Monthly Archives: February 2017

No lip-zipping for you

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Confanity

Until and unless you lead by example, perhaps 世間の口に戸は立てられない (Seken no kuchi ni to wa taterarenai; “You can’t put a door on society’s mouth”) Definition: You can’t stop people from talking. You may not like it when people repeat or … Continue reading →

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An endless barrel of exposition

Posted on February 22, 2017 by Confanity

博学多才 haku.gaku.ta.sai Literally: acclaimed – study – many – talent Alternately: Possessing an extensive store of knowledge and a range of skills. Talented and educated. A “Renaissance man.” Notes: This is another compound formed by simply joining two two-character words … Continue reading →

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You can try it if you’d like, but…

Posted on February 19, 2017 by Confanity

Before you entrust an important job to someone with zero experience, maybe make sure the stakes aren’t too high. 習わぬ経は読めぬ (Narawanu kyou wa yomenu; “You can’t recite a Buddhist sutra you’ve never studied.”) Definition: Complicated tasks are impossible to perform … Continue reading →

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The law of cause and fruit

Posted on February 15, 2017 by Confanity

Continuing the theme from Sunday’s kotowaza…. 因果応報 in.ga.ou.hou Literally: cause – fruit / reward – answer – news / reward Alternately: The law of karma. What goes around comes around. What returns to you is good or ill depending on … Continue reading →

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The fruit of corruption

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Confanity

As opposed to 湯から出た錆? 身から出た錆 (Mi kara deta sabi; “Tarnished from within.”) Definition: Suffering due to one’s own misdeeds, especially the bad things one has done to others. Paying for one’s mistakes; getting one’s just deserts. The image here is … Continue reading →

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Little Bo Peep and the Paradox of Choice

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Confanity

多岐亡羊 ta.ki.bou.you Literally: many – fork in the road – die – sheep Alternately: Presented with an overabundance of options or possible paths, one ends up confused and lost. By extension, a field of study being so finely divided that … Continue reading →

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Forthright to an actual fault

Posted on February 5, 2017 by Confanity

身も蓋もない (Mi mo futa mo nai; “No filter”) Definition: Too blunt; too open. Someone’s attitude or words being so blunt and tactless that they lack all nuance or subtlety; by extension, so blunt and tactless that further conversation becomes impossible. … Continue reading →

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Parental Cognitive Development: Devolution to BUS

Posted on February 3, 2017 by Confanity

The kid continues to grow and learn. He’s picking up all sorts of phrases at daycare… and inventing some of his own? (For example, asking for “don don choo choo” videos. I have no idea what kind of train that might … Continue reading →

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A humidifier in the rainy season

Posted on February 1, 2017 by Confanity

夏炉冬扇 ka.ro.tou.sen Literally: summer – furnace – winter – fan Alternately: Useless things. Things inappropriate to the situation, including skills, ideas, or opinions. Sources of warmth in the summer, sources of cooling in the winter, or perhaps pathological narcissists in … Continue reading →

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