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Category Archives: Yojijukugo
Cheers to that
拍手喝采 haku.shu.ka-.ssai Literally: “musical beat” – hand – shout – gather Alternately: Applause and cheering. Vigorous praise and approval. Notes: 喝, in and of itself, is interesting. One dictionary I use translates it as “scold,” but a little deeper investigation … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged applause, cheering, praise, Supercell, Zen Buddhism, 刀語, 喝采, 拍手, 歌合
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The quick and the subtle
当意即妙 tou.i.soku.myou Literally: appropriate – mind / idea – instant – strange / delicate Alternately: Clever; quick-thinking. Able to handle a situation (appropriately!) as soon as it arises. Notes: This configuration is based on the Buddhist phrase 当位即妙. In this … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Buddhism, four elements, quick grasp, quick wit, understanding, 即妙, 当意, 当位
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As clean and pure as burnished bronze
Yes, bronze is an alloy. You know what I mean. 清廉潔白 sei.ren.ke-.ppaku Literally: pure – pure – clean – white Alternately: Someone’s heart and mind – and their actions in the material world! – are unselfish and fair, moral and … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged ideals, purity, selflessness, the best policy, 弘法, 清廉, 潔白
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My friend Dan
一致団結 i-.cchi.dan.ketsu Literally: one – do – group – bind / join Alternately: Many people joining and working together for a common cause. Notes: This is a compound of compounds. 一致 is “agreement,” “union,” while 団結 is “grouping together,” “teaming … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged chocolate ladybugs, democracy in action, group project, teamwork, 団結, 一致
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Lose yourself in the public flats
公平無私 kou.hei.mu.shi Literally: public – even – no – private Alternately: Impartial; unprejudiced; unswayed by personal interests. Fair. Notes: This comes from our friend the Han shi waizhuan (Japanese 『韓詩外伝』 = Kanshi gaiden). It also has an expanded Japanese-style reading, … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged 無私, even-handed, exactly what we need right now, 韓詩外傳, 韩诗外传, 西郷隆盛, fair, Han shi waizhuan, impartiality, public servants, Saigō Takamori, 公平, 明治維新
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Wrack, wrack, wrack your brains
And your body too! Merrily… ? 意匠惨憺 i.shou.san.tan Literally: mind – artisan – harsh – calm Alternately: Doing one’s utmost in an act of creation (especially artistic creation) or design; painstaking attention to detail and agonizing effort for the purpose … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged attention to detail, careful thought, Du Fu, 讃嘆, maximum effort, 惨憺, 惨澹, 意匠, 杜甫
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Wolves among the flowers
落花狼藉 ra-.kka.rou.zeki Literally: fall – flower – wolf – spread Alternately: Things are scattered or disorganized. Chaos and disorder. Violence, especially violence directed towards women and children. Notes: As with last week’s yojijukugo, this is a compound of compounds, with … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged chaos, current events, 狼藉, 落花, poetry, violence, 和漢朗詠集
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Sedition
乱暴狼藉 ran.bou.rou.zeki Literally: disorder – violence – wolf – spread Alternately: To engage in violent and unlawful behavior; to ignore reason and act wildly and destructively. Rioting; committing outrages. Notes: It is an error to replace 藉 with homophone 籍, … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged criminal violence, 狼藉, Daitaku Temple, history repeats, insurrection, 吾輩は猫である, 夏目漱石, 乱暴
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