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Category Archives: Kotowaza
Fences within fences
I heard you like chumrot so I put a chumra in your chumra. 念には念を入れよ(Nen ni wa nen wo ireyo;“Put thought into thought”) Definition: An exhortation to be extra meticulous or cautious in a given task or situation. Make absolutely certain … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged admonitions, caution, Huainanzi, redundancy, yo dawg, 念には念, 念を入れ, 淮南子, חומרה
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Teeing up some self-improvement
爪の垢を煎じて飲む(Tsume no aka wo senjite nomu;“to boil and drink fingernail-dirt”) Definition: To follow a good example that someone has set. To learn from someone who excels, by doing whatever it takes to get any positive effect at all. Often referenced … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged bad hygiene, 煎じて飲, 爪の垢, 薬, fingernails, folk medicine, good example, homeopathic tea, role model
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The sleeve’s edge; another life
袖すり合うも他生の縁(Sode suriau mo tashou no en;“Even a brushing of the sleeves is a connection from a past life.”) Definition: Every relationship you have in your entire life – including not just the big important ones, but the people you merely … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Buddhism, 蛤の草紙, 袖すり合う, 袖振り合う, fated meetings, human kindness, karma, reincarnation, relationships, 名歌徳三舛玉垣, 多生の縁, 他生の縁
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Better to be thought a fool
…than to be shot down. 怜悧なる頭には閉じたる口あり(Reiri naru atama ni wa tojitaru kuchi ari;“In the clever head, a closed mouth.”) Definition: A wise person doesn’t speak any more than necessary, and thus doesn’t say foolish, boring, or pointless things. “Silence at … Continue reading
Maybe that’s why we always wear our hats
夜目遠目笠の内(Yome toome kasa no uchi;“Seen at night; seen from afar; wearing a hat”) Definition: This phrase asserts that women are most beautiful when seen in the dark, or from a distance, or when mostly obscured by something like a large … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 笠の内, 笠の下, 遠目, imagination versus reality, Iroha karuta, mind's eye, sexism, 夜目, 山越し, 山城の国畜生塚, 毛吹草
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Truffles before swine
Or just about anything at all before a goat 鰹節を猫に預ける(Katsuobushi wo neko ni azukeru;“Entrusting katsuo shavings to a cat”) Definition: A dangerous situation where one can’t afford to let one’s guard down. Risking a loss by presenting someone with an … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged かつおぶし, cats and fish, 猫, danger, dried bonito flakes, 鰹節, katsuo flakes, temptation
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Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
and sleds are still a-flying 若い時は二度無い(Wakai toki wa nido nai;“There is no second youth”) Definition: You only have your youth once, so it’s best to get out there and do stuff wholeheartedly while you still have the time and energy. … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Citizen Kane, 若い内, 若い時, Iroha karuta, limited time, opportunity, Robert Herrick, Wen Xuan, youth, 当世銀持気質, 文选, 文選, 二度無い
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The only thing worse than kanabou
Like so. 鬼の女房に鬼神(Oni no nyoubou ni kijin;“For an oni’s wife, a female oni”) Definition: The woman who becomes an awful man’s wife will tend to be awful as well. A married couple will tend to resemble each other – even … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged たまかつま, たまがつま, 玉勝間, Iroha karuta, marriage, Motoori Norinaga, oni, 本居 宣長
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All in one basket, no less
累卵の危うき(Ruiran no ayauki;“The peril of a pile of eggs”) Definition: An especially unstable and dangerous situation. Potential downfall and ruin. Breakdown: We begin with the compound noun 累卵 (ruiran), literally a “pile of eggs.” This is joined by the associative … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Chinese Antiquity, 累卵, danger, 范雎, fragile eggs, instability, Records of the Grand Historian, Shiji, 危うき, 史記, 史记
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landofnudotcom 
Wonder is the seed of knowledge
(France is bacon) 大疑は大悟の基(Taigi wa taigo no motoi;“Great doubts are the foundation of great enlightenment”) Definition: Great doubt is the first step toward great realizations. Doubt leads to asking questions, which leads to seeking answers, which – in theory at … Continue reading →