Tag Archives: ホトトギス

You kiss your mother with that mouth?

“No, but I do eat reptiles.” あの声で蜥蜴食らうか時鳥(Ano koe de tokage kurau ka hototogisu;“With such a sweet voice, do you devour lizards, o lesser cuckoo?”) Definition: You can’t judge a book by its cover. People and things often have aspects that … Continue reading

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

And still the generations of the birds sing through our sighing

(Elizabeth Barret Browning, “Patience Taught by Nature”) 鳴くまで待とう時鳥(Naku made matou hototogisu;“We shall wait until it sings – The lovely cuckoo”) Definition: An expression of patience, of waiting for something good to happen or a good opportunity to arise. If the … Continue reading

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment