Author Archives: Confanity

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.

The impossible wisdom

…of, you know, not deliberately endangering people. 明哲保身mei.tetsu.ho.shin Literally: bright – clear / philosophy – preserve – person Alternately: The wise and rational person avoids danger and thus remains safe. Alternately (through a common misinterpretation of 保身), this phrase may … Continue reading

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Riker, to Picard

He was always calling him “number one” even though the captain is the actual #1 officer in a ship. So…. 唯一無二yui.itsu.mu.ni Literally: only – one – not – two Alternately: Unique. “The one and only.” There’s nothing else like it … Continue reading

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Somebody remind the CEOs

Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”A plutocrat: “… I went to space. Best day ever!” 一将功成りて万骨枯る(Isshoukou narite bankotsu karu;“A general achieves glory; ten thousand bones dry out”) Definition: For each … Continue reading

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For acting poetry

起承転結ki.shou.ten.ketsu Literally: wake up – receive – revolve – bind Alternately: The four phases of a text, according to traditional analysis: “introduction, development, turn, and conclusion.” In other words, the setup, development, climax (or major change, twist, etc.), and resolution … Continue reading

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You kiss your mother with that mouth?

“No, but I do eat reptiles.” あの声で蜥蜴食らうか時鳥(Ano koe de tokage kurau ka hototogisu;“With such a sweet voice, do you devour lizards, o lesser cuckoo?”) Definition: You can’t judge a book by its cover. People and things often have aspects that … Continue reading

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Make like a tree and endure

Of course, the way things are going, extreme-heat resistance is probably going to be more valuable than cold resistance. 歳寒松柏sai.kan.shou.haku Literally: year-end – cold – pine tree – cypress tree Alternately: Seeing one’s convictions through even when times are bad. … Continue reading

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Verweilst du in der Welt, sie flieht als Traum

(Goethe) 京の夢大阪の夢(Kyou no yume Osaka no yume;“Capital dreams; Osaka dreams”) Definition: Dreams are mysterious and one can’t expect them to make any sense. Alternately, dreams are where one’s desires are most easily manifested; or by extension, a statement that different … Continue reading

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Wouldn’t it be nice

Imagine 安穏無事an.non.bu.ji Literally: peace – calm / quiet – no – thing Alternately: Peace and quiet; safety and calm. Uneventful, in a good way. This phrase evokes the pleasant side of mundane day-to-day life, on both the personal and the … Continue reading

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Squeezed by one’s vices

Crunch crunch crunch 粋が身を食う(Sui ga mi wo kuu;“Worldly pleasures devour the man”) Definition: Too much pleasure will destroy you. A man, specifically, who spends all his time and money on dissolution with geisha (i.e. entertainers who provide music, song and … Continue reading

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Iron heart, kidney stone

(Technically intestine, but, well.) 鉄心石腸te-.sshin.seki.chou Literally: iron – heart – stone – gut Alternately: Ironclad willpower; unshakeable determination; hardened resolve. Notes: This is a compound of compounds. Keep in mind that the guts are thought to contain one’s courage and … Continue reading

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