類は友をよぶ
rui wa tomo o yobu
Look at your closest friends. Do you share hobbies, or ways of thinking? Japanese people would say rui wa tomo o yobu (類は友をよぶ).
I’m Arasen, an elementary school principal and calligrapher in Japan. I think this proverb carries a powerful message: change yourself, and the people around you change too.
Quick Facts
| Japanese | 類は友をよぶ |
|---|---|
| Reading | るいはともをよぶ |
| Romaji | rui wa tomo o yobu |
| Literally | Kind calls friends |
| Meaning | Similar people naturally gather together. |
| English cousin | Birds of a feather flock together. |
What Does It Mean?
People who have something in common naturally gather together.
Word by Word
| 類 | rui – kind, type, things of the same sort |
|---|---|
| は友を | wa tomo o – friends |
| よぶ | yobu – to call, to attract |
Where Does It Come From?
The idea comes from an old Chinese classic: things of the same kind gather together.
It was also said that good people gather with good people – and bad people with bad people. A little scary, isn’t it?
A Word from Arasen
What kind of people are your good friends?
Maybe you like the same things, or think in similar ways. Rui wa tomo o yobu means that people with similar hobbies or personalities naturally come together.
When you have something in common, it’s easy to talk and become friends quickly.
What I take from this proverb is: if you change, the people who gather around you change too. If you become kind, kind people gather. If you take on challenges, people who take on challenges gather.
In other words, the way you live matters.
If the people around you hurt others, then please – change yourself for the better.
(Translated from Arasen’s original Japanese.)
How to Use It
A Short Skit
Nozomi, all my friends are so kind.
のぞみお姉ちゃん、俺の友達って、みんな優しいねんYusuke, rui wa tomo o yobu – that means YOU’RE kind.
勇輔、類は友をよぶって言うから、勇輔が優しいんやわThanks for saying that, Nozomi.
のぞみお姉ちゃん、そう言ってくれてありがとう“Chan-chan” is the little “ta-da!” sound that closes a comedy skit in Japan.
Example Sentences
- My brother loves games, and all his friends love games too. Rui wa tomo o yobu.
ゲーム好きの兄の友だちは、みんなゲーム好き。類は友をよぶだね。 - Rui wa tomo o yobu – if I stay a good person, good friends will gather.
類は友をよぶというから、自分がよい人でいれば、よい友だちが集まるはずだ。
Similar Japanese Proverbs
- 似た者同士Nitamono dōshi
“Two of a kind.” People with similar personalities or tastes.
Similar Sayings in English
- Birds of a feather flock together.
- Like attracts like.
A Russian saying puts it nicely: “A fisherman can spot another fisherman from far away.”
Quick Quiz
Which English proverb has the same meaning?
- A. Birds of a feather flock together.
- B. Time is money.
- C. Seeing is believing.
Show the answer
The answer is A. Birds with the same feathers gather together.
Watch the Lesson (in Japanese)
On my YouTube channel “Kyō kara tsukaeru kotowaza kōza” (Proverbs You Can Use from Today), I explain proverbs with short comedy skits. It’s in Japanese – a fun challenge for learners!
Free Worksheet for Teachers
Teaching Japanese? Download a free printable worksheet for this proverb – with the skit, a fill-in-the-blank, a quiz and a writing task (10 proverbs, A4, with answer key).
Read More
- 30 Japanese Proverbs (Kotowaza) with Meanings – all in one place
- Nasake wa Hito no Tame Narazu (情けは人のためならず) – Kindness Is Not Just for Others
- Sannin Yoreba Monju no Chie (三人寄れば文殊の知恵) – Three Heads Make the Wisdom of Monju
- Kaeru no Ko wa Kaeru (蛙の子は蛙) – The Child of a Frog Is a Frog
- 類は友をよぶ（日本語の記事）
- ことわざ 目次（250+ proverbs in Japanese）
