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Author Archives: Confanity
At the DMV, but only on Saturdays and New Year’s Day
All the rest of the time: drag-racing 怠け者の節句働き (Namakemono no sekkubataraki; “A sloth’s holiday labor”) Definition: On a day when most people are resting, someone who is usually lazy becomes a whirlwind of activity. (The concrete image is of a … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged 節句働き, fake, holidays, hypocrisy, laziness, surface versus substance, 怠け者, 五節句
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Sorry, thank you, sorry
No, please, I couldn’t possibly. Sorry. No, no, no. Thank you. Sorry. 礼も過ぎれば無礼になる (Rei mo sugireba burei ni naru;“Even politeness, when overdone, becomes insolence”) Definition: An overabundance of manners and deference becomes rude. Even for something as valuable, and as … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged classical grammar, 無礼, 礼, happy medium, paradox, politeness, rudeness
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But if you try sometime
求不得苦 gu.fu.toku.ku Literally: want – not – get – suffering Alternately: The pain that comes from not getting what you want. This is the seventh of the “eight sufferings” of 四苦八苦. Notes: Despite being part of the same set as … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged desire, 苦, Nirvana Sutra, Rolling Stones, suffering, unfulfilled, 大般涅槃経, 求不得
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Failure to plan is planning to…
…murder thousands of your own citizens, if one of the things you’re supposed to plan for is an emergency situation! 遠慮なければ近憂あり (Enryo nakereba kin’yuu ari; “Without forethought, worry is forthcoming”) Definition: If you don’t act and plan with an eye … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Analects, archaic usage, Confucius, 遠慮, 論語, 论语, 近憂, planning, preparedness, regret, suffering
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We meet again, Mr. Bond
怨憎会苦 on.zou.e.ku Literally: resentment – hate – meet – suffering Alternately: The pain of coming face-to-face with someone you detest, or at least dislike. This is another one of the “eight sufferings” of 四苦八苦. Notes: While I’d have thought that … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged business meetings, 苦, 衛府の七忍, hate, Lotus Sutra, suffering, 山口貴由, 怨憎会, 法華経
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Be prepared!
And be clean in word and deed. 備えあれば憂いなし (Sonae areba urei nashi; “If yes prep, no worries”) Definition: If you habitually take the time and effort to make sure you’re prepared for a worst-case scenario, then you’ll be a lot … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Book of Documents, Classic of History, disaster, preparation, worry, 備え, 患い, 憂い, 書経, 書經, 书经
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Leaves from the vine
愛別離苦 ai.betsu.ri.ku Literally: love – separate – detach – suffering Alternately: The pain of being separated from your loved ones. This is one of the “eight sufferings” of 四苦八苦. Notes: The separation in question is most often due to the … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged airbender, bereavement, Buddhism, 苦, Nirvana Sutra, separation, suffering, 別離, 大般涅槃経, 愛
2 Comments
Fire Down Below – … and Time …
Last week we looked at surface turns, and what the heroes left behind in town on the surface could do. This week, we’ll follow the ones who venture downward. Divvying up Time: in the Underworld For heroes on an expedition … Continue reading
Posted in Rules, World-Building
Tagged adventuring, exploration, fire down below, house rules, RPG, space, time, underworld
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Barrelsplaining!
空き樽は音が高い (Akidaru wa oto ga takai; “An empty barrel makes a loud noise”) Definition: If you strike an empty barrel, the sound it produces is high-pitched, sharp, and loud instead of the muted thump you’d get from a full one. Similarly, … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 空き樽, 空樽, 音が高い, ignorance, mansplaining, noisy, resonance, weird grammar
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