夫婦喧嘩は犬も食べない

Japanese

Kanji in this term
夫	婦	喧	嘩	犬	食
ふう Grade: 4	ふ Grade: 5	けん > げん Jinmeiyō	か Jinmeiyō	いぬ Grade: 1	た Grade: 2
kan'yōon		kan'on		kun'yomi

Etymology

Comprised of 夫婦喧嘩 (fūfu-genka, “marital dispute”) + は (wa, topic particle) + 犬 (inu, “dog”) + も (mo, “even, also”, inclusive particle) + 食べない (tabenai, “not eat”, negative of verb 食べる (taberu, “to eat”)).

Alternative and uncommon form of 夫(ふう)婦(ふ)喧(げん)嘩(か)は犬(いぬ)も食(く)わない (fūfu-genka wa inu mo kuwanai, literally “even dogs wouldn't eat a marital dispute”), replacing verb 食う (kuu, “to eat”, informal) with 食べる (taberu, “to eat”, neutral).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɸɯ̟ːɸɯ̟ɡẽ̞ŋka̠ β̞a̠ inɯ̟ mo̞ ta̠be̞na̠i]

Proverb

夫(ふう)婦(ふ)喧(げん)嘩(か)は犬(いぬ)も食(た)べない • (fūfugenka wa inu mo tabenai) 

1. you should not interfere in a marital dispute

Synonyms

• 夫(ふう)婦(ふ)喧(げん)嘩(か)は犬(いぬ)も食(く)わない (fūfugenka wa inu mo kuwanai, more common)

See also

• 夫(ふう)婦(ふ)喧(げん)嘩(か) (fūfugenka)