Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil πππ£οΈ
Meaning
A motto for willful ignorance or deliberately avoiding knowledge of wrongdoing.
Origin
This trio of monkeys, Mizaru (covering his eyes), Kikazaru (covering his ears), and Iwazaru (covering his mouth), originates from a 17th-century carving over a door of the TΕshΕ-gΕ« shrine in NikkΕ, Japan. While the precise symbology is debated, it's widely linked to a Buddhist parable emphasizing the importance of avoiding evil thoughts, words, and deeds. The image, however, became so iconic that it transcended its religious roots, evolving into a popular cultural idiom representing a deliberate turning away from unpleasant truths or moral responsibilities.
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil represented with emojiπππ£οΈ
This playful trio of emojis functions as a vibrant shorthand, not just for a familiar adage, but for the conscious decision to avert one's gaze from uncomfortable truths. It challenges the viewer to consider the implications of selective perception, asking us to reconcile the urge to ignore with the knowledge of what is being ignored. In its delightful simplicity, it offers a potent commentary on willful ignorance and the peculiar human tendency to build walls rather than bridges.
Examples
- When asked about the office gossip, he just shrugged and said, "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil."
- She decided to live by the motto "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" to avoid getting involved in their petty arguments.
- The king declared a national holiday of "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil," and all the monkeys in the kingdom took a well-deserved nap.
- In a world of ever-present internet trolls, sometimes you just have to embrace the "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" philosophy, at least until lunchtime.
Frequently asked questions
While often used like a proverb to convey a moral lesson, 'Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' functions more as an idiom. It's a common expression whose figurative meaning, representing willful ignorance, is distinct from the literal meaning of the words themselves.
The direct opposite of 'Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' is to actively engage with and confront evil, often summarized as 'hear all, see all, speak all.' This implies a commitment to awareness, truthfulness, and taking action against wrongdoing.
Yes, the iconic imagery of 'Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' features three monkeys, each embodying one of the phrases: Mizaru (covering eyes), Kikazaru (covering ears), and Iwazaru (covering mouth). Sometimes a fourth, 'Shizaru' (representing 'do no evil' by covering the body), is included to complete the set, though less commonly.
While interpreted as willful ignorance, the original intent of 'Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' was actually to avoid engaging with or being tainted by evil. It was meant as a form of spiritual discipline to prevent one from becoming corrupted by exposure to bad things, rather than a justification for evil itself.