門前の小僧（もんぜんのこぞう）

Japanese vocabulary

Meaning: you learn, without realising it, from what is around you; a shop-boy near the temple gate (will recite sutras untaught)

Idioms & proverbs containing “門前の小僧”

• 門前の小僧習わぬ経を読む (もんぜんのこぞうならわぬきょうをよむ) — you learn, without realising it, from what is around you; a shop-boy near the temple gate will recite sutras untaught

See it used in real works

• Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
• Hear “門前の小僧” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)