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【No. 2112】Shijū Kata/Gojū Kata (四十肩/五十肩 - Frozen Shoulder)

Aug 3, 2023 18:38
Shijū Kata/Gojū Kata

Recently, I have felt a pain in my right shoulder when I lift or move my right arm.

I hope this is not shijū kata (四十肩) or gojū kata (五十肩).

Since shijū (四十) means "forty," gojū (五十) means "fifty," and kata (肩) means "shoulder," the literal meanings of shijū kata and gojūkata are "forty-year-old shoulder" and "fifty-year-old shoulder," respectively.

As people reach their 40s and 50s, they tend to experience symptoms where the shoulder becomes inflamed and loses its smooth movement.

For this reason, the pain in the shoulder joint that occurs with aging has come to be commonly called shijū kata or gojū kata.

Note that these are not official terms representing a specific disease.
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【No. 2111】Ki de Hana wo Kukuru (木で鼻をくくる - Chilling)

Aug 2, 2023 15:46
Ki de Hana wo Kukuru

Have you ever been treated with a cold and unfriendly attitude when you tried to ask someone for advice or initiate a conversation?

That kind of attitude is sometimes described as ki de hana wo kukuru (木で鼻をくくる) in Japanese.


Ki (木) means "wood," hana (鼻) means "nose,' and kukuru (くくる) originates from kokuru (こくる/擦る), which means "to wipe."

Therefore, the literal meaning of ki de hana wo kukuru is "to wipe one's nose with wood."

In the past, when paper was precious, wood was sometimes used to wipe one's nose.

Since wiping one's nose with wood causes one to look unpleasant due to the pain, this phrase has come to carry its current meaning.
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【No. 2110】Ōjōgiwa ga Warui (往生際が悪い - Bad Loser)

Aug 1, 2023 10:44
Ōjōgiwa ga Warui

The Japanese idiom, ōjōgiwa ga warui (往生際が悪い), is used to describe people who try to refuse their fault or defeat, even when they have no other choice.

Since ōjō (往生) is a Buddhist term that means "to die" or "to die and born in the legitimate land of Buddha," and giwa/kiwa (際) means "moment/brink," ōjōgiwa (往生際) literally means "the brink of death."

In addition, warui (悪い) means "bad," so the literal meaning of ōjōgiwa ga warui is "bad at the brink of death."

"Bad at the brink of death" implies someone reluctant to move to the next world, which gives this phrase its current connotation.
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【No. 2109】Ma ni Ukeru (真に受ける - Taking Something as Truth)

Jul 31, 2023 13:43
Ma ni Ukeru

I often believe everything others say, even though it is a joke.

Such a situation can be described as the idiom, ma ni ukeru (真に受ける).

Since ma (真) means "truth," and ukeru (受ける) means "to receive," the literal meaning of ma ni ukeru is "to receive something as truth."

In other words, it means "to take what someone says literally and believe it."

Implicitly, this idiom also means that what someone says would be a joke or a lie.

The other idiom, unomi ni suru (鵜呑みにする), which I introduced before, also carries a similar meaning.

https://lang-8.com/kanotown/journals/29789297153978464155548987221787908163
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【No. 2108】Doyō no Ushi no Hi (土用の丑の日)

Jul 30, 2023 12:04
Doyō no Ushi no Hi

Today is Doyō no Ushi no Hi (土用の丑の日).

Doyō (土用) is a period that comes at the changing of each of the four seasons; it occurs four times a year, and each period lasts for 18 days.

It shares the same pronunciation with doyō (土曜 - meaning "Saturday"), but the kanji and the meaning are different (Incidentally, today is "Sunday").

In addition, Ushi no Hi (丑の日) is the day that corresponds to Ushi (丑) in the cycle of dates based on twelve zodiac signs.

There is/are Doyō Ushi no Hi in each season, and it is most well-known in summer. On this day, we have a custom of eating something beginning with u (う), especially unagi (うなぎ - meaning "eel"), which also has the role of preventing summer fatigue.

Given the record-breaking heat this year, please take extra care to avoid heatstroke.
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【No. 2107】Nen ni wa Nen wo Ireru (念には念を入れる - Taking Extra Precautions)

Jul 29, 2023 17:42
Nen ni wa Nen wo Ireru

I often make various mistakes.

Such people should always try to nen ni wa nen wo ireru (念には念を入れる).

Since nen (念) means "care/precaution," and ireru (入れる) means "to put," the literal meaning of nen wo ireru (念を入れる) is "to put care/precaution (into one's mind)."

By adding nen ni wa (念には) to make nen ni wa nen wo ireru, it can mean taking extra precautions or paying extra attention.

In addition, by using the imperative form of ireru, which is ireyo (入れよ), it becomes the proverb, nen ni wa nen wo ireyo (念には念を入れよ - "Better safe than sorry").
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【No. 2106】Bunsuirei (分水嶺 - Watershed)

Jul 28, 2023 09:56
Bunsuirei

In Japanese, we sometimes refer to the critical turning point where the direction of things is determined as bunsuirei (分水嶺).

Since bun (分) means "part/separate," sui (水) means "water," and rei (嶺) means "ridge," the literal meaning of bunsuirei is "a ridge separating water."

Literally, bunsuirei can also refer to a ridge that separates the directions where rainwater flows.

This term has metaphorically come to mean a crucial turning point determining the direction of events or situations.

Bunsuirei can be translated into English as "watershed," and like in Japanese, it carries two major meanings.
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【No. 2105】Ā Ie ba Kō Iu (ああ言えばこう言う - Having a Smart Mouth)

Jul 27, 2023 15:49
Ā Ie ba Kō Iu

The Japanese idiom, "ā ie ba kō iu" (ああ言えばこう言う), describes a situation where someone always disagrees with what others say by providing various reasons."

Since ā (ああ) means "that," ie/iu (言え/言う) means "to say," and kō (こう) means "this," the literal meaning of this idiom is "when we say that, you say this."

In other words, whenever someone says "that" (advice or persuades), you say "this" (counterarguments).

Lets make an effort to accept others opinions with an open mind.
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【No. 2104】Supercooling

Jul 26, 2023 20:30
Supercooling

Have you ever seen water that starts to freeze when poured or vibrated?

Such water is in a state called "supercooling."

Water usually freezes at 0 degrees Celsius, but if you lower the water's temperature very slowly, it can remain liquid even below 0 degrees. This state is "supercooling."

If you apply vibrations or other stimuli to water in a supercooled state, you can observe an interesting phenomenon: it starts to freeze rapidly.

Incidentally, oolong tea chilled in my room's refrigerator sometimes starts to freeze as I pour it into a glass, making it difficult to drink.

The temperature in the refrigerator might be too low.
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【No. 2103】Yamaba (山場 - A Challenging Situation/Climax)

Jul 25, 2023 21:40
Yamaba

Today, I overcame the most challenging day in recent months.

In such situations, you can use the Japanese expressions, yamaba wo koeru (山場を超える) or yamaba wo norikiru (山場を乗り切る).

Since yama (山) means "mountain/peak," and ba (場) means "place," yamaba (山場) refers to "a challenging situation" or "climax."

Yamaba can be used in both positive and negative contexts; when pared with verbs such as koeru (越える - meaning "to cross") or norikiru (乗り切る - meaning "to get through"), it often implies overcoming a challenging or difficult situation.
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【No. 2102】Shoshin Wasuru Bekarazu (初心忘るべからず - Don't Forget Your First Resolution) Part 2

Jul 24, 2023 16:19
Shoshin Wasuru Bekarazu: Part 2

The other day, I introduced the proverb, shoshin wasuru bekarazu (初心忘るべからず), which means "Never forget the humble and serious attitude you had when you began to learn."

This proverb comes from Zeami, a traditional performer during the Muromachi period.

Originally, this phrase consisted of three parts: Zehi no shoshin wasuru bekarazu (是非の初心忘るべからず), Tokidoki no shoshin wasuru bekarazu (時々の初心忘るべからず), and Rōgo no shoshin wasuru bekarazu (老後の初心忘るべからず).

The words zehi (是非) means "success and failure," tokidoki (時々) means "moment to moment," and rōgo (老後) means "old age."

That is to say, what Zeami was trying to say is that "One should never forget the first experiences at various stages of their lives, from the immature time when they repeated failures to their old age."
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【No. 2099】Shoshin Wasuru Bekarazu (初心忘るべからず - Don't Forget Your First Resolution) Part 1

Jul 21, 2023 20:15
Shoshin Wasuru Bekarazu: Part 1

Today, I would like to introduce one of my favorite proverbs, shoshin wasuru bekarazu (初心忘るべからず).

Since sho (初) means "first," shin (心) means "heart," and the combination shoshin (初心) means "the mind when one first begins to learn something."

In addition, wasuru/wasureru (忘る/忘れる) means "to forget," and bekarazu (べからず) means "to forbid something," the literal meaning of this proverb is "Do not forget to the mind when one first begins to learn something."

In other words, the important thing when learning something is to never forget the humble and serious attitude you had when you began to learn.
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【No. 2098】Makanu Tane wa Haenu (蒔かぬ種は生えぬ - Nothing Comes of Nothing)

Jul 20, 2023 18:54
Makanu Tane wa Haenu

We should not expect to get good results without taking action or making an effort.

To describe this, you can use the Japanese proverb, makanu tane wa haenu (蒔かぬ種は生えぬ).

Since maka/maku (蒔か/蒔く) means "to sow," nu (ぬ) is a negative suffix, tane (種) means "seed," and hae/haeru (生える) means "to grow," the literal meaning of this proverb is "a seed will not grow unless it is sown."

In other words, just as flowers will not bloom without sowing seeds, no good results will occur without your action.
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【No. 2097】Monzen Barai (門前払い - Turned Away at the Gate)

Jul 19, 2023 17:14
Monzen Barai

The action of turning away a visitor without meeting them is called monzen barai (門前払い) in Japanese.

Since mon (門) means "gate," zen (前) means "front," and barai/harai (払い) means "to expel," the literal meaning of this phrase is "to expel someone from the front gate."

Originally, this phrase meant the lightest banishment sentence during the Edo period, which involved expelling the offender from the front gate of the magistrate's office.

This has evolved over time to carry its current meaning.

If you are a visitor who is turned away without meeting anyone, you can say something like monzen barai wo kū (門前払いを食う), using the verb kū (食う), which means "to experience an undesirable situation."
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【No. 2096】Kata no Ni ga Oriru (肩の荷が下りる - Taking a Load off One's Mind)

Jul 18, 2023 13:29
Kata no Ni ga Oriru

Today, I felt relieved of one's burden a little.

The concept of having one's burden or responsibility relieved is expressed as kata no ni ga oriru (肩の荷が下りる) in Japanese.

Since kata (肩) means "shoulder," ni (荷) means "burden," and oriru (下りる) means "to get off," the literal meaning of this idiom is "a burden gets off one's shoulder."

Here, a burden on one's shoulder is a metaphor for one's responsibility or mental burden.

It can be translated into English as "to take a load off one's mind."
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【No. 2095】Chō yo Hana yo (蝶よ花よ - Bringing up with Affection)

Jul 17, 2023 09:55
Chō yo Hana yo

The Japanese phrase, chō yo hana yo (蝶よ花よ), can express a situation where parents raise their children with great care.

Since chō (蝶) means "butterfly," and hana (花) means "flower," the literal meaning of chō yo hana yo is "(you are) a butterfly, a flower."

In Japan, both the terms "butterfly" and "flower" are used as metaphors for something delicate and beautiful, and they also carry the meaning of something to be cherished with great care.

As you can easily imagine, this phrase is usually used for daughters.
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【No. 2094】Isha to Miso wa Furui hodo Yoi (医者と味噌は古いほどよい - Experience Counts)

Jul 16, 2023 08:36
Isha to Miso wa Furui hodo Yoi

People and things that have experienced long years can be valuable and helpful.

To describe this fact, you can use the Japanese proverb, isha to miso wa furui hodo yoi (医者と味噌は古いほどよい).

Since isha (医者) means "doctor," miso (味噌) means "miso (bean paste)," furui (古い) means "old," and yoi (よい) means "better," the literal meaning of this proverb is "the older the doctor and miso, the better."

In other words, older and more experienced doctors are trustworthy, and miso tastes better with time.

If we were to turn it into a foreign proverb, it would be "the older the doctor and wine, the better."
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【No. 2093】Rakuin wo Osareru (烙印を押される - Being Branded)

Jul 15, 2023 14:34
Rakuin wo Osareru

To be subjected to a stigma that is difficult to erase is described as rakuin wo osareru (烙印を押される) in Japanese.

Rakuin (烙印) is a branding mark stamped on a criminal's forehead or a livestock's body, and is used as a metaphor for a mark that will never be erased.

In addition, osareru (押される) means "to be stamped," so the literal meaning of rakuin wo osareru is "to be stamped with a branding mark."

In other words, it refers to being marked with a stigma that cannot be erased for one's lifetime.
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【No. 2092】Kimazui (気まずい - Uncomfortable/Awkward)

Jul 14, 2023 22:56
Kimazui

I can easily create an kimazui (気まずい) atmosphere.

Kimazui is an adjective that describes a situation where you and the other person are uncomfortable; it just can be translated as "awkward."

Since ki (気) means "feeling" and mazui (まずい) means "uncomfortable," kimazui literally means "feel uncomfortable."

When you are in a kimazui atmosphere with someone, you may resolve the awkwardness by daring to say something like kimazui desune (気まずいですね - "It's uncomfortable, isn't it?").

However, please be careful, as it might make things even more awkward.
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【No. 2091】Hito wo Norowa ba Ana Futatsu (人を呪わば穴二つ - Chickens Come Home to Roost)

Jul 13, 2023 15:03
Hito wo Norowa ba Ana Futatsu

Have you ever thought about cursing someone to death?

In such a case, remember the following proverb.

Hito wo norowa ba ana futatsu (人を呪わば穴二つ).

Since hito (人) means "person," norowa/norou (呪う) means "to curse," ana (穴) means "hole," and futatsu (二つ) means "two," the literal meaning of this proverb is "when you curse someone, you need two holes."

If you curse someone to death, someone else will kill you in revenge, and two grave holes will be needed.

That is to say, this proverb is a reminder that if you harm others, it will finally come back to you.