Category Archives: Yojijukugo

And the leaves that are green

Posted on January 1, 2020 by

…seem to be green again the next year… but we are not leaves. 年年歳歳 nen.nen.sai.sai Literally: year – year – year/age – year/age Alternately: Every single year. Year in and year out. Notes: As always, the second instance of each … Continue reading →

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‘Tis the season

Posted on December 25, 2019 by

…and the age. 私利私欲 shi.ri.shi.yoku Literally: me/private – benefit/profit – me/private – desire/greed Alternately: One’s own profit; one’s own greed. The self-centered attitude or behavior of someone who is motivated by avarice over all else. Notes: 欲 may also be … Continue reading →

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A stitch in time of crisis

Posted on December 19, 2019 by

一罰百戒 ichi.batsu.hya-.kkai Literally: one – punishment – hundred – warnings Alternately: Making an example of someone. Meting out a punishment not just so one wrongdoer faces consequences, but also so that anyone else considering the same crime is forced to … Continue reading →

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What about Stitch Seizen?

Posted on December 11, 2019 by

理路整然 ri.ro.sei.zen Literally: logic/truth – road – organize – “in that way” Alternately: Of someone’s thoughts or speech: coherent, cogent, rational; following a coherent thread or throughline from premise to conclusion. The nuance in modern usage seems to be of … Continue reading →

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When Debate Club has fewer rules than Fight Club

Posted on December 4, 2019 by

喧々諤々 ken.ken.gaku.gaku Literally: noisy – [doubling mark] – outspoken – [doubling mark] Alternately: A furious uproar; large numbers of people voicing their opinion without restraint or consideration for others. Notes: Naturally, this may be written with repeated characters instead of … Continue reading →

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What was I saying? Ah, yes.

Posted on November 27, 2019 by

閑話休題 kan.wa.kyuu.dai Literally: leisure – talk – rest – topic Alternately: “But setting that aside….” A phrase used to put an end to a digression, aside, or idle chatter, and return the listener’s attention to the main topic or thread … Continue reading →

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Sal mirabilis

Posted on November 20, 2019 by

博引旁証 haku.in.bou.shou Literally: extensive – pull – to the side – evidence Alternately: As one member or side of a dispute or controversy, supporting one’s case by citing an extensive body of examples or material. Presenting a solid, perhaps overwhelming, … Continue reading →

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