りょう
良
きん
禽
　
は
き
木
　
を
えら
択
　
ん
　
で
す
棲
　
む

expression, Godan verb

Proverb.
  1. a wise retainer chooses a great lord to serve, a wise bird chooses a good tree in which to roost.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
りょう
良
きん
禽
　
は
き
木
　
を
えら
択
　
ん
　
で
す
棲
　
む
 良禽は木を択んで棲む りょうきんはきをえらんですむ

Contained Kanji Breakdown

good, pleasing, skilled
よ.い　リョウ　ら (4th, N3)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ　えい　よう (Kentei 1)
northeast (Oriental zodiac), stopping, good radical (no. 138)
うしとら　コン (Kentei Pre-1)
day, sun, Japan
ひ　にっ　ニチ (1st, N5)
garment, clothes, dressing
イ　ころも　きぬ (4th, N2)
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
garment(衣) variant
bird, captive, capture
キン　とり　とりこ (Kentei Pre-1)
person
ひと　ニン　ジン (1st, N5)
rare beast, strange, elegant
チ　リ
cruel, unfortunate, sad
kettle lid radical (no. 8)
トウ (Kentei 1)
villain, evil, bad luck
キョウ (7th, N1)
mow, cut grass, subdue
ガイ　ゲ　おさ.める (Kentei 1)
open box enclosure, open box radical (no. 17)
カン (Kentei 1)
rump, footprint radical (no. 114)
ジュウ　ニュ　あしあと
upside-down box radical (no. 13)
キョウ　ケイ (Kentei 1)
I, myself, katakana mu radical (no. 28)
シ　ボウ　ム (Kentei 1)
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
choose, select, elect
タク　えら.ぶ (8th, N1)
hand, hand radical (no. 64)
シュ
shaku, Japanese foot, measure
シャク　セキ　さし (6th, N1)
corpse, remains, flag radical (no. 44)
シ　かたしろ (Kentei 1)
dot, tick or dot radical (no. 3)
チュ (Kentei 1)
live, dwell
す.む　セイ　ずみ (Kentei Pre-1)
tree, wood
き　モク　こ- (1st, N5)
wife, spouse
つま　サイ　ずま (5th, N3)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ　いっ　ひと- (1st, N5)
pen radical
snout, hand
number one, line, rod radical (no. 2)
コン　シ　ジョ
woman, female
ジョ　おんな　め (1st, N5)