鶏けい口こう

け

い

こ

う

Meanings

noun

chicken's beak; mouth of a chicken

Literal meaning: the beak or mouth of a chicken. Rarely used alone; mainly appears in the set phrase 鶏口牛後.

「鶏けい口こう牛ぎゅう後ご」ということわざでは、鶏けい口こうは小ちいさな集しゅう団だんの長おさを意い味みする。
In the proverb 鶏口牛後, 鶏口 means the leader of a small group.

noun

leader of a small group; big fish in a small pond

Figurative use, almost always in the context of the proverb 鶏口牛後 (better to be the head of a small group than the tail of a large one). Not used as a standalone word in modern Japanese.

See also: 鶏口牛後 (けいこうぎゅうご) · 牛後

彼かれは大だい企き業ぎょうを辞やめて小ちいさな会かい社しゃを立たち上あげた。まさに鶏けい口こうとなる道みちを選えらんだのだ。
He quit the large corporation and started a small company, choosing to be a big fish in a small pond.

See all 4 example sentences ›

Expressions

鶏けい口こう牛ぎゅう後ごbetter to be the leader of a small group than a subordinate in a large organization; better to be a big fish in a small pond
鶏けい口こうとなるも牛ぎゅう後ごとなる勿なかれbetter to be the head of a small group than the tail of a large one; better to be a big fish in a small pond