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Author Archives: Confanity
Campaign idea: Medusa’s Vault
I was talking with some gaming friends the other day and we got onto the topic of people being turned to stone (e.g. by a Medusa-type monster) and then back again (e.g. by a Stone to Flesh type spell). We agreed … Continue reading
Posted in Setting, World-Building
Tagged brainstorming, campaign, Medusa, mystery, petrification, Sleeping Beauty campaign
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By their fruits you will know them
By their refrigerated, long-distance-shipped fruits? 悪事千里を走る (Akuji senri wo hashiru; “Bad deeds run a thousand leagues”) Definition: When you do bad things, the rumors spread rapidly throughout society. News of evildoing soon reaches a distance of a thousand ri. There’s … Continue reading
All the difference in the world
(And yet it was a close race. We should be ashamed.) 雲泥万里 un.dei.ban.ri Literally: cloud – mud – ten thousand – ri (a unit of distance, about 2.4 miles or 3.9km) Alternately: Two things are incomparable. A vast difference. Like … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged classical poetry, 菅原道真, 雲泥, heaven and earth, Sugawara no Michizane, vast difference, 万里
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They just schlep around
毒にも薬にもならない (Doku ni mo kusuri ni mo naranai; “Neither poison nor medicine”) Definition: Something – or someone – that doesn’t matter. Something neither harmful nor beneficial; it doesn’t matter whether it’s there or not. Something that’s just kind of whatever … Continue reading
Lobbyists have been providing the former
Who intends to provide the latter? 邪知暴虐 ja.chi.bou.gyaku Literally: wicked – know – violence – oppress Alternately: Using knowledge and violence to harm and oppress. Jachi is knowledge or cleverness turned to evil purposes; bougyaku is committing atrocities or violent … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged chocolate trolling, evil knowledge, 邪知, 走れメロス, violence, 太宰治, 暴虐
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Too mad right now to come up with a witty title
I literally searched for kotowaza about betrayal 獅子身中の虫 (Shishi shinchuu no mushi; “A bug in a lion”) Definition: Someone ostensibly a member of an organization who nonetheless causes it harm. Someone who rewards kindness with enmity. Like a parasite living … Continue reading
Like a tax code, perhaps
“Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.” – Commissioner Pravin Lal, “U.N. Declaration of Rights,” Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri 複雑怪奇 fuku.zatsu.kai.ki Literally: multiple – miscellaneous – mystery – … Continue reading
In which 0 = 7
And (n ≥ 1) = 48 無くて七癖 (Nakute nanakuse; “None, seven quirks”) Definition: Even someone who appears completely normal has their quirks, flaws, or questionable habits. Nobody is truly ordinary or above criticism. Everybody has their own faults. Breakdown: This … Continue reading
It was the best of stuff, it was the worst of stuff
玉石混淆 gyoku.seki.kon.kou Literally: jewel – stone – mix – mix Alternately: Good mixed with bad. Valuable things mixed together with worthless things. Wheat and chaff. Notes: Rare character 淆 may be replaced with 交 without any change in meaning or … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Baopuzi, 玉石, good and bad, mixed together, wheat and chaff, 抱朴子, 混淆, 混交
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Green grow the rushes
Oh. 急いては事を仕損じる (Seite wa koto wo shisonjiru; “To hurry is to fail”) Definition: If you rush things you’re going to make mistakes, and your attempt at speed will end up having been in vain. When pressed or pressured, be extra … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged be careful, don't rush, 通俗編, haste makes waste, 急いて, 事を損じる, 事を損ずる
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