Sal mirabilis

博引旁証
haku.in.bou.shou

Literally: extensive – pull – to the side – evidence

Alternately: As one member or side of a dispute or controversy, supporting one’s case by citing an extensive body of examples or material. Presenting a solid, perhaps overwhelming, amount of evidence.

Notes: This practical yojijukugo is a compound of compounds; 博引 refers to using a wide array of materials or examples to explain something; 旁証 refers to presenting evidence.

Note that the 旁 character is rare these days; it can be (and often is) replaced with close relative 傍 without any change in pronunciation or meaning.

Witnesses

Not a Japanese example, but too topical to pass up.

About Confanity

I love the written word more than anything else I've had the chance to work with. I'm back in the States from Japan for grad school, but still studying Japanese with the hope of becoming a translator -- or writer, or even teacher -- as long as it's something language-related.
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