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Category Archives: Yojijukugo
The great insulator
Second only to sudden bereavement – Joan Aiken 一攫千金i-.kkaku.sen.kin Literally: one – take – thousand – gold Alternately: Making a large profit at one stroke without much effort. Note that the instantaneous and easy nature of the wealth in question … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged easy money, Records of the Grand Historian, sudden wealth, the American Dream, windfall, 千金, 史記, 史记, 一獲, 一攫
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A shot, but not in the dark
Completely ignoring the phantom dog (Today I got my second covid vaccine! “Injection” in Japanese is 注射, chuusha, so please enjoy this four-character compound containing 射.) 射石飲羽sha.seki.in.u Literally: shoot – stone – drink – feather Alternately: If you throw yourself … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged all one's might, archery, Chinese Antiquity, 熊渠子, dedication, 韓詩外傳, 韩诗外传, 飲羽, Han shi waizhuan, intense focus, tiger, 射石, 一念
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Seven is just the beginning!
子子孫孫shi.shi.son.son Literally: child – child – grandchild – grandchild Alternately: One’s children and grandchildren; one’s descendants; posterity; until the end of history. Notes: Each repeated character may be written with the repetition mark 々; the second 孫 (in either form) … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Book of Documents, Chinese Antiquity, descendants, generations, to the last syllable of recorded time, 子々, 子子, 孫々, 孫孫, 書経, 書經, 书经
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I can see clearly now; I’m way up high
I can see all obstacles in my way 一望千里ichi.bou.sen.ri Literally: one – see / desire – thousand – ri Alternately: A broad, expansive vista. Being able to see out to a great distance with a single glance; having a bird’s-eye … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 無限, expansive vista, good vantage, Jimmy Cliff, long view, tell me what your elf eyes see, 千里, 千頃, 一望
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We all agree with that man, Joe
And his Bizarre Adventures 満場一致man.jou.i-.cchi Literally: full – place – one – do Alternately: Universal accordance. Unanimity. There is not a single dissenting voice in the entire place / group / assembly. Notes: This is a relatively simple compound of … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 100%, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, shadow puppets, unanimous, 一致, 満場
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A lance where your chin should be
枕戈待旦 chin.ka.tai.tan Literally: pillow – “spear”* – wait – sunrise Alternately: Always ready to give battle. Never dropping your guard or slacking off from necessary preparations. “Sleeping with a weapon as your pillow, awaiting the break of dawn.” Notes: This … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged battle-ready, be prepared, Book of Jin, Chinese Antiquity, unusual pillows, 待旦, 晉書, 晋書, 晋书, 枕戈
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Make sure you get your ball back afterwards
一球入魂 i-.kkyuu.nyuu.kon Literally: one – sphere – enter / insert – soul Alternately: This phrase from the world of baseball refers to putting your full energy and focus into each action; specifically, putting everything you can into each throw of … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Buddhism, heart and soul, maximum effort, suddenly baseball, Yowamushi Pedaru, 入魂, 全力, 弱虫ペダル, 一球, 一蹴
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Why that two-faced rat
Well, he looks that way sometimes 首鼠両端 shu.so.ryou.tan Literally: neck – mouse / rat – both – edge Alternately: Caught in indecision, often between two choices. Vacillating; sitting on the fence. By extension, the phrase can also refer to someone … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 首鼠, Fruits Basket, horns of a dilemma, indecisive, look both ways before crossing, 史記, 史记, 両端
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Double rhyme; wastin’ time
(Imagine my horror when I realized that after a year of pushing through Pandemic Doldrums, I finally managed to completely blank out and miss last week’s yojijukugo. In “honor” of that unwonted error, I’ve chosen a compound containing the character … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged analysis paralysis, ハナグマ, 逡巡, 遅疑, 躊躇, hesitation, indecision, nasua, post debt, 俊循
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For I am the ruler of all that I spoon
杓子定規 shaku.shi.jou.gi Literally: scoop – child – determine – measure Alternately: Assessing everything based on the same criteria, regardless of whether this is appropriate or not. Inflexible; clinging to a single set of rules no matter what. Like trying to … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged dipper, hidebound, inflexible, ladle, old rules need to be changed sometimes, spoon, 定規, 杓子, 柄杓, 梅園叢書
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