Categories
- Japanese (767)
- Kotowaza (387)
- Yojijukugo (379)
- Long Fiction (6)
- Meta (11)
- Nonfiction (73)
- Poetry (13)
- Short Fiction (19)
- Uncategorized (13)
- World-Building (175)
- Miscellaneous (24)
- Rules (127)
- Setting (68)
- Japanese (767)
Archives
-
Recent Posts
Tag Archives: Chinese literature
They do toil, and they do spin
Humans aren’t plants, it turns out; we just raise ‘em. 粒粒辛苦ryuu.ryuu.shin.ku Literally: grain* / drop – grain* / drop – spicy / unpleasant – bitter / suffer Alternately: Hard, steady work. To carry on with plain, painstaking, long-term labor. Elbows … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, 粒々, 粒粒, 辛苦, hard work, pastoral poetry, perseverance, rice farming, 憫農, 李紳
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
Leave a comment
Panta Rhei
流金鑠石ryuu.kin.shaku.seki Literally: flow – metal – melt* – stone Alternately: Incredible heat. Hot enough to soften and melt metal, or even stone. Notes: Bear in mind that there are multiple characters that can be rendered in English as “melt.” 鑠 … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, 焦土, 鑠石, global warming, heat dome, πάντα ῥεῖ, melting, panta rei, scorching heat, Songs of Chu, too hot, 楚辞, 楚辭, 流金
Leave a comment
An ounce of prevention is worth….
Buy it when prevention is cheap, not when cure is costly 治に居て乱を忘れず (Chi ni ite ran wo wasurezu; “In peace, do not forget strife”) Definition: Even in times of peace and safety, it’s still necessary to plan ahead in case … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Book of Changes, Chinese literature, classical grammar, preparation, prevention, when times are easy the wise get going, 易経, 易經, 易经
Leave a comment
Not quite cuckoo
But closer every day 鳩居鵲巣kyuu.kyo.jaku.sou Literally: dove – sit/be [in a place] – magpie – nest Alternately: Taking someone else’s achievements or social position for yourself. Undeservedly stealing someone else’s laurels or spotlight. Notes: This comes from our friend, the … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, Classic of Poetry, 詩経, 詩經, 鳩占, 鳩居, 鵲巣, magpies and doves, nest-building, stolen glory, undeserved status, 召南
Leave a comment
A Sangaria sangria
国破れて山河在り (Kuni yaburete sanga ari; “A country, destroyed; mountain and river, existing”) Definition: The works of humankind – castles, towns, countries – may fall or be destroyed, but the mountains and rivers remain. Kings and kingdoms pass, but Nature endures. … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza
Tagged Chinese literature, Du Fu, endurance, existence, nature, ramune, transience, 国破れて, 國破山河在, 山河, 杜甫
Leave a comment
And the leaves that are green
…seem to be green again the next year… but we are not leaves. 年年歳歳 nen.nen.sai.sai Literally: year – year – year/age – year/age Alternately: Every single year. Year in and year out. Notes: As always, the second instance of each … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged annual, Chinese literature, New Year, yearly, 年々, 年年, 歳々, 歳歳
Leave a comment
What was I saying? Ah, yes.
閑話休題 kan.wa.kyuu.dai Literally: leisure – talk – rest – topic Alternately: “But setting that aside….” A phrase used to put an end to a digression, aside, or idle chatter, and return the listener’s attention to the main topic or thread … Continue reading
Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo
Tagged Chinese literature, digression, 閑話, 間話, setting aside, Water Margin, 水滸伝, 休題
Leave a comment
