Category Archives: Yojijukugo

In honor of the coming era

Posted on April 3, 2019 by Confanity

外交辞令 gai.kou.ji.rei Literally: outside – mix – word – decree Alternately: Tact and flattery. Phrasing a message to most please the listener, or going out of your way to praise and compliment them, without any sincere intent beyond the desire … Continue reading →

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Kackling

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Confanity

呵呵大笑 ka.ka.tai.shou Literally: scold – scold – big – laugh/smile Alternately: Laughing Out Loud. Hearty laughter. Notes: As usual, the second 呵 can be replaced with the doubling mark 々. 大 may also be pronounced dai, although this seems to … Continue reading →

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Pride cometh

Posted on March 19, 2019 by Confanity

Every castle is undefeated… for some while! 難攻不落 nan.kou.fu.raku Literally: difficult – attack – not – fall Alternately: Nigh impervious to assault. Difficult even to attack, much less to actually bring down, like a near-impregnable castle. By extension, a situation … Continue reading →

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Seal up your lips, and give no words

Posted on March 13, 2019 by Confanity

But mum! 他言無用 ta.gon.mu.you Literally: other – say – no – use Alternately: “Don’t talk about this to anyone.” “Loose lips sink ships.” Notes: 言 may also be pronounced gen. In contrast to the aphoristic nature of most yojijukugo, this … Continue reading →

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A long and winding situation

Posted on March 6, 2019 by Confanity

紆余曲折 u.yo.kyoku.setsu Literally: crouch – too much – bend – fold / fracture Alternately: 紆余 refers to something, especially a road, being full of twists and turns. 曲折 similarly refers to something being bent or zig-zag. Put them together and … Continue reading →

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Pricier than formula and sunscreen!

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Confanity

(Just a reminder: hi is pronounced like “hee”) 乳母日傘 on.ba.hi.gasa Literally: milk / breast – mother – sun – umbrella Alternately: Raising a child with the utmost care. By extension, coddling and excess in child-rearing. Raising hothouse children. From the … Continue reading →

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Helioseismology burp?

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Confanity

日進月歩 ni-.sshin.ge-.ppo Literally: day – advance – month – walk Alternately: Steady progress. A relatively smooth and rapid advance, especially of improvement or development in a positive direction. Notes: This compound has a surprising construction. In general, 日X月Y means something … Continue reading →

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Put some feelings into it!

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Confanity

Also chutzpah. And coriander. 感情移入 kan.jou.i.nyuu Literally: emotion – feelings – shift – enter Alternately: Empathy. The ability to sense and share in the feelings of others. Alternatively, the tendency to project one’s own perception of emotions onto a work … Continue reading →

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No relation to Indian spices

Posted on February 6, 2019 by Confanity

Or to gum! 我武者羅 ga.mu.sha.ra Literally: oneself – warrior – person – gauze Alternately: Fixated on a goal to the point of blinding oneself to everything else. Charging ahead without looking to see what else is coming or what lies … Continue reading →

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Empty Ron, Full Harry

Posted on January 30, 2019 by Confanity

空理空論 kuu.ri.kuu.ron Literally: empty – logic – empty – discourse Alternately: A theory with little relation to reality and thus of no use. Flights of fancy far from facts.

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