Categories
- Japanese (824)
- Kotowaza (413)
- Yojijukugo (409)
- Long Fiction (6)
- Meta (11)
- Nonfiction (74)
- Poetry (13)
- Short Fiction (20)
- Uncategorized (13)
- World-Building (176)
- Miscellaneous (24)
- Rules (127)
- Setting (69)
- Japanese (824)
Archives
-
Recent Posts
Monthly Archives: June 2016
TFW you see the universe in a flower through a flower in the universe
拈華微笑 nen.ge.mi.shou Literally: twist (with the fingers) – flower – delicate/minute – laugh/smile Alternately: Communicating “heart to heart,” without words or writing. Subtle, unspoken communication. Plucking or toying with a flower, and a smile. Notes: In other contexts, 微笑 can … Continue reading
Magic Monday – Physical Magic – Goodnight, fall
Foshdani Hahd Physical adepts of the Fells engage in long training missions out in the mountains. Snowstorms in the Fells can strike with little warning during more than half of the year. It should come as no surprise, then, that … Continue reading
Like taking cereal from a baby!
Don’t ask why the hand is wet, though. 濡れ手で粟（を掴み取る） (Nurete de awa (wo tsukamitoru); “(grasping) millet with a wet hand”) Definition: Profit without hard work. Easy money. If you stick a wet hand into a container of fine grains such … Continue reading
Brandy Bundt, meet your match
盗人上戸 nusu.bito.jou.go Literally: steal – person – up – door Alternately: Someone who likes both alcohol and sweets. Alternately, someone who doesn’t show any outward signs even after consuming a large quantity of alcohol. Notes: The first pair of characters … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged alcohol, 甘党, 盗人, 辛党, Hobson's Choice, sweets, 上戸
Leave a comment
A saying from Ni no Kuni?
Speechlessness of the White Witch 二の句が継げない (Ni no ku ga tsugenai; “A second word can’t follow”) Definition: Being dumbfounded. In a state of such complete shock or surprise that you can’t get words out even if you feel like you … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 継げない, Drumpf, dumbfounded, shocked, speechless, 二の句
Leave a comment
A GOP Parable: You Reap what you Boar
When Jesus arrived at the other side, in the region of the Gadarenes, he was met by a demon-possessed faction coming from the swamp. They were so obstructionist that no useful governance could pass that way. “What do you want … Continue reading
Not even a loss leader
二束三文 ni.soku.san.mon Literally: two – bundle – three – mon (an obsolete, very small unit of currency) Alternately: Dirt cheap. Something so cheap that even selling it in huge volumes doesn’t make it profitable. Selling two pairs of sturdy woven … Continue reading
I learn by going where I have to go
習うより慣れよ (Narau yori nareyo; “Experience over learning”) Definition: It’s easier to acquire knowledge or learn a skill by practicing it firsthand than through simply being taught. Hands-on study beats abstract learning methods like lectures or book-reading. Breakdown: We have two … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged classical grammar, 習うより, experience, learn by doing, 慣れよ, 慣れろ
Leave a comment
Toddler Linguistic Development: 語彙収集
The kid has been on a real growth spurt recently – in terms of his vocabulary. Despite our intent to use plenty of Japanese with him in order to raise him properly bilingual, we’re using both English and Japanese (and … Continue reading
landofnudotcom 