大器晩成 (たいきばんせい) – “Genius matures late”

The Japanese expression 大器晩成 (たいきばんせい – taiki bansei) is used for people who achieve success later in life

https://yoji.jitenon.jp/thumb/777.png

The world-renown Japanese painter Hokusai created his, perhaps, most famous painting, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, in his early 60s. He changed his name four times and kept reinventing his style his entire life.

Although he gained fame early on in life, he truly blossomed in his autumn years. On his deathbed at 88, he reportedly exclaimed, ‘If only Heaven will give me just another ten years … Just another five more years, then I could become a real painter.’

The Japanese expression 大器晩成 (たいきばんせい – taiki bansei) is used for people who achieve success later in life. It is credited to the Chinese sage Lao Zi, who is traditionally considered to be the mastermind behind Tao Te Ching, one of Taoism’s most revered texts.

Share This:

Author: Mitski-sensei ミツキ先生

Japanese language・Social Sciences・Academic Skills Educator・Researcher・Presenter Interactive workshops・Guest lectures・Tailor-made courses Cross-Cultural Competence Trainer Multilingual・Polycultural・PhD

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *