もう
だん
 
おし
 

expression

Proverb. From a tale about Mencius' mother admonishing him from leaving school early by cutting apart a cloth she was in the middle of weaving.
  1. (the lesson that) one should not leave things unfinished.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
もう
だん
 
おし
 
孟母断機の教え もうぼだんきのおしえ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

chief, beginning
モウ ボウ ミョウ (Kentei Pre-1, N1)
child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM
こ シ ス (1st, N5)
complete, finish
リョウ さとる (8th, N2)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ いっ ひと- (1st, N5)
dish, a helping, plate
さら ベイ (3rd, N2)
mother
はは ボ も (2nd, N5)
severance, decline, refuse
ダン ことわ.る た.つ (5th, N3)
fishhook radical(乙) variant
rice, USA, metre
ベイ こめ マイ (2nd, N3)
to divide
tree, wood
き モク こ- (1st, N5)
axe, 1.32 lb, catty
キン (8th, N1)
loom, mechanism, machine
キ はた (4th, N3)
tree, wood
き モク こ- (1st, N5)
how many, how much, how far
いく- キ い (7th, N3)
minute, extremely small, tiny
short thread radical (no. 52)
ヨウ ちいさい (Kentei 1)
protection
ジュ まもり まも.る (Kentei 1)
5th calendar sign
つちのえ ボ ボウ (Kentei Pre-1)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ えい よう (Kentei 1)
halberd, arms, festival car
ほこ カ ほこづくり (Kentei 1)
piling, ceremony radical (no. 56)
ヨク いぐるみ (Kentei 1)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
teach, faith, doctrine
おし.える キョウ おそ.わる (2nd, N4)
filial piety, child's respect
コウ たか キョウ (6th)
variant of radical 125
soil, earth, ground
ド つち は (1st, N5)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ えい よう (Kentei 1)
child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM
こ シ ス (1st, N5)
complete, finish
リョウ さとる (8th, N2)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ いっ ひと- (1st, N5)
strike, hit, folding chair radical variant (no. 66)
ホク (Kentei 1)
person(人) variant
mow, cut grass, subdue
ガイ ゲ おさ.める (Kentei 1)