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Tag Archives: 孔子
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
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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
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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 →