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Category Archives: Japanese
Nail-biting suspense; nail-burning poverty
爪に火を点す (Tsume ni hi wo tomosu; “To light one’s (finger)nail”) Definition: Extreme penny-pinching. To be incredibly poor, or just incredibly stingy with one’s money. Being unable to afford even a candle – or unwilling to buy one – and instead … Continue reading
Two tsu to you too!
津津浦浦 tsu.tsu.ura.ura Literally: harbor – harbor – bay – bay Alternately: Everywhere; every inch of the country; throughout the entire land (of Japan). Notes: Naturally, this can also be written with the repetition mark, as 津々浦々. This compound is somewhat … Continue reading
Wearing your heart on your hat?
頂門の一針 (Choumon no isshin; “A needle in the scalp”) Definition: A warning, scolding, or prohibition that really hits home. An admonition that feels like a needle stuck into the “vital point” at the top of the head. Being told off … Continue reading
Who knows enough? I know enough!
Yes, the post title is an obscure Passover joke; thanks for asking! 足るを知る者は富む (Taru wo shiru mono wa tomu; “Who knows ‘enough’ is wealthy.”) Definition: Even a shoestring budget is wealth if it’s enough. People whose needs are met and … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 足るを知る、富む, happy with one's lot, Laozi, money isn't everything, who knows enough
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Same difference, amirite?
…or perhaps different similarities…. 大同小異 dai.dou.shou.i Literally: big – same – small – different Alternately: Generally similar. The similarities between things outweigh their differences. Although the things being compared may differ in a number of details, the broad strokes are … Continue reading
Refusing to bite the hand that feeds you bait
その手は桑名の焼き蛤 (Sono te wa Kuwana no yaki-hamaguri; “That trick won’t work!”) Definition: This one is a pun! It has a serious meaning, saying that someone’s strategy or trickery (often verbal) isn’t going to succeed (usually against the speaker). But where … Continue reading
[Insert imaginative title here]
創意工夫 sou.i.ku.fuu Literally: start – idea – construct – man Alternately: Creativity and skill in formulating and realizing a new idea. 創意 is “new idea,” and 工夫 means (coming up with) a clever way to do something.
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged apple phone, creativity, new ideas, skill, woman sushi, 創意, 工夫
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Even a blog of a thousand posts begins with a single keystroke
千里の道も一歩より (Senri no michi mo ippo yori; “Even a road of a thousand ri, from one step.”) Definition: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Even the most daunting undertakings begin with a simple action – … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged single step, thousand miles, thousand ri, 千里, 一歩
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Telling it like it do be
是是非非 ze.ze.hi.hi Literally: correct – correct – mistake – mistake Alternately: Fairness; honesty; impartiality. Calling correct things correct and mistaken things mistaken, objectively, instead of allowing one’s biases to become involved. Notes: May also be written with the repeating mark … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 非非, fairness, impartiality, ramen, TILII nosh, 是々非々, 是是
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landofnudotcom 
So the most ominous forest these days is Wall Street?
魑魅魍魎 chi.mi.mou.ryou Literally: mountain-forest spirit – ghost / bewitch – mountain-water spirit – mountain-water spirit… probably. Alternately: Various malevolent spirits (aka bakemono, 化け物, or mononoke, 物の怪) of the mountains and rivers, born of the “miasma” found in such places. By … Continue reading →