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Category Archives: Yojijukugo
Like a tax code, perhaps
“Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.” – Commissioner Pravin Lal, “U.N. Declaration of Rights,” Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri 複雑怪奇 fuku.zatsu.kai.ki Literally: multiple – miscellaneous – mystery – … Continue reading
It was the best of stuff, it was the worst of stuff
玉石混淆 gyoku.seki.kon.kou Literally: jewel – stone – mix – mix Alternately: Good mixed with bad. Valuable things mixed together with worthless things. Wheat and chaff. Notes: Rare character 淆 may be replaced with 交 without any change in meaning or … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Baopuzi, 玉石, good and bad, mixed together, wheat and chaff, 抱朴子, 混淆, 混交
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Mere anarchy
Does the candy association accept this member mint? 四分五裂 shi.bun.go.retsu Literally: four – part – five – split Alternately: Disintegration. Things coming apart. Order breaking down and chaos taking over. Notes: The 分 may also be pronounced bu, although this … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Ayanami Rei, chaos, disintegration, disorder, Records of the Grand Historian, 史記, 四分, 張儀, 五裂
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One piece of sushi?
寿司一貫 is the correct counter! 終始一貫 shuu.shi.i-.kkan Literally: end – begin – one – pierce Alternately: Unchanging. Consistent. Without any variation, straight through from beginning to end, especially in one’s way of doing things. Notes: This phrase comes to us … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged all the way through, ワンパンマン, consistent, 王莽, 終始, unchanging, 寿司, 一貫, 漢書
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He’s a guy of delusions, alright
But is it still paranoia if you’re guilty of crimes? 被害妄想 hi.gai.mou.sou Literally: incur – harm – delusion – thought Alternately: A persecution complex. Paranoia. A deluded belief that one is being unfairly singled out, specifically targeted, or harmed even … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged delusion, 被害, paranoia, persecution complex, 妄想
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Do emus dream of venomous sheep?
同床異夢 dou.shou.i.mu Literally: same – bed – different – dream Alternately: Even though two people share some external thing in common – where they live, where they work, their situation, etc. – they have different goals, priorities, or ways of … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 異夢, different dreams, 陳亮, same situation, TRPG, 同床
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In-laws memorization
疑心暗鬼 gi.shin.an.ki Literally: doubt – heart – dark – ghost Alternately: Once you allow suspicion or fear into your heart, everything will start to seem menacing. Even though nothing is actually there, a doubting heart fills the darkness with monsters. … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 疑心, doubting heart, Liezi, paranoia, scared of the dark, UmetoraP, 列子, 暗鬼
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In one ear and then who cares?
[Insert tofu joke here] 馬耳東風 ba.ji.tou.fuu Literally: horse – ear – east – wind Alternately: When a person utterly fails to heed what others have to say. Opinions, criticism, and so on just go in one ear and out the … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 馬耳, in one ear and out the other, Li Bai, not listening, problem child, 李白, 東風
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We need to make our own light
Contact your representatives! 広宵大暮 kou.shou.tai.bo Literally: wide – evening – big – sunset Alternately: This is a phrase used to express great sadness and lamentation after someone’s death. Notes: Both 広宵 and 大暮 express the idea of night that stretches … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 維人, death, endless night, lamentation, 大暮, 広宵, 文選
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