いし
石
　
が
なが
流
　
れ
　
て
こ
木
　
の
は
葉
　
が
しず
沈
　
む

expression

Proverb, obscure term.
  1. there are exceptions to every rule, rocks will flow and leaves will sink.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
いし
石
　
が
なが
流
　
れ
　
て
こ
木
　
の
は
葉
　
が
しず
沈
　
む
 石が流れて木の葉が沈む いしがながれてこのはがしずむ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

stone
いし　セキ　シャク (1st, N3)
left hand, cliff(厂) variant
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
current, a sink, flow
リュウ　なが.れる　ながれ (3rd, N3)
water, water radical (no. 85)
さんずい
a cup with pendants, a pennant, wild
inverted child
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
I, myself, katakana mu radical (no. 28)
シ　ボウ　ム (Kentei 1)
stream, river, river or three-stroke river radical (no. 47)
かわ　セン　か (1st, N5)
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
leaf, plane, lobe
は　ヨウ　よ (3rd, N3)
grass, grass radical (no. 140)
table, flat pieces of wood, slip
ヨウ　うすいきふだ　まど
generation, world, society
セ　よ　セイ (3rd, N4)
twenty
にじゅう　ジュウ　ニュウ (Kentei Pre-1)
fishhook radical(乙) variant
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
sink, be submerged, subside
しず.む　チン　ジン (7th, N2)
water, water radical (no. 85)
さんずい
to move on, doubtful
イン　ユ　おこた.る
wa-shaped crown radical (no. 14)
ベキ (Kentei 1)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン　ニン　がい (Kentei 1)