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Category Archives: Japanese
Got sunshine, in a bag
大安吉日 tai.an.kichi.jitsu Literally: big – peace – joy – day Alternately: A good day for doing things. Specifically, 大安 was a very auspicious day under the old 陰陽 (Onmyou, Japanese style yin-yang) divination system, and this compound emphasizes this positivity … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged divination, 陰陽, good day, Gorillaz, horoscope, 吉日, 大安, 暦, 源氏物語
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Yoko ni nattara?
蟷螂の斧 (Tourou no ono; “The mantis’ axe”) Definition: The weak standing up to the strong, often with the implication that they didn’t really think through how great the difference in strength would be. A praying mantis that senses threat will … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 隆車に向かう, 螳螂, 韓詩外伝, 蟷螂, Han shi waizhuan, impossible odds, mantis, 斧
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Turns out it doesn’t matter, though
All you need to do is get mad at the people who caught you doing the crimes!? 白昼堂々 haku.chuu.dou.dou Literally: white – noon – public hall – [kanji doubling mark] Alternately: (Doing something bad) in broad daylight. Notes: This relatively … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged blatant crime, broad daylight, current events, 白昼, 結城 昌治, Yuuki Shouji, 堂々, 堂堂
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But what if your horse leaks intel to the Russians?
What do you do when the work environment at the stable drives away all the competent grooms? 蹴る馬も乗り手次第 (Keru uma mo norite shidai; “A kicking horse depends on the rider”) Definition: Even a violent, difficult-to-handle person can be talked to … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 蹴る馬, horse, nothing is impossible, rider, weird grammar, 乗り手
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Miss Clavel ran fast, and faster
When you’re afraid of a disaster, don’t just sit still, that’s all I’m saying. 疾風迅雷 shi-.ppuu.jin.rai Literally: rapid – wind – swift – thunder Alternately: High winds and a violent thunderstorm. By extension, any situation that develops rapidly or changes … Continue reading
Thus was slapstick monetized
転んでもただでは起きない (Koronde mo tada de wa okinai; “Even falling down, they won’t get up as they were”) Definition: Cunning and greedy; angling to get some sort of profit even from a mistake or setback; like someone who slips and falls, … Continue reading
The benefits of bold-face fine print
(I thought this was scheduled to pop automatically yesterday, but… it wasn’t, and I was remiss in failing to check. My apologies for the delay.) 胆大心小 tan.dai.shin.shou Literally: gall bladder / courage – big – heart / mind – small … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged attention to detail, bold action, careful thought, 胆大, Old Book of Tang, 心細, 心小, 旧唐書
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Just avoid immovable objects
…and you’ll be fine. Right? 断じて行えば鬼神も之を避く (Danjite okonaeba kishin mo kore wo saku; “If you do things decisively, even demon-gods will get out of the way”) Definition: If you take decisive action backed by strong determination, there is little that … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged classical grammar, determination, 鬼神, Records of the Grand Historian, willpower, 史記, 断じて
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Melting pot, ethnic stew
Either way, we’re all in this vessel together 渾然一体 kon.zen.i-.ttai Literally: all – “sort of thing” – one – body Alternately: Disparate things mixing together to form a harmonious or unified whole. A workable sum of parts. The ideal of … Continue reading
The opposite of charmed
引かれ者の小唄 (Hikaremono no kouta; “The ballad of someone being pulled along”) Definition: Putting on a brave face in the face of despair; refusing to admit defeat in a seemingly impossible situation; defiant confidence against overwhelming odds. Like someone condemned for … Continue reading
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