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Category Archives: Kotowaza
If at first you don’t succeed…
…that’s perfectly normal, so wait. (My records show that this is the 365th kotowaza post in the series! In celebration, I decided to use a saying that includes the character 年, “year.”) 商い三年(Akinai sannen;“Business dealings, three years”) Definition: A business … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged a year of weeks, business and profit, patience, perseverance, starting something new, Things Take Time, 商い, 三年
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A cup of water onto the sand.
In the Dry Land. 爪で拾って箕で零す(Tsume de hirotte mi de kobosu;“Scraped up with the fingernails; spilled with a basket”) Definition: Some resource that was gathered slowly and with great effort over an extended period of time is used up in an … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 爪で拾う, 箕でこぼす, 箕で零す, low income high expense, money, Tehanu, wasted effort, wasted resources, 文选, 文選
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Square Eggs that Look Round
“‘My dear old fish,’ said Mr Wonka, ‘go and boil your head!’” – he probably didn’t know about this saying. 丸い卵も切りようで四角(Marui tamago mo kiriyou de shikaku;“Even a round egg can be square, depending on how you cut it.”) Definition: A … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged まるいたまご, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 角が立つ, 言いよう, method matters, offensive phrasing, tact, watch your words, word choice, 切よう, 四角, 丸い玉子
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What if it’s made of hithlain?
一筋縄では行かない(Hitosuji nawa de wa ikanai;“A single rope won’t do”) Definition: A situation that can’t be handled using the ordinary means, or everyday methods. Especially refers to an enemy or opponent who can’t be overcome with one’s usual techniques or strategies. … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged しめ縄, difficulties, 関取千両幟, Lord of the Rings, normal methods, Shinto, strong opponent, the ropes of Lothlórien, unusual challenge, 浄瑠璃, 一筋縄
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By plop or by poit
天から降ったか地から湧いたか(Ten kara futta ka chi kara waita ka;“Fallen from the sky, or sprung from the earth”) Definition: A completely out-of-the-blue occurrence, or something or someone appearing suddenly as if out of nowhere. The image is of something being unexpectedly present … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged caught by surprise, mysterious occurrence, ninja, sudden appearance, teleportation, 地から湧いた, 天から降った
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May it be a light to you in dark places
…when all other lights go out – JRRT, FotR 長者の万灯より貧者の一灯(Chouja no mantou yori hinja no ittou;“A pauper’s single light is greater than a rich man’s ten thousand.”) Definition: There is greater honor in a poor person sincerely giving what they … Continue reading
We’ll cross that non-bridge the instant we come to it
You can’t a ford to wait! 川越して宿とれ (Kawa koshite yado tore; “Cross a river; take lodgings”) Definition: A warning to think ahead and make arrangements just in case. Alternately, an admonition to take care of difficult or annoying tasks quickly … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged act quickly, don't procrastinate, hard and dangerous work, river-crossings, 宿を取れ, 川腰, 川越
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But what age group are riders of the storm?
No age, silly; they’re ghosts! 子供は風の子 (Kodomo wa kaze no ko; “Children are children of the wind”) Definition: Children sometimes seem impervious to the cold, and will happily run around and play outdoors in weather and temperatures that tend to … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 17th Century CE joke book, children versus adults, cold weather, 火の子, exercise warms you up, 醒睡笑, 落語, 風の子, 大人, 子供
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Pets, utensils, and maybe even people!
猫も杓子も (Neko mo shakushi mo; “Even cats and serving-spoons”) Definition: Everyone and everything. “All that and the kitchen sink.” “Everyone and their brother.” Everything at hand, thrown together in a jumble without distinction. I get the impression that this phrase … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged all the people, all the things, ありがとうサンキュウ, cats, 猫も, everybody, Ikkyu-san, ladle, 杓子も, 一休咄
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To an idiot with a hammer, EVERYTHING looks like a nail
小人閑居して不善をなす (Shoujin kankyo shite fuzen wo nasu; “The mean, when idle, accomplish ill”) Definition: Idle hands are the devil’s workshop. Mean-spirited or narrow-minded people will do harm when given free time and left to their own devices. Breakdown: We begin … Continue reading
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