Category Archives: Yojijukugo

I see your Aeschylan harpies

Posted on April 18, 2018 by Confanity

And raise you LOVELY OPERA HARPIES 迦陵頻伽 ka.ryou.bin.ga Literally: “ka” (this character is only used phonetically) – imperial tomb – repeatedly – attend Alternately: A beautiful voice, or a person (especially a woman) who possesses one. This phrase refers to … Continue reading →

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Not the good kind

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Confanity

自暴自棄 ji.bou.ji.ki Literally: self – violence – self – abandon Alternately: Coming unmoored and lashing out, to the point of actually harming one’s own self or interests, in a surfeit of disillusionment or desperation. Impulsive and self-destructive flailing without regard … Continue reading →

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It’s mondo useless!

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Confanity

Apparently the latter word is supposed to be “pseudo-Italian.” Eh. 問答無用 mon.dou.mu.you Literally: question – answer – nothing – use Alternately: “Further discussion is pointless.” “I’m not going to argue any more.” Notes: 問答 is a discussion; in this case, … Continue reading →

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But do we need the sea?

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Confanity

天地無用 ten.chi.mu.you Literally: heaven – earth – nothing – use Alternately: “This side up.” As in, “Please don’t turn this box upside-down.” In this case, 天地 simply refers to “up and down,” and 無用 expresses prohibition.

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Janus

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Confanity

表裏一体 hyou.ri.i-.ttai Literally: surface – back – one – body Alternately: Two things (especially things seen as being in opposition to each other) are inextricably linked, parts of the same whole, opposite faces of the same coin.

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But are we getting a Tucker, a Church, or a Caboose?

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Confanity

起死回生 ki.shi.kai.sei Literally: wake up – death – revolve – life Alternately: Coming back from the brink. Recovering from a seemingly-hopeless situation. A sudden turnaround. A Blue Team win deep in Red Team territory. Notes: Apparently this phrase comes to … Continue reading →

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Think well, go Dan

Posted on March 7, 2018 by Confanity

熟慮断行 juku.ryo.dan.kou Literally: ripen – thought – sever – go Alternately: Thinking over a matter fully and carefully, and then taking decisive action. Instead of jumping the gun with rash action or dithering in eternal indecision, taking the best of … Continue reading →

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The most erudite possible yarble garble harble garble

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Confanity

珍紛漢紛 chin.pun.kan.pun Literally: rare – astray – Han China – astray Alternately: Dense jargon. Gibberish. Nonsense. Incomprehensible, unintelligible, incoherent. Notes: This phrase will usually be written in phonetic kana characters rather than kanji. Even when they are used, the kanji … Continue reading →

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Ka mate, ka ora

Posted on February 21, 2018 by Confanity

生殺与奪 sei.satsu.yo.datsu Literally: life – kill – give – rob Alternately: Controlling people according to one’s whim. Having absolute power over others – to keep alive or kill; to give them things or take things away. Notes: The order of … Continue reading →

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Knockout poor

Posted on February 15, 2018 by Confanity

器用貧乏 ki.you.bin.bou Literally: vessel – use – poverty – scarcity Alternately: Someone gifted with relatively good across-the-board skills… who, because of this, fails to develop any one skill to its full extent and ends up doing things only halfway. A … Continue reading →

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