Categories
- Japanese (824)
- Kotowaza (413)
- Yojijukugo (409)
- Long Fiction (6)
- Meta (11)
- Nonfiction (74)
- Poetry (13)
- Short Fiction (20)
- Uncategorized (13)
- World-Building (176)
- Miscellaneous (24)
- Rules (127)
- Setting (69)
- Japanese (824)
Archives
-
Recent Posts
Category Archives: Kotowaza
When Awwww becomes Eugggh
可愛さ余って憎さ百倍 (Kawaisa amatte nikusa hyakubai; “Excessive fondness, hundredfold hatred”) Definition: If you had an overabundance of positive feelings toward someone and then something happens that arouses negative feelings, then the resulting hatred is proportionally overwhelming. “The greatest hate springs from … Continue reading
At the foot of a difficult wave
難波の葦は伊勢の浜荻 (Naniwa no ashi wa Ise no hamaogi; “What they call ashi in Naniwa is hamaogi in Ise”) Definition: Different places are different – they have different manners, different customs, and even different words for the same things, so be … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged differences, 葦, 難波, Ise, Nanba, Naniwa, regional variation, sandwich names, 浜荻, 伊勢
1 Comment
Arts and crafts for quarantine
門前雀羅を張る (Monzen jakura wo haru; “To spread a sparrow-net at the gate”) Definition: For a place, especially a home, to feel desolate and deserted due to lack of visitors. When the entrance to your estate (because you are an aristocrat … Continue reading
You can lead a horse to sutras
縁なき衆生は度し難し (En naki shujou wa do shigatashi; “It’s hard for the Buddha to save those who do not know the Buddha”) Definition: People who don’t heed advice or warnings are very hard to help. Salvation is difficult for those who … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Buddhism, 衆生, Lotus Sutra, salvation, social distancing, unsalvageable, 度する, 法華経, 仏縁
1 Comment
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
Leave a comment
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
Leave a comment
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
1 Comment
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
Leave a comment
landofnudotcom 
Fair of skin, unfair of… other things
色の白いは七難隠す (Iro no shiroi wa shichinan kakusu; “White skin hides many flaws.”) Definition: There’s all sorts of baggage here! This kotowaza is literally saying that if a woman’s skin is sufficiently pale, then that alone makes her so beautiful that … Continue reading →