Author Archives: Confanity

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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.

It’s a new wind, so blow no ill

Posted on February 7, 2021 by Confanity

明日は明日の風が吹く (Ashita wa ashita no kaze ga fuku; “Tomorrow, tomorrow’s wind will blow.”) Definition: Things might be bad today, but tomorrow could well be better, so don’t let it get you in a funk. Alternately: you don’t know what the … Continue reading →

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Lose yourself in the public flats

Posted on February 3, 2021 by Confanity

公平無私 kou.hei.mu.shi Literally: public – even – no – private Alternately: Impartial; unprejudiced; unswayed by personal interests. Fair. Notes: This comes from our friend the Han shi waizhuan (Japanese 『韓詩外伝』 = Kanshi gaiden). It also has an expanded Japanese-style reading, … Continue reading →

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Chopped short by the writer’s block

Posted on January 31, 2021 by Confanity

文は遣りたし書く手は持たず(Fumi wa yaritashi kakute wa motazu;“Wanting to send a letter, but lacking the hand to write it”) Definition: This phrase expresses a desire to write a letter to someone (especially a family member, close friend, or lover), accompanied by writer’s … Continue reading →

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Wrack, wrack, wrack your brains

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Confanity

And your body too! Merrily… ? 意匠惨憺 i.shou.san.tan Literally: mind – artisan – harsh – calm Alternately: Doing one’s utmost in an act of creation (especially artistic creation) or design; painstaking attention to detail and agonizing effort for the purpose … Continue reading →

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The attack of Not A Number

Posted on January 24, 2021 by Confanity

Beware lest your calculations be all messed up 一難去ってまた一難 (Ichinan satte mata ichinan; “One trouble goes; another trouble.”) Definition: No sooner have you escaped one danger or difficulty than the next arises. Out of the frying-pan and into the next … Continue reading →

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Touch and touch and touch and touch and touch and touch and touch and touch and touch and go

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Confanity

九死一生 kyuu.shi.i-.sshou Literally: nine – die – one – live Alternately: To somehow survive a very seriously dangerous situation. To be alive after escaping a 90% chance of dying. Notes: This comes to us from the Chu Ci, aka the … Continue reading →

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Don’t just tread on it

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Confanity

Make sure your neighborhood is friendly to mongooses 蛇の生殺しは人を噛む (Hebi no namagoroshi wa hito wo kamu; “A half-killed snake bites a person”) Definition: If you take action but don’t finish the job, you only invite harm. A snake wounded but … Continue reading →

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Wolves among the flowers

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Confanity

落花狼藉 ra-.kka.rou.zeki Literally: fall – flower – wolf – spread Alternately: Things are scattered or disorganized. Chaos and disorder. Violence, especially violence directed towards women and children. Notes: As with last week’s yojijukugo, this is a compound of compounds, with … Continue reading →

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An ounce of prevention is worth….

Posted on January 10, 2021 by Confanity

Buy it when prevention is cheap, not when cure is costly 治に居て乱を忘れず (Chi ni ite ran wo wasurezu; “In peace, do not forget strife”) Definition: Even in times of peace and safety, it’s still necessary to plan ahead in case … Continue reading →

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Sedition

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Confanity

乱暴狼藉 ran.bou.rou.zeki Literally: disorder – violence – wolf – spread Alternately: To engage in violent and unlawful behavior; to ignore reason and act wildly and destructively. Rioting; committing outrages. Notes: It is an error to replace 藉 with homophone 籍, … Continue reading →

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