けい
こう
ぎゅう

expression

Messages.yoji.
  1. better to be the beak of a rooster than the rump of a bull, better to be the leader of a small group than a subordinate in a large organization, better to be a big fish in a little pond than a little fish in a big pond.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
けい
こう
ぎゅう
鶏口牛後 けいこうぎゅうご

Contained Kanji Breakdown

chicken
にわとり ケイ とり (8th, N1)
servant, what, why
ケイ なんぞ (Kentei 1)
paw radical
short thread radical (no. 52)
ヨウ ちいさい (Kentei 1)
large, big
ダイ おお- た (1st, N5)
one, one radical (no.1)
イチ いっ ひと- (1st, N5)
person
ひと ニン ジン (1st, N5)
bird, chicken
とり チョウ とっ (2nd, N4)
fire, fire radical (no. 86)
ヒョウ カ
mouth
くち コウ ク (1st, N4)
cow
うし ギュウ ご (2nd, N4)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ えい よう (Kentei 1)
dry, parch, ebb
ひ.る カン ほ.す (6th, N2)
behind, back, later
ゴ のち コウ (2nd, N5)
stop, linger, loiter
テキ たたず.む (Kentei 1)
katakana no radical (no. 4)
ヘツ えい よう (Kentei 1)
human radical (no. 9)
short thread radical (no. 52)
ヨウ ちいさい (Kentei 1)
late, delayed, winter radical (no. 34)
チ しゅう (Kentei 1)