もん
門
ぜん
前
　
の
こ
小
ぞう
僧
なら
習
　
わ
　
ぬ
きょう
経
　
を
よ
読
　
む

expression, Godan verb

Proverb.
  1. you learn, without realizing it, from what is around you, a shop-boy near the temple gate will recite sutras untaught.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
もん
門
ぜん
前
　
の
こ
小
ぞう
僧
なら
習
　
わ
　
ぬ
きょう
経
　
を
よ
読
　
む
 門前の小僧習わぬ経を読む もんぜんのこぞうならわぬきょうをよむ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

gate, counter for cannons
モン　かど　と (2nd, N2)
in front, before
まえ　ゼン　さき (2nd, N5)
grass, straw, herbs
to divide
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
cutting off feet as form of punishment
ゲツ　グチ　ゴツ
month, moon
つき　ゲツ　ガツ (1st, N5)
knife, standing sword radical (no. 18)
トウ
little, small
ショウ　こ-　ちい.さい (1st, N5)
feathered stick, barb radical (no. 6)
ケツ　かぎ (Kentei 1)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)
Buddhist priest, monk
ソウ (7th, N1)
human radical (no. 9)
formerly, once, before
ソ　ソウ　かつ (11th)
to divide
rice field, rice paddy
た　デン　たん (1st, N4)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)
learn
シュウ　なら.う　ジュ (3rd, N4)
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)
white
しろ　ハク　しら- (1st, N5)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ　えい　よう (Kentei 1)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)
sutra, longitude, pass thru
ケイ　た.つ　へ.る (5th, N3)
thread
いと　シ (1st, N2)
short thread radical (no. 52)
ヨウ　ちいさい (Kentei 1)
little, small
ショウ　こ-　ちい.さい (1st, N5)
feathered stick, barb radical (no. 6)
ケツ　かぎ (Kentei 1)
eight, eight radical (no. 12)
ハチ　や　はっ (1st, N5)
holy, sacred
コツ　クツ　コチ
or again, furthermore, on the other hand
また　ユウ　やす (8th, N1)
soil, earth, ground
ド　つち　は (1st, N5)
read
よ.む　ドク　よみ (2nd, N5)
say, word
い.う　こと　ゲン (2nd, N4)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
mouth
くち　コウ　ク (1st, N4)
sell
う.る　バイ　うり (2nd, N4)
gentleman, scholar, samurai
シ　さむらい　お (4th, N1)
a net, net-like, radical 122
wa-shaped crown radical (no. 14)
ベキ (Kentei 1)
legs radical (no. 10)
ジン　ニン　がい (Kentei 1)