酸すいも甘あまいも噛かみ分わける

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

know the ways of the world; have tasted both the bitter and the sweet

Idiomatic expression meaning to have experienced both hardships and pleasures, and thus be worldly-wise and discerning.

彼かれは酸すいも甘あまいも噛かみ分わけた大人おとなだ。
He is an adult who has tasted both the bitter and the sweet.
酸すいも甘あまいも噛かみ分わけ

て

き

た

から

、

どんな

困こん

難なん

に

も

動どう

じ

ない

。

Having experienced the ups and downs of life, I'm unfazed by any hardship.

Written forms

酸すいも甘あまいも噛かみ分わける
Standard kanji spelling for this idiomatic expression.
酸すいも甘あまいもかみ分わける
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; 噛み is often written in kana.

Kanji

酸acid, bitterness, sour
甘sweet, coax, pamper
噛chew, bite, gnaw
分part, minute of time, segment

Similar words

世せ間けんを知しる
More straightforward way to say 'know the world'; lacks the metaphorical depth of 酸いも甘いも噛み分ける.
苦く楽らくを共ともにする
Focuses on sharing joys and sorrows with others, while 酸いも甘いも噛み分ける emphasizes personal experience leading to wisdom.

Etymology

Literally 'to distinguish by chewing both the sour and the sweet'. The metaphor of tasting sour and sweet represents experiencing life's hardships and pleasures, leading to worldly wisdom.