Tag Archives: Japanese

Who knows Snake Road?

Posted on October 26, 2014 by Confanity

蛇の道は蛇 (Ja no michi wa hebi; “Snakes [know] the snakes’ road”) Definition: People who belong to a certain group are the ones who know the most about the ways of that group. Specialists understand other specialists in their field better … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

From out of the mouth of me, I grab at thee

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Confanity

喉から手が出る (Nodo kara te ga deru; “A hand comes from the throat”) Definition: To want something very, very much; so much that you can hardly stand it. This imaginative metaphor compares desire to physical appetite, and pictures a hunger so … Continue reading →

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

All four of them

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Confanity

喜怒哀楽 ki.do.ai.raku Literally: joy – anger – sorrow – ease/pleasure Alternately: Human emotions. The range of human emotions. All of a person’s emotions.

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

Frog and more frog

Posted on October 12, 2014 by Confanity

One more kotowaza for the frogs. It’ll be something different next week, I promise. 蛙の子は蛙 (Kaeru no ko wa kaeru; “A frog’s child is a frog”) Definition: “Like father, like son.” “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” The … Continue reading →

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

Elbow Grease

Posted on October 8, 2014 by Confanity

Midterms. Already? 切磋琢磨 se-.ssa.taku.ma Literally: cut – scrub/rub – strike – polish/scour/grind (or: cut – polish – polish – polish!) Alternately: Diligent effort. Improving oneself through study. Notes: There’s a fuller phrase, 切磋琢磨し合う (sessa-takuma shiau). The shiau part means “to … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Yojijukugo | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Frog, like honey badger, just don’t care

Posted on October 5, 2014 by Confanity

Another frog kotowaza! Because… I don’t know why. Don’t let it bother you. 蛙の面に水 (Kaeru no tsura ni mizu; “Water in a frog’s face”) Definition: Not being bothered by things at all. No matter what happens, keeping one’s composure, or … Continue reading →

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

Maybe just 85%?

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Confanity

十中八九 ji-.chuu.ha-.kku (or ju-.chuu.ha-.kku) Literally: ten – middle – eight – nine Alternately: Eight or nine out of ten; an 80% – 90% probability; “most likely, X” Notes: This is obviously in the same vein as the previous 九分九厘, and … Continue reading →

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

Big frog, small pond

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Confanity

A kotowaza to encourage exploration and growth. 井の中の蛙大海を知らず (I no naka no kawazu taikai wo shirazu; “The frog in the well knows not the great ocean.”) Definition: A frog at the bottom of a well may look up and see … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

On how to make a mountain

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Confanity

A variation on a theme: 塵も積もれば山となる (Chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru; “Even dust, if it builds up, becomes a mountain”) Definition: Small things, allowed to accumulate, become large. Multiple sources reference the English saying “Many a little makes a … Continue reading →

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

The good kind of erosion?

Posted on September 14, 2014 by Confanity

A kotowaza for students in the new semester: 雨垂れ石を穿つ (Amadare ishi wo ugatsu; “Raindrops drill through stone”) Definition: Mere drips of rainwater, falling from the eaves of a house, again and again in the same spot, will wear a hole in … Continue reading →

Posted in Japanese, Kotowaza | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments