Word Meaning 一寸先は闇

いっすんさきはやみ issunsaki ha yami

一寸先は闇 is read as いっすんさきはやみ (issunsaki ha yami) and means no one knows what the future holds.

Meaning

English

no one knows what the future holds
the future is a closed book
one sun (unit of measurement) ahead is darkness

Reading

Kana

いっすんさきはやみ

Romaji

issunsaki ha yami

Stroke Sequence

5 Characters • 30 Total Strokes

Study Signals and Categories

JLPT N1 Jōyō Upper Grade Kanken 2級 Proverb ✓ Rank 118342 Priority S

Related Vocabulary

Max. 12

一寸先

いっすんさき

an inch ahead

一寸

いっすん

little bit (of time, distance, etc.)

一寸法師

いっすんぼうし

Issun-bōshi (Japanese fairytale)

一寸

ちょっと

(not) easily

一寸も

ちょっとも

(not) at all

一寸した

ちょっとした

considerable

一寸刻み

いっすんきざみ

(at a) snail's pace

一寸の虫にも五分の魂

いっすんのむしにもごぶのたましい

tread on a worm and it will turn

一寸逃れ

いっすんのがれ

quibbling

一寸の光陰軽んずべからず

いっすんのこういんかろんずべからず

there isn't a moment to be wasted

一寸宜しい

ちょっとよろしい

(can you) spare a little time (to speak)?

一先ず

ひとまず

though not quite satisfactorily

Example Sentences

一寸先は闇だ。

いっすんさきはやみだ。

The future is unpredictable.

一寸先は闇。

Who can read the future?

彼あんなに元気だったのに。突然亡くなるなんて。一寸先は闇だね。

He was so healthy up to the minute of his sudden death. You really never know what might happen next.