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Category Archives: Yojijukugo
A compassionate landslide
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
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 磊々落々, 磊磊落落, 磊落, easygoing, generosity, tolerance, 晉書, 晋書, 晋书
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The bread and butter of foreign affairs
As long as it doesn’t devolve into something like the Butter Battle Book? 内政干渉nai.sei.kan.shou Literally: inside – government – dry / ebb / interfere – ford [a river] / involve Alternately: Interference in another country’s government or domestic politics. Interventionism. … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged interference, international relations, intervention, physics, 内政, 干渉, 不干渉
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Hot and cold with the same breath
It turns out that it’s a highly-adapted survival mechanism 熱願冷諦netsu.gan.rei.tei Literally: heat – request – chill – truth / give up Alternately: Wishing ardently for something, then rigorously investigating it or dispassionately facing its reality, especially the reality that what … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 熱願, earnest desire, facing reality, heartfelt wishes, know when to quit, truth, 冷諦, 四諦
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Learning from the past about learning from the past
But how often does the lesson actually “take”? 痛定思痛tsuu.tei.shi.tsuu Literally: pain – determine – think – pain Alternately: Remembering pain after one has recovered from it. By extension, looking back on something negative in the past (including e.g. one’s mistakes … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 痛定, 韓愈, 韩愈, Han Yu, learn from the past, remembering pain, warnings, 思痛
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Lose the I, keep the cat
則天去私soku.ten.kyo.shi Literally: follow – sky – leave – private / I Alternately: Giving up one’s egotism and selfish desires, and living in accordance with the natural order. Notes: This phrase is attributed to Natsume Soseki, who in his later years … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 眼鏡, Natsume Soseki, natural living, transcendentalism, unselfish, 則天, 去私, 夏目漱石, 人間以下
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Four steps or you stumble
It all boils down to the need for as many people as possible to agree to be good dancing partners for everyone else 礼楽刑政rei.gaku.kei.sei Literally: ceremony – leisure – punishment – government **but see below! Alternately: The four pillars necessary … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Confucianism, 礼節, 礼记, 禮記, 音楽, foundations, good governance, social order, 刑罰, 政令
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Now with more star power
As in literally not just the north star, but six other stars 泰山北斗tai.zan.hoku.to Literally: Tai – mountain – north – dipper Alternately: A leading and respected figure in a given field; someone of immense personal authority by whose standard others … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged authority, big dipper, 韓愈, 韩愈, Han Yu, leaders, Mount Tai, New Book of Tang, Tolkien, 北斗, 新唐書, 新唐书, 泰山
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You and I, wacky together
Armpit noises??? 用和為貴you.wa.i.ki Literally: (to) use – harmony – do – valued Alternately: A statement that the most important thing is good relations between people. One should cherish positive interpersonal relations in all of society. Notes: This one is in … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged ancient constitutions, Chinese Antiquity, Classic of Rites, 為貴, 用和, 礼記, 礼记, 禮記, 聖徳太子, Japanese antiquity, Lijing, social harmony, the importance of peace, 十七条憲法
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From sea to shining sea to another sea to yet another sea
Earning an A+, though, not a C 海内無双kai.dai.mu.sou Literally: ocean – inside – not – pair Alternately: Top-ranked in the nation, or in the world. Without peer. Notes: This compound comes from our friend, the ancient poetic anthology Wen Xuan … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged artistic sushi, best in the world, 無双, 無比, excellent, matchless, peerless, unparalleled, 四海, 天下, 文选, 文選, 海内
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Under the bushel you go, light!
Reading doujinshi for the Buddha’s sake. 和光同塵wa.kou.dou.jin Literally: harmony – light – same – dust Alternately: An especially wise or talented person hiding their abilities (often through self-effacement) and living a common life among the common people. In a Buddhist … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese Antiquity, Dàodé Jīng, 老子, 道德經, 道德经, hiding away, modest living, secret mission, 同塵, 和光
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