Categories
- Japanese (823)
- Kotowaza (413)
- Yojijukugo (408)
- Long Fiction (6)
- Meta (11)
- Nonfiction (73)
- Poetry (13)
- Short Fiction (20)
- Uncategorized (13)
- World-Building (176)
- Miscellaneous (24)
- Rules (127)
- Setting (69)
- Japanese (823)
Archives
-
Recent Posts
Tag Archives: 孔子
Personal growth vis-a-vis other people’s persons
Don’t pick your nose; just pick your friends! 益者三友、損者三友(Ekisha san’yuu, sonsha san’yuu;“Three beneficial friends, three harmful friends”) Definition: There are three kinds of friends who are good for you and three kinds who are bad for you. The beneficial kinds … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Analects, Confucius, 益者, 論語, flattery, friendship, influence, social harmony, 孔子, 季氏, 損者, 三友
Leave a comment
The best lover is one who breaks your spine
A book lover breaking your book’s spine, I mean. 葦編三絶i.hen.san.zetsu Literally: reed – braid – three – sever Alternately: Reading the same book over and over again. Close, careful, and frequent reading of a text. Notes: Think of a text … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged absolutely no double entendre, bibliophilia, book binding, bookworm, Chinese literature, 葦編, heavy reading, Records of the Grand Historian, Shiji, 史記, 史记, 孔子, 易経, 三絶
1 Comment
Balanced on the head of a hinpin
文質彬彬 bun.shitsu.hin.pin Literally: style – substance – refined – refined Alternately: (A person in whom) external beauty and internal substance are in balance and harmony. Someone unbalanced in favor of their “interior” is crude, plain, unrefined. Someone unbalanced in favor … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Analects, balance, 羽生結弦, 論語, figure skating, harmony, inside, outside, refinement, sophistication, 孔子, 彬彬, 文質
Leave a comment
Soldiers are for war, not for peaceful protests
(Another saying that features 焉. Next week we’ll have something different, I promise.) 鶏を割くに焉んぞ牛刀を用いん (Niwatori wo saku ni izukunzo gyuutou wo mochiin; “Why use a cow-cleaver to cut up a chicken?”) Definition: There’s no need to use powerful tools, or … Continue reading
Nothing but boss fights
(Pun) 人の振り見て我が振り直せ (Hito no furi mite waga furi naose; “Observe the behavior of others; correct your own”) Definition: An admonition to grow and improve by observing those around you. When you see good behavior, you should copy it; when you … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Analects, classical Japanese grammar, 直す, 論語, learning, mirror, negative example, positive example, 孔子, 人の振り
Leave a comment
But humans turn to face our predators
苛政は虎よりも猛し (Kasei wa tora yori mo takeshi; “A cruel government is more terrible than a tiger”) Definition: The harm done by bad governance is worse than that done by a ravenous tiger. People fear wild nature, but often it poses … Continue reading
Not even jackalopes, please
怪力乱神を語らず (Kairyoku ranshin wo katarazu; “Speaking not of spirits and demons”) Definition: A wise person does not indulge in talking about irrational or unreasonable things; a great person does not dabble in conspiracy or superstition. When you make an assertion, … Continue reading →