Category Archives: Japanese

All’s well that’s ended well

Posted on October 2, 2016 by Confanity

有終の美を飾る (Yuushuu no bi wo kazaru; “To add a crowning touch”) Definition: Carrying something through to a successful conclusion. Producing excellent results by seeing a task through with full effort until it’s complete, rather than doing enough work to finish … Continue reading →

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You could go with this, or you could go with that

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Confanity

Or you could go with this. Or you could go with that. Or you could go with us! 優柔不断 yuu.juu.fu.dan Literally: gentle – soft – non – sever / judge / decide Alternately: Waffling. Vacillating. Hesitating to choose. Lacking resolve … Continue reading →

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One, two, three, four five; Once I caught a fish alive

Posted on September 25, 2016 by Confanity

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten; I never saw a fish again 柳の下にいつも泥鰌は居らぬ (Yanagi no shita ni itsumo dojou wa oranu; “There isn’t always a loach below the willow”) Definition: Just because something good happened once doesn’t mean that the same … Continue reading →

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He’s dead, Jim

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Confanity

Should have tried the Power of Rock. 薬石無効 yaku.seki.mu.kou Literally: medicine – stone – nothing – efficacy Alternately: Neither medicine nor treatment were effective. The 石 in 薬石 refers to traditional Chinese treatments making use of stones, such as bian … Continue reading →

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Your life may depend on what you overhear

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Confanity

門前の小僧習わぬ経を読む (Monzen no kozou narawanu kyou wo yomu; “The child before the gate reads sutras they never learned”) Definition: The place you live in has a strong impact on you. People who live somewhere for a long time will unconsciously … Continue reading →

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Deep, deep turtle

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Confanity

盲亀浮木 mou.ki.fu.boku Literally: blind – turtle – float – tree Alternately: An incredibly rare event; something nigh-impossibly difficult to find. By implication, something you really should take advantage of while you have the chance. Notes: 盲亀 is, as the characters … Continue reading →

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Wise guys’ noses, eyes

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Confanity

Smart enough not to say “Smell you later”? 目から鼻へ抜ける (Me kara hana he nukeru; “[In] from the eyes and out the nose”) Definition: Especially perceptive and shrewd. Able to quickly understand and correctly judge a situation. “Smelling out” a situation as … Continue reading →

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Back to back they faced each other

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Confanity

面従腹背 men.juu.fuku.hai Literally: face/mask – obey – belly – back/defy Alternately: Putting on a show of obeying or going along with someone while secretly opposing or resisting them, at least mentally. This defiance will likely manifest eventually, but as long … Continue reading →

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It’s just a mallet Gotye used to know?

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Confanity

It’s like falling off a bicycle: you never forget how 昔取った杵柄 (Mukashi totta kinedzuka; “The handle of a mallet that one used to use”) Definition: Abilities and skills gained in one’s youth. By extension, such skills that one has managed … Continue reading →

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Take a breather and call me in the morning

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Confanity

Kaynahara. 無病息災 mu.byou.soku.sai Literally: not – sick – stop – disaster Alternately: To be healthy. Notes: 息 primarily refers to “breath,” but has been associated a variety of words (cf. 息子 – musuko – “son”), and in this case refers … Continue reading →

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