Ushiroyubi wo Sasareru (後ろ指を指される – Being Talked Behind One’s Back)
Ushiroyubi wo Sasareru
後ろ指を指される
When someone says something bad about you without you knowing it, your situation is described as ushiroyubi wo sasareru (後ろ指を指される) in Japanese.
本人の知らないところで悪口を言われることを、「後ろ指を指される」と言います。
Since ushiro (後ろ) means “back/behind,” yubi (指) means “finger,” and sasareru (指される) means “being pointed at (by someone),” the literal meaning of yubi wo sasareru is “being pointed (at/from) behind by someone.”
「後ろ」は “back/behind”、「指」は “finger”、「指される」は “being pointed at (by someone)” を意味するので、「後ろ指を指される」の文字どおりの意味は “being pointed (at/from) behind by someone” です。
The act of pointing at someone is considered rude in many countries around the world.
人に対して指をさす行為は、世界の多くの国で失礼とされています。
This phrase implies that pointing at someone from behind without his/her knowledge equals to saying badly about him/her.
本人に気づかれないように後ろから指をさすということは、その人を悪く言っているということです。
