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.

What are you, chicken?

Posted on June 22, 2017

They’re known for their careful scheming. 雌伏雄飛 shi.fuku.yuu.hi Literally: female – prostrate – male – fly Alternately: Following someone else while waiting for a chance to strike out on one’s own. Keeping a low profile while preparing for your time … Continue reading →

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An all-new take on the ant and the grasshopper

Posted on June 19, 2017

大の虫を生かして小の虫を殺す (Dai no mushi wo ikashite shou no mushi wo korosu; “Let the large bug live, and kill the small”) Definition: Sacrificing small considerations so that the large may survive. Cutting off a part so that the whole may live, … Continue reading →

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Like being two-faced, but more compact

Posted on June 14, 2017

流石日本 一口両舌 i-.kkou.ryou.zetsu Literally: one – mouth – both – tongues Alternately: Saying one thing and then saying something incompatible later on. Equivocating or, more often, outright lying depending on what’s convenient to say at the time. Speaking with two … Continue reading →

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Magic Monday – Thoughts on Timing

Posted on June 13, 2017

(I picked up YAOSC and tinkered with it in the winter, then put it down… for the whole spring semester. It’s high time I picked it back up for more tinkering, at least for the duration of the summer. I’ll … Continue reading →

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Paradox!

Posted on June 11, 2017

See also 急がば回れ 負けるが勝ち (Makeru ga kachi; “Losing is winning.”) Definition: No, this isn’t some Orwellian doublespeak. It means that there are times when granting your opponent a win can be advantageous for you in the long run. Avoiding conflict … Continue reading →

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I choose you!

Posted on June 7, 2017

…Tiny red blob? 取捨選択 shu.sha.sen.taku Literally: take – throw away – choose – choose Alternately: Deciding to accept or reject something; sorting through options; separating the good or necessary from that which is not. Notes: Unlike some of the more … Continue reading →

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Scrape it off, scrape it off, woah-oah

Posted on June 5, 2017

旅の恥は掻き捨て (Tabi no haji wa kakisute; “Cast off shame while traveling.”) Definition: When you’re away from home, nobody knows you and so it’s easy to do things that you would have found unthinkable (or at least undoable) in more familiar … Continue reading →

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