花より団子
Japanese
| Kanji in this term | ||
|---|---|---|
| 花 | 団 | 子 |
| はな Grade: 1 |
だん Grade: 5 |
こ > ご Grade: 1 |
| Alternative spelling |
|---|
| 花より團子 (kyūjitai) |
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ha̠na̠ jo̞ɾʲi dã̠ŋɡo̞]
Proverb
花より団子 • (hana yori dango)
- (idiomatic): "dango instead of flowers", substance over form → indicating a preference for the practical over the purely aesthetic, preferring dango (which are tasty and nutritious) rather than flowers (which are merely decorative)
Usage notes
Although this is a well-known metaphor, it is often used literally and in puns without directly signifying the metaphoric meaning.