門もん前ぜんの小こ僧ぞう習ならわぬ経きょうを読よむ

expression, godan verb (-mu)

you learn, without realising it, from what is around you

Proverb meaning that constant exposure to an environment leads to learning, even without formal teaching. Often used to describe how children or apprentices pick up skills naturally.

• 子こ供どもの頃ころから父ちち親おやの仕し事ごとを見みていたので、自し然ぜんと大だい工くの技ぎ術じゅつが身みについた。まさに門もん前ぜんの小こ僧ぞう習ならわぬ経きょうを読よむだ。

  Since I watched my father's work from childhood, I naturally picked up carpentry skills. It's exactly a case of 'a shop-boy near the temple gate recites sutras untaught.'

• 彼かれは一いち度ども正せい式しきに英えい語ごを習ならったことがないのに、海かい外がいドラマを見みているうちに話はなせるようになった。門もん前ぜんの小こ僧ぞう習ならわぬ経きょうを読よむというやつだ。

  He never formally studied English, but he became able to speak it just by watching foreign dramas. That's what they mean by 'you learn, without realising it, from what is around you.'