Category Archives: Yojijukugo

A danger of focusing solely on PR

Posted on May 3, 2017 by Confanity

有名無実 yuu.mei.mu.jitsu Literally: exist – name – no – fruit / substance / truth Alternately: Something’s substance doesn’t match its reputation. Well-known but unable to deliver. For example, when you have laws on the books designed to protect people from … Continue reading →

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What distant deeps or skies

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Confanity

Don’t you ever look away. 虎視眈眈 ko.shi.tan.tan Literally: tiger – look – watch intently – watch intently Alternately: Vigilantly awaiting an opportunity. Watching intently for an opening. Like a tiger, lying still and staring down its intended prey as it … Continue reading →

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I grind my bones to make my bread

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Confanity

粉骨砕身 fun.kotsu.sai.shin Literally: powder – bone – smash – body Alternately: To work as hard as you can. To give your all. In English we may work our fingers to the bone, but in Japanese you work until your bones … Continue reading →

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Pretty words, pretty face, ugly heart

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Confanity

巧言令色 kou.gen.rei.shoku Literally: skill – word – command – color Alternately: Flattery. Blandishment. Pretty words and ingratiating facial expressions, usually backed by a desire to deceive or manipulate. Making nice with someone but hiding ill intent. Notes: This yojijukugo comes … Continue reading →

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No words, but four characters

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Confanity

言語道断 gon.go.dou.dan Literally: say – language – road – sever Alternately: Outrageous; scandalous; inexcusable; absurd; unreasonable; terrible; something so far beyond the pale that you don’t even have words to describe how crazy it is. Mostly used for bad things. … Continue reading →

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Giving oneself a (winning) hand

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Confanity

得手勝手 e.te.ka-.tte Literally: acquire – hand – win – hand Alternately: Doing whatever you want without regard for other people. Caring only about one’s own needs, desires, or convenience. Selfish or willful behavior. Notes: While toku is a valid reading … Continue reading →

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Maybe later; not yet and not now

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Confanity

古今無双 ko.kon.mu.sou Literally: old – now – nothing – pair Alternately: Something is unmatched from the past to the present. A quality (often, but not always, greatness) is unequaled at any time in history, right up to the present moment. … Continue reading →

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Scattered in the winds

Posted on March 15, 2017 by Confanity

I’m surprised it took me this long to get around to this one…. 支離滅裂 shi.ri.metsu.retsu Literally: branch – separate – destroy / perish – tear apart Alternately: The things someone says, or writes, or says and does, make no sense. … Continue reading →

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Not “an idle and most false imposition,” for once

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Confanity

一体何者なんだ!? 名実一体 mei.jitsu.it-.tai Literally: name / reputation – reality – one – body Alternately: A thing is as it is said to be. The truth of a matter matches its reputation. Title and substance are as one. For example, when … Continue reading →

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A long dark teatime

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Confanity

of the soul? 暗雲低迷 an.un.tei.mei Literally: dark – cloud – low – lost Alternately: A bad or worrying situation, like clouds that look as if they could burst into rain at any moment. A negative situation, such as a recession, … Continue reading →

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