Categories
- Japanese (823)
- Kotowaza (413)
- Yojijukugo (408)
- Long Fiction (6)
- Meta (11)
- Nonfiction (73)
- Poetry (13)
- Short Fiction (20)
- Uncategorized (13)
- World-Building (176)
- Miscellaneous (24)
- Rules (127)
- Setting (69)
- Japanese (823)
Archives
-
Recent Posts
Category Archives: Kotowaza
Smaller than an apple, at least
目の上の瘤(Me no ue no kobu;“A lump over the eye”) Definition: An eyesore; metaphorically, a person you don’t want to meet, usually because they always seem to get in your way and cause problems. Especially used for someone of higher social … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged annoyance, こぶ, めざわり, 瘤, 目障り, eyesore, Iroha karuta, nemesis, rival, thorn in the side
Leave a comment
404 Ghost not found
(According to my file, this is the 404th kotowaza post!) 幽霊の正体見たり枯れ尾花(Yuurei no shoutai mitari kareobana;“[I] saw the ghost’s true form: dry pampas grass”) Definition: When something seems frightening at first but turns out to be benign after closer inspection – … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged book burning, dried grass, 薄, 鶉衣, fear, ghosts, imagination versus reality, jumping at shadows, pampas grass, paranoia, 化物の正体, 幽霊, 枯れ尾花, 横井也有
Leave a comment
On covering your butt
Both literally and metaphorically… not that a fundoshi actually covers much of the butt…. 義理と褌欠かされぬ(Giri to fundoshi kakasarenu;“Underwear and courtesy cannot be left lacking”) Definition: In the old days, it was acceptable for men doing hard labor to strip down … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged ふんどし, butts, common courtesy, 義理, 褌, 諺苑, 譬喩尽, Iroha karuta, obligation, public decency, underwear
Leave a comment
Bells with clappers and bells without
A grand excuse 竿の先に鈴(Sao no saki ni suzu;“A bell on the end of a pole”) Definition: Something especially noisy; a huge racket; by extension, when someone talks far too much. A pole is long and thin and often kind of … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged お喋り, 竿, 鈴, Iroha karuta, motormouth, noise, talking
Leave a comment
Suddenly, given the bird
Imagine if it did just literally “stand up,” though! 足下から鳥が立つ(Ashimoto kara tori ga tatsu;“A bird takes flight at one’s feet”) Definition: An expression of startlement. Something happens suddenly close at hand, or someone abruptly begins doing an activity, especially if … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged せけんむねさんよう, birds, 鳥が立つ, 足許, 足元, 足下, Iroha karuta, startled, sudden occurrence, taking flight, 世間胸算用
Leave a comment
How about umeboshi?
Benign when it’s just a matter of taste 亭主の好きな赤烏帽子(Teishu no suki na akaeboshi;“The master’s favored red hat”) Definition: When someone with power (e.g. the head of a household) has some odd or nonstandard tendency, everyone under them has to follow … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged authority, Confucianism, Eboshi, 赤烏帽子, head of household, patriarchy, when in Rome, whimsy, 同調, 亭主
Leave a comment
Personal growth vis-a-vis other people’s persons
Don’t pick your nose; just pick your friends! 益者三友、損者三友(Ekisha san’yuu, sonsha san’yuu;“Three beneficial friends, three harmful friends”) Definition: There are three kinds of friends who are good for you and three kinds who are bad for you. The beneficial kinds … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Analects, Confucius, 益者, 論語, flattery, friendship, influence, social harmony, 孔子, 季氏, 損者, 三友
Leave a comment
“Our chain of love”
…but hard to shake once taken on 子は三界の首枷(Ko wa sangai no kubikase;“A child is a binding for all time”) Definition: A connection with a child is a strong bond that affects you for your entire life. Even after the logistical … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged bonds and burdens, children, 首枷, family, pillory, pros and cons, responsibility, stocks, Willie Nelson, 子供, 三界
Leave a comment
Or oars
船は帆で持つ帆は船で持つ(Fune wa ho de motsu ho wa fune de motsu;“A ship works because of its sail; a sail works because of its ship”) Definition: A ship is useful because it has a sail; a sail is useful because it’s on … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Buddhism, cooperation, 船で持つ, group action, mutual support, no man is an island, social animal, 因縁, 帆で持つ
Leave a comment
Geckos famously sell insurance
Gekkos famously commit fraud 下戸の建てた蔵は無い(Geko no tateta kura wa nai;“There are no storehouses built by non-drinkers”) Definition: One might expect teetotallers to become richer due to not wasting money on drink, and once rich they might spend that extra cash … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged alcohol, avocado toast, drunk versus sober, economics, 醒睡笑, 蔵, Gordon Gekko, teetotaling, Treppenwitz, 安楽庵策伝, 上戸, 下戸
Leave a comment
landofnudotcom 