桜伐る馬鹿梅伐らぬ馬鹿

Japanese

Kanji in this term
桜	伐	馬	鹿	梅	伐	馬	鹿
さくら Grade: 5	き Grade: S	ば Grade: 2	か Grade: 4	うめ Grade: 4	き Grade: S	ば Grade: 2	か Grade: 4
kun’yomi		on’yomi	kun’yomi			on’yomi	kun’yomi

Alternative spellings
櫻伐る馬鹿梅伐らぬ馬鹿 (kyūjitai) 桜切る馬鹿梅切らぬ馬鹿

Etymology

Literally “it is stupid to prune a cherry blossom tree and stupid not to prune a plum blossom tree.”

Proverb

桜(さくら)伐(き)る馬(ば)鹿(か)梅(うめ)伐(き)らぬ馬(ば)鹿(か) • (sakura kiru baka ume kiranu baka) 

1. Cherry trees should not be pruned, but plum trees should. Although they may look similar upon first glance, each type of tree requires its own care procedures.

Usage notes

• This proverb is almost always used with its literal meaning, in contexts about how to care for trees. It may be told to people who pull branches off cherry trees for social media picture purposes.