ざん
 
いし
もっ
 
たま
 
おさ
 
 
 

expression

Proverb.
  1. one should learn from other's mistakes, stones from other mountains can be used to polish one's own gems.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
ざん
 
いし
もっ
 
たま
 
おさ
 
 
 
他山の石以て玉を攻むべし たざんのいしもってたまをおさむべし

Contained Kanji Breakdown

other, another, the others
タ ほか (3rd, N3)
human radical (no. 9)
to be (classical)
ヤ なり エ (Kentei Pre-1, N1)
to squint, what? huh? (Cant.)
バ メ やぶにらみ
number one, line, rod radical (no. 2)
コン シ ジョ
mountain
やま サン セン (1st, N5)
stone
いし セキ シャク (1st, N3)
left hand, cliff(厂) variant
mouth
くち コウ ク (1st, N4)
by means of, because, in view of
イ もっ.て もち (4th, N4)
hook stroke
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
person
ひと ニン ジン (1st, N5)
jewel, ball
たま ギョク おう (1st, N2)
king, rule, magnate
オウ -ノウ おお (1st, N3)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
aggression, attack, criticize
コウ せ.める おさむ (7th, N1)
craft, construction, katakana e radical (no. 48)
コウ ク もく (2nd, N4)
strike, hit, folding chair radical variant (no. 66)
ホク (Kentei 1)
person(人) variant
mow, cut grass, subdue
ガイ ゲ おさ.める (Kentei 1)