Category Archives: Yojijukugo

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Posted on February 23, 2022 by Confanity

8^| 真一文字ma.ichi.mon.ji Literally: true – one – sentence – character Alternately: Straight as an arrow; as the crow flies; as straight as the written character for the number one, which is just a straight line. By extension; when a person’s … Continue reading →

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A man with a heart of… field

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Confanity

野心満満ya.shin.man.man Literally: field – heart – full – full Alternately: Bursting at the seams with (possibly secret) hopes and desires of grand scope. Burning with ambition. Notes: This is a compound of compounds. 野心 on its own can be used … Continue reading →

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Million-yard stare

Posted on February 9, 2022 by Confanity

Look on my Works, ye Mighty 空空漠漠kuu.kuu.baku.baku Literally: sky / empty – sky / empty – desert / wide – desert / wide Alternately: Vast; indefinitely wide – and empty. Alternately, vague; hazy; ill-defined. When applied to a person, it … Continue reading →

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A cure for what ails ya!

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Confanity

(Not universally applicable, unfortunately.) 応病与薬ou.byou.yo.yaku Literally: answer – disease – give – medicine Alternately: Just what it says on the tin: giving someone medicine appropriate to the illness they are suffering from at the time. By extension, teaching people the … Continue reading →

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All roads lead to Home

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Confanity

異路同帰i.ro.dou.ki Literally: different – road – same – go home / arrive at / result in Alternately: “Different path, same destination.” When differing methodologies produce the same end result. Notes: Synonyms include 殊塗同帰 (shuto douki), in which 殊 (shu, “exceptional”) … Continue reading →

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Eliza, Eliza

Posted on January 26, 2022 by Confanity

There’s a hole in the bag now; an exceptional hole! 嚢中之錐nou.chuu.no.kiri Literally: bag – inside – [possessive particle] – awl / auger / drill Alternately: A person of exceptional ability will show through even if surrounded by large numbers of … Continue reading →

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Greetings from a distant riverside

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Confanity

If only the poets of Chinese Antiquity had had video chat, right? 渭樹江雲i.ju.kou.un Literally: Wei river – tree – large river – cloud Alternately: To miss, to think fondly of, or to worry about a friend who is far away. … Continue reading →

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Ooh, yeah; uh, no?

Posted on January 12, 2022 by Confanity

有耶無耶u.ya.mu.ya Literally: exist – [interrogative particle] – not – [interrogative particle] Alternately: Vague; unclear; noncommittal; unsettled; indefinite; obscure. It’s not clear whether something is, or is not there, or in a certain state, etc. Notes: 曖昧模糊 and 五里霧中 are both considered … Continue reading →

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The preferred state of Mucha

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Confanity

無我夢中mu.ga.mu.chuu Literally: nothing – self – dream – middle / inside Alternately: Utterly absorbed in something; a state of deep concentration or focus. This is usually positive, but it can be negative, as in losing oneself in something; losing control … Continue reading →

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A compassionate landslide

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Confanity

磊磊落落rai.rai.raku.raku Literally: “many stones” – “many stones” – fall – fall Alternately: Generous; tolerant; forgiving; not stressing over little things. Notes: This is a phrase that creates emphasis by doubling: 磊落 (rairaku) on its own has the same meaning. 豪放磊落 … Continue reading →

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