Hebi ni Niramareta Kaeru (A Frog Aimed by a Snake)
Hebi ni Niramareta Kaeru
蛇に睨まれた蛙
Today I will talk about the Japanese proverb “hebi ni niramareta kaeru.”
今日は「蛇に睨まれた蛙」ということわざを紹介します。
The literal meaning of this proverb is “a frog aimed by a snake,” and it expresses that someone stands frozen in front of something scary.
このことわざは、苦手なものや怖いものの前で、立ちすくんでしまう様子を表します。
Since snakes swallow frogs, snakes are regarded as a natural enemy of frogs, and this proverb was made.
蛇は蛙を丸呑みすることから、蛇は蛙の天敵とされ、このようなことわざができました。
By the way, it is famous in Japan that snakes, frogs and slugs are natural enemies to each other; this relationship is called “sansukumi” (three-way standoff), and it is similar to scissors-paper-rock.
ちなみに、蛇と蛙とナメクジは、じゃんけんのように三すくみの関係にあることで有名です。
Frogs can eat slugs, but snakes’ venom doesnt work to slugs, and slugs mucus melt snakes’ body.
蛙はナメクジを食べることができますが、ナメクジには蛇毒が効かず、身体の粘液で蛇を溶かしてしまいます。
