さい
塞
おう
翁
　
が
うま
馬

expression

Proverb.
  1. the future is unpredictable, inscrutable are the ways of heaven, the irony of fate.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
さい
塞
おう
翁
　
が
うま
馬
 塞翁が馬 さいおうがうま

Contained Kanji Breakdown

close, shut, cover
サイ　ふさ.ぐ　ソク (Late High School)
shaped crown, katakana u radical (no. 40)
ベン　メン (Kentei 1)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
wa-shaped crown radical (no. 14)
ベキ (Kentei 1)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
together, both, neither
とも　キョウ (4th, N3)
twenty(廿) variant
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)
soil, earth, ground
ド　つち　は (1st, N5)
venerable old man
オウ　おきな　お (Early High School, N1)
public, prince, official
コウ　おおやけ　ク (2nd, N4)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)
I, myself, katakana mu radical (no. 28)
シ　ボウ　ム (Kentei 1)
feathers, counter for birds, rabbits
はね　は　ば (2nd, N2)
learn(習) variant
hooked enclosure
two-stroke water radical or ice radical (no. 15)
ヒョウ　こおり (Kentei 1)
horse
ま　バ　うま (2nd, N3)
fire, fire radical (no. 86)
ヒョウ　カ