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Author Archives: Confanity
But do we need the sea?
天地無用 ten.chi.mu.you Literally: heaven – earth – nothing – use Alternately: “This side up.” As in, “Please don’t turn this box upside-down.” In this case, 天地 simply refers to “up and down,” and 無用 expresses prohibition.
Yinstring and Yangtwine
禍福は糾える縄の如し (Kafuku wa azanaeru nawa no gotoshi; “Good and ill fortune are entwined like (the strands of) a rope”) Definition: Good luck and bad luck are intimately and inextricably connected; you can’t have only one or the other. Every cloud … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged classical Japanese grammar, 禍福, 糾える縄, intertwined, Records of the Grand Historian, silver lining, 史記
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Janus
表裏一体 hyou.ri.i-.ttai Literally: surface – back – one – body Alternately: Two things (especially things seen as being in opposition to each other) are inextricably linked, parts of the same whole, opposite faces of the same coin.
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 表裏, inextricable, Janus, LeGuin, parts of a whole, same coin, 一体
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But are we getting a Tucker, a Church, or a Caboose?
起死回生 ki.shi.kai.sei Literally: wake up – death – revolve – life Alternately: Coming back from the brink. Recovering from a seemingly-hopeless situation. A sudden turnaround. A Blue Team win deep in Red Team territory. Notes: Apparently this phrase comes to … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 起死, recovery, revival, RvB, Taiping Guangji, turnaround, 回生, 太平広記
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Cheap is dear, but deer don’t cheep
For those counting, this is the 200th kotowaza! To celebrate, we’re… doing nothing special! 安物買いの銭失い (Yasumonogai no zeniushinai; “Losing money by buying cheap”) Definition: Especially cheap things tend to be poorly made; they fail to perform their functions properly, or … Continue reading
Think well, go Dan
熟慮断行 juku.ryo.dan.kou Literally: ripen – thought – sever – go Alternately: Thinking over a matter fully and carefully, and then taking decisive action. Instead of jumping the gun with rash action or dithering in eternal indecision, taking the best of … Continue reading
If I have seen further it is because a dwarf was standing on my shoulders
Like so. 負うた子に教えられて浅瀬を渡る (Outa ko ni oshierarete asase wo wataru; “Crossing shallows with guidance from the child you carry”) Definition: Sometimes there are things you can learn from people who are younger and less experienced. “Out of the mouths of … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged guidance, knowledge, shallows, shoulders of giants, youth
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The most erudite possible yarble garble harble garble
珍紛漢紛 chin.pun.kan.pun Literally: rare – astray – Han China – astray Alternately: Dense jargon. Gibberish. Nonsense. Incomprehensible, unintelligible, incoherent. Notes: This phrase will usually be written in phonetic kana characters rather than kanji. Even when they are used, the kanji … Continue reading
All come from Yodo, and to Yodo all return
No, not “Yoda” 遅牛も淀早牛も淀 (Osoushi mo yodo hayaushi mo yodo; “Both the slow ox and the fast ox (arrive at) Yodo”) Definition: Although there are definitely differences in being early versus late, or slow versus quick, when the end result … Continue reading
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But what comes from a lyre?
In Rome, a big fire? 噓つきは泥棒の始まり (Usotsuki wa dorobou no hajimari; “A liar is the beginning of a thief”) Definition: Someone who becomes capable of lying glibly will also be able to calmly steal or rob. Lies are the first … Continue reading →