“You fall down seven times, but you get up eight,” as related by my informant, is a Japanese proverb meant to inspire perseverance, especially in the face of repeated failures.

In Japanese the expression is “Nana korobi ya oki.” This translates literally to mean “seven falls, eight getting up.” The characters are: 七転び八起き.

My informant is learning the Japanese language, so the fact that this expression came to mind for him before all others might indicate the prevalence of this expression in Japanese culture, emphasizing the societal importance of never giving up regardless of how hard it might be to carry on.