Author Archives: Confanity

Unknown's avatar

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.

Mere anarchy

Posted on November 15, 2017 by Confanity

Does the candy association accept this member mint? 四分五裂 shi.bun.go.retsu Literally: four – part – five – split Alternately: Disintegration. Things coming apart. Order breaking down and chaos taking over. Notes: The 分 may also be pronounced bu, although this … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book learnin’ minus brain learnin’ ain’t learnin’

Posted on November 12, 2017 by Confanity

But a rabbit-hole is just as dangerous. 学びて思わざれば則ち罔し (Manabite omowazareba sunawachi kurashi; “Study without consideration is nothing.”) Definition: No matter how much you study, if you don’t also think about the content of what you’re learning, you can’t actually reach … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

One piece of sushi?

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Confanity

寿司一貫 is the correct counter! 終始一貫 shuu.shi.i-.kkan Literally: end – begin – one – pierce Alternately: Unchanging. Consistent. Without any variation, straight through from beginning to end, especially in one’s way of doing things. Notes: This phrase comes to us … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Rome didn’t fruit in a day

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Confanity

Still faster than truffula trees, though. 桃栗三年柿八年 (Momokuri sannen kaki hachinen; “Peach and chestnut, three years; persimmons, eight years.”) Definition: As Piet Hein said, Things Take Time. The peach and chestnut trees must grow for three years from when they … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

He’s a guy of delusions, alright

Posted on November 1, 2017 by Confanity

But is it still paranoia if you’re guilty of crimes? 被害妄想 hi.gai.mou.sou Literally: incur – harm – delusion – thought Alternately: A persecution complex. Paranoia. A deluded belief that one is being unfairly singled out, specifically targeted, or harmed even … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tactical yodeling

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Confanity

If you go to the A Book of Creatures website, you can find dozens or hundreds of monsters and crypids described in detail, and some of the details just make you itch to run a fantasy RPG specifically so you … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous, World-Building | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A warning

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Confanity

Or a simple observation of facts on the ground? 無理が通れば道理引っ込む (Muri ga tooreba douri hikkomu; “When unreason pushes through, reason withdraws”) Definition: In a society where irrational force carries the day, reasonable thinking breaks down – and justice does as … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do emus dream of venomous sheep?

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Confanity

同床異夢 dou.shou.i.mu Literally: same – bed – different – dream Alternately: Even though two people share some external thing in common – where they live, where they work, their situation, etc. – they have different goals, priorities, or ways of … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

So you *can* make a mountain out of a molehill?

Posted on October 22, 2017 by Confanity

後は野となれ山となれ (Ato wa no to nare yama to nare; “After this, come field, come mountain.”) Definition: Not caring about what comes next as long as the current problem or issue can be finished up or taken care of. By extension, … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

In-laws memorization

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Confanity

疑心暗鬼 gi.shin.an.ki Literally: doubt – heart – dark – ghost Alternately: Once you allow suspicion or fear into your heart, everything will start to seem menacing. Even though nothing is actually there, a doubting heart fills the darkness with monsters. … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments