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Author Archives: Confanity
Not a vital value: 味
(I kid, I kid.) 和敬清寂 wa.kei.sei.jaku Literally: harmony – respect – purity – silence / loneliness Alternately: A term from tea ceremony (茶道, sadou). The host and guests (are supposed to) create a pure (清) and tranquil (寂) atmosphere within … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 茶道, harmony, respect, Sen no Rikyū, tea ceremony, traditional values, 千利休, 和敬, 清寂, 令和
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Neither the long nor the short of it
帯に短し襷に長し (Obi ni mijikashi tasuki ni nagashi; “Short for a belt, long for a sleeve-strap”) Definition: In a midway state that precludes value that might be found at either extreme. Like a strip of cloth that is too short to … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged たすき, 襷, middling, Spirited Away, useless things, 千と千尋の神隠し, 帯, 中途半端
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In honor of the coming era
外交辞令 gai.kou.ji.rei Literally: outside – mix – word – decree Alternately: Tact and flattery. Phrasing a message to most please the listener, or going out of your way to praise and compliment them, without any sincere intent beyond the desire … Continue reading
Long before Tezuka or Dazai
他山の石以て玉を攻むべし (Tazan no ishi motte tama wo osamu beshi; “One must polish one’s jewels with stones from other mountains.”) Definition: A command to take someone else’s mistakes as an opportunity to reflect on and improve your own ways. “One must … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Classic of Poetry, classical Japanese grammar, 玉を攻む, 詩経, learning, negative example, 他山の石, 他山之石
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Kackling
呵呵大笑 ka.ka.tai.shou Literally: scold – scold – big – laugh/smile Alternately: Laughing Out Loud. Hearty laughter. Notes: As usual, the second 呵 can be replaced with the doubling mark 々. 大 may also be pronounced dai, although this seems to … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Jingde, laughing out loud, laughter, 呵々, 呵呵, 大笑, 景徳傳燈録
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This kotowaza brought to you by Ed Sheeran
(Thusly.) 対岸の火事 (Taigan no kaji; “Fire on the far shore”) Definition: Somebody Else’s Problem. Something that doesn’t impact you in any way; “No skin off my nose.” Like a fire seen from the opposite shore of a body of water, … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 火災, 火事, idiom, somebody else's problem, uninvolved, 対岸
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Pride cometh
Every castle is undefeated… for some while! 難攻不落 nan.kou.fu.raku Literally: difficult – attack – not – fall Alternately: Nigh impervious to assault. Difficult even to attack, much less to actually bring down, like a near-impregnable castle. By extension, a situation … Continue reading
Butter, no; steel, yes
衆口金を鑠かす (Shuukou kin wo tokasu; “The mouths of the masses melt metal.”) Definition: Rumor and slander tend to get worse as they spread. The power of many people all talking about something is to be feared, because even correct information … Continue reading
Seal up your lips, and give no words
But mum! 他言無用 ta.gon.mu.you Literally: other – say – no – use Alternately: “Don’t talk about this to anyone.” “Loose lips sink ships.” Notes: 言 may also be pronounced gen. In contrast to the aphoristic nature of most yojijukugo, this … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged うさぎ, 無用, don't tell, Henry II, secrecy, Shakespeare, 他言
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Castles in the (hot) air
口では大坂の城も建つ (Kuchi de wa Oosaka no shiro mo tatsu; “Even Osaka Castle can be built in words”) Definition: Mighty deeds are easy to talk about, but hard to actually accomplish. “Easier said than done.” Breakdown: We begin with the noun … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Osaka castle, talk is cheap, theory vs practice, words vs deeds, 口, 大阪の城, 実行, 不言
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