Tag Archives: tiger

A shot, but not in the dark

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Confanity

Completely ignoring the phantom dog (Today I got my second covid vaccine! “Injection” in Japanese is 注射, chuusha, so please enjoy this four-character compound containing 射.) 射石飲羽sha.seki.in.u Literally: shoot – stone – drink – feather Alternately: If you throw yourself … Continue reading →

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In which a biographer is like a taxidermist

Posted on June 26, 2017 by Confanity

Maybe an Uberdermist, these days. 虎は死して皮を留め人は死して名を残す (Tora wa shi shite kawa wo todome hito wa shi shite na wo nokosu; “A tiger dies and leaves a skin, a person dies and leaves a name”) Definition: Live well. Live so that … Continue reading →

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What distant deeps or skies

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Confanity

Don’t you ever look away. 虎視眈眈 ko.shi.tan.tan Literally: tiger – look – watch intently – watch intently Alternately: Vigilantly awaiting an opportunity. Watching intently for an opening. Like a tiger, lying still and staring down its intended prey as it … Continue reading →

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Fake it ’til you can make a break for it?

Posted on March 5, 2017 by Confanity

虎の威を借る狐 (Tora no i wo karu kitsune; “a fox borrowing a tiger’s menace”) Definition: A person without much personal authority, power, or menace, such as a child or servant, acting high and mighty due to their association with someone who … Continue reading →

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Beasts at the gates!

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Confanity

前門の虎後門の狼 (Zenmon no tora koumon no ookami; “A tiger at the front gate, a wolf at the rear”) Definition: “Out of the frying pan, into the fire.” While you were driving away a tiger at the front gate, a wolf … Continue reading →

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