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Category Archives: Japanese
You can try it if you’d like, but…
Before you entrust an important job to someone with zero experience, maybe make sure the stakes aren’t too high. 習わぬ経は読めぬ (Narawanu kyou wa yomenu; “You can’t recite a Buddhist sutra you’ve never studied.”) Definition: Complicated tasks are impossible to perform … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged ignorant, impossible, Iroha karuta, never studied, sutra, Trump, untrained
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The law of cause and fruit
Continuing the theme from Sunday’s kotowaza…. 因果応報 in.ga.ou.hou Literally: cause – fruit / reward – answer – news / reward Alternately: The law of karma. What goes around comes around. What returns to you is good or ill depending on … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Buddhism, Journey to the West, karma, Nihon Ryoiki, what goes around comes around, Xuanzang, 因果, 応報
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The fruit of corruption
As opposed to 湯から出た錆? 身から出た錆 (Mi kara deta sabi; “Tarnished from within.”) Definition: Suffering due to one’s own misdeeds, especially the bad things one has done to others. Paying for one’s mistakes; getting one’s just deserts. The image here is … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 錆, 身から出た, Iroha karuta, just deserts, Kefukigusa, reap what you sow, 毛吹草
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Little Bo Peep and the Paradox of Choice
多岐亡羊 ta.ki.bou.you Literally: many – fork in the road – die – sheep Alternately: Presented with an overabundance of options or possible paths, one ends up confused and lost. By extension, a field of study being so finely divided that … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Liezi, lost sheep, paradox of choice, too many paths, Yang Zhu, 列子, 多岐, 楊朱, 亡羊
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Forthright to an actual fault
身も蓋もない (Mi mo futa mo nai; “No filter”) Definition: Too blunt; too open. Someone’s attitude or words being so blunt and tactless that they lack all nuance or subtlety; by extension, so blunt and tactless that further conversation becomes impossible. … Continue reading
A humidifier in the rainy season
夏炉冬扇 ka.ro.tou.sen Literally: summer – furnace – winter – fan Alternately: Useless things. Things inappropriate to the situation, including skills, ideas, or opinions. Sources of warmth in the summer, sources of cooling in the winter, or perhaps pathological narcissists in … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Lunheng, summer heater, useless things, winter fan, 冬扇, 夏炉
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On the red flags of self-hype
Real skill and competence are apparent without needing to declare themselves, so humility is the mark of a true master. 口自慢の仕事下手 (Kuchi jiman no shigoto beta; “Boastful mouth, bad at work”) Definition: If you’re always working your mouth, you’re never … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged all talk no action, 為愚痴物語, the Donald, unskilled, 口自慢, 仕事下手
3 Comments
Yucky cause and yucky effect
畏怖嫌厭 i.fu.ken.en Literally: apprehension – fear – hate – get tired of Alternately: To fear and hate something. “Feelings of dread and aversion.” Afraid to a degree that makes you want to find a way to escape the situation. Notes: … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged aversion, cute babies, 畏怖, dread, fear, Trump's America, 嫌厭
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Nice while it lasted
品行方正 hin.kou.hou.sei Literally: dignity – conduct – direction – correct Alternately: Good morals, ethics, and deeds. Someone’s thoughts and actions both being beyond reproach. Notes: 品行 on its own is “behavior,” 方正 on its own is “correct spirit and behavior,” … Continue reading
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