一将功成りて万骨枯る

Japanese

Kanji in this term
一	将	功	成	万	骨	枯
いち > いっ Grade: 1	しょう Grade: 6	こう Grade: 4	な Grade: 4	ばん Grade: 2	こつ Grade: 6	か Grade: S

Alternative spelling
一將功成りて萬骨枯る (kyūjitai)

Etymology

From Middle Chinese: 一將功成萬骨枯.

Proverb

一(いっ)将(しょう)功(こう)成(な)りて万(ばん)骨(こつ)枯(か)る • (isshō kō narite ban kotsu karu) 

1. Behind one general's glory lie the remains of countless unsung heroes. Lit. While one general reaches glory, ten thousand bones are decaying.

References

• The Kōjien (広辞苑) Dictionary of the Japanese Language, 5th edition, Iwanami Shoten Publishing, Tokyo.