Category Archives: Yojijukugo

Runrise, runset, runrise, runset, swiftly fly the years

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Confanity

東奔西走 tou.hon.sei.sou Literally: east – run – west – run Alternately: Keeping busy. Being on the go. Actively involving oneself in something. Notes: There are a number of yojijukugo along the same lines, including 東走西奔 (tou.sou.sei.hon) and 東行西走 (tou.kou.sei.sou).

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The mysterious ways of gods and demons

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Confanity

神出鬼没 shin.shutsu.ki.botsu Literally: god – emit/come out – ghost/demon/oni – sink (downward) Alternately: Appearing and disappearing rapidly or unexpectedly, at will. Elusive. Phantasmal. Mysterious.

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How an undamped system is like the dampest system

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Confanity

This one makes me especially happy, somehow, because it sounds like some kind of crazy banjo. 波瀾万丈 ha.ran.ban.jou Literally: wave – large wave – 10,000 – measure Alternately: (Life is full of) dramatic highs and lows. (Life is) like ocean … Continue reading →

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Technically this post includes all the other posts I will ever have made….

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Confanity

森羅万象 shin.ra.ban.shou Literally: forest – spread out / gauze – 10,000 – image / elephant Alternately: All of nature. Everything in existence. Keep in mind that the number 万, while literally meaning “ten thousand,” stands for any uncountably vast numbers … Continue reading →

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It helps that she didn’t need to deal with year-long leases.

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Confanity

One more thing for Mother’s Day. 孟母三遷 mou.bo.san.sen Literally: [Mencius] – mother – three – change Alternately: The importance of creating or finding an environment that aids a child’s education. Mencius’ mother, the story goes, changed between three different residences … Continue reading →

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But do you *have* to be on a horse for it to count?

Posted on May 6, 2015 by Confanity

一騎当千 i-.kki.tou.sen Literally: one – equestrian – hit – thousand Alternately: Mighty. So strong that a thousand opponents still cannot match them. Notes: This can be expanded to the descriptive noun phrase 一騎当千の兵 (ikkitousen no tsuwamono), “a warrior who can … Continue reading →

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Kindred spirits, thrown together

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Confanity

意気投合 i.ki.tou.gou Literally: mind – spirit – throw – join Alternately: Getting along with someone really well. Hitting it off. Finding a kindred spirit. Mutual understanding. Perfect concordance. Note: For some reason it’s easy for me to start thinking that … Continue reading →

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Otherwise they’ll just make do with some energetic jumping, apparently.

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Confanity

Here’s one thematically similar to Sunday’s kotowaza: 窮鼠噛猫 kyuu.so.gou.byou Literally: destitute / suffering / cornered – mouse / rat – bite – cat Alternately: A cornered rat will bite at a cat. Those in desperate straits will become unexpectedly fierce. … Continue reading →

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Three weeks until the semester ends. How are you doing?

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Confanity

余裕綽々 yo.yuu.shaku.shaku Literally: surplus/extra – abundant – lenient/loose – [doubling mark] Alternately: Calm; unhurried; unphased. Notes: The symbol 々 is not in and of itself a kanji. Rather, it indicates that the previous kanji is used a second time – … Continue reading →

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You can lead a field to water, but you can’t… hang on.

Posted on April 8, 2015 by Confanity

我田引水 ga.den.in.sui Literally: I/self – (rice) field – pull – water Alternately: “Drawing water for one’s own field.” Serving only your own interests. Saying and doing what’s best for your convenience without consideration for others. Notes: In Japan, where wet … Continue reading →

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