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Category Archives: Japanese
Your choice: on a rock, or in a brier
Suddenly I feel like this one is about grad school. 石の上にも三年 (Ishi no ue ni mo sannen; “Three years, even on top of a rock”) Definition: With perseverance, one can overcome hard times and achieve one’s goals. A saying about … Continue reading
The mysterious ways of gods and demons
神出鬼没 shin.shutsu.ki.botsu Literally: god – emit/come out – ghost/demon/oni – sink (downward) Alternately: Appearing and disappearing rapidly or unexpectedly, at will. Elusive. Phantasmal. Mysterious.
The esoteric meaning of nice weather
We’re a bit late on this one, but it’s appropriate because recent weather has had me wishing it were still cool and spring-like. 暑さ寒さも彼岸まで (Atsusa samusa mo higan made; “Heat and cold until the equinox”) Definition: Summer heat potentially lasts … Continue reading
How an undamped system is like the dampest system
This one makes me especially happy, somehow, because it sounds like some kind of crazy banjo. 波瀾万丈 ha.ran.ban.jou Literally: wave – large wave – 10,000 – measure Alternately: (Life is full of) dramatic highs and lows. (Life is) like ocean … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged drama, highs and lows, ocean waves, wild swings, 波瀾万丈, 波乱万丈
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The warm and friendly heart of a fish
魚心あれば水心 (Uogokoro areba mizugokoro; “If fish-heart, then water-heart.”) Definition: If you show good will and courtesy, others will show the same to you. If the fish acts friendly to the water, the water will in turn befriend the fish. Breakdown: … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged 魚心, fish, friendly, heart, reciprocity, water, 水心
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Technically this post includes all the other posts I will ever have made….
森羅万象 shin.ra.ban.shou Literally: forest – spread out / gauze – 10,000 – image / elephant Alternately: All of nature. Everything in existence. Keep in mind that the number 万, while literally meaning “ten thousand,” stands for any uncountably vast numbers … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Dhammapada, everything, Excel Saga, exitence, 森羅, 万象
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It helps that she didn’t need to deal with year-long leases.
One more thing for Mother’s Day. 孟母三遷 mou.bo.san.sen Literally: [Mencius] – mother – three – change Alternately: The importance of creating or finding an environment that aids a child’s education. Mencius’ mother, the story goes, changed between three different residences … Continue reading
Once a sparrow, always a sparrow!
Here’s the experiential equivalent to last week’s 三つ子の魂百まで. 雀百まで踊り忘れず (suzume hyaku made odori wasurezu; “The sparrow, until 100, doesn’t forget [its] dance”) Definition: What you learn in your youth stays with you your whole life. Just as the sparrow maintains … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged custom, 百まで踊り忘れず, dance, don't forget, 雀, habit, old grammar, sparrow
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But do you *have* to be on a horse for it to count?
一騎当千 i-.kki.tou.sen Literally: one – equestrian – hit – thousand Alternately: Mighty. So strong that a thousand opponents still cannot match them. Notes: This can be expanded to the descriptive noun phrase 一騎当千の兵 (ikkitousen no tsuwamono), “a warrior who can … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged mighty warrior, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Taiheiki, 当千, 一騎
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