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【No. 2090】Shinketsu wo Sosogu (心血を注ぐ - Devoting One's Life)

Jul 12, 2023 22:05
Shinketsu wo Sosogu

To devote one's life to something is expressed as shinketsu wo sosogu (心血を注ぐ) in Japanese.

Since shin (心) means "heart," ketsu (血) means "blood," and sosogu (注ぐ) means "to pour," the literal meaning of shinketsu wo sosogu is "to pour one's heart and blood into something."

In other words, it implies being so devoted to something that one pours one's entire mind and body.

Instead of shinketsu, you can also use shiryoku (死力) and say shiryoku wo sosogu (死力を注ぐ).

Shi (死) means "death," ryoku (力) means "power,' and shiryoku means "power when faced with death."
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【No. 2089】Take ni Suzume/Yanagi ni Tsubame/Momiji ni Shika (竹に雀/柳に燕/紅葉に鹿 - Match Made in Heaven)

Jul 11, 2023 11:48
Take ni Suzume/Yanagi ni Tsubame/Momiji ni Shika

In my post yesterday, I introduced the phrase "Ume ni Uguisu," which describes something harmonious or well-combined.

Expressions that carry similar meanings to this include take ni suzume (竹に雀), yanagi ni tsubame (柳に燕) and momiji ni shika (紅葉に鹿).

Since take (竹) means "bamboo," and suzume (雀) means "sparrow," the literal meaning of take ni suzume is "a sparrow with a bamboo."

Since yanagi (柳) means "willow," and tsubame (燕) means "swallow," the literal meaning of yanagi ni tsubame is "a swallow with a willow."

Since momiji (紅葉) means "autumn leaves," and shika (鹿) means "deer," the literal meaning of momiji ni shika is "a deer with autumn leaves."

These combinations are all used as high-scoring patterns in the Hanafuda (Japanese card game).
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【No. 2088】Ume ni Uguisu (梅に鶯 - Match Made in Heaven)

Jul 10, 2023 19:21
Ume ni Uguisu

The Japanese phrase, ume ni uguisu (梅に鶯), can describe something harmonious or well-combined, like a picturesque scene.

Since ume (梅) means "Japanese plum," and uguisu (鶯) means "Japanese bush warbler," the literal meaning of ume ni uguisu is "a Japanese bush warbler with/on a Japanese plum."

Have you ever seen a bush warbler perched on a branch of a plum tree?

I have only seen that in pictures or illustrations, but I think it is indeed a harmonious and beautiful combination.

Incidentally, there is a theory that this phrase was created by confusing "bush warbler" with mejiro (メジロ - meaning "Japanese white-eye"), which is similar to a bush warbler and is easier to find.
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【No. 2087】Iki Atari Battari (行き当たりばったり - Haphazard)

Jul 9, 2023 16:44
Iki Atari Battari

I sometimes spend a day just going with the flow without any plan.

Such an act can be described as iki atari battari (行き当たりばったり) in Japanese.

Since iki (行き) means "to go," atari (当たり) means "to bump," and battari (ばったり) is an onomatopoeic word that expresses something suddenly stops.

In other words, the literal meaning of iki atari battari is "to go, bump into something, and then stop." It has come to be used in the sense of "haphazard."
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【No. 2086】Tsura no Kawa Sen-mai Bari (面の皮千枚張り - Very Shameless/Audacious)

Jul 8, 2023 20:29
Tsura no Kawa Sen-mai Bari

People who are VERY shameless and audacious can be described as tsura no kawa sen-mai bari (面の皮千枚張り).

Since tsura (面) means "face," kawa (皮) means "skin," sen (千) means "thousand," mai (枚) is a counter suffix, and bari/hari (張り) means "cover," the literal meaning of this phrase is "a thousand layers of skin cover one's face."

The day before yesterday, I introduced another phrase, tsura no kawa ga atsui (面の皮が厚い - meaning "shameless/audacious"), using atsui (厚い - meaning "thick").

The etymology is the same: if one has multi-layered skin or a thick-skinned face, they lack facial expressions, making them look shameless and audacious.

If you have a thousand layers of skin on your face, no one might be able to see your emotions.
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【No. 2085】Kōgan/Kōgan Muchi (厚顔/厚顔無恥 - Shameless Audacity)

Jul 7, 2023 11:16
Kōgan/Kōgan Muchi

People who are shameless and audacious can be described with the term kōgan (厚顔).

Since kō (厚) means "thick," and gan (顔) means "face," the literal meaning of kōgan is "thick face."

The etymology of this term is the same as that of tsura no kawa ga atsui (面の皮が厚い) in my yesterday's entry.

You can also add muchi (無恥 - meaning "shameless") to kōgan and say the four-character idiom, kōgan muchi (厚顔無恥 - meaning "shameless and audacious").

This four-character idiom came from the oldest Chinese poetry, Shikyō (詩経 - "Shijing," also known as the "Classic of Poetry").
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【No. 2084】Tsura no Kawa ga Atsui (面の皮が厚い - Having a Thick Skin)

Jul 6, 2023 20:27
Tsura no Kawa ga Atsui

People who have no shame and are audacious are sometimes described as tsura no kawa ga atsui (面の皮が厚い) in Japanese.

Since tsura (面) means "face," kawa (皮) means "skin," and atsui (厚い) means "thick," the literal meaning of this phrase is "having thick skin on one's face."

Shameless and audacious people do not change their facial expressions even when they are criticized.

In other words, if one has a thick-skinned face, their facial expressions become scarce, making them appear audacious and shameless.
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【No. 2083】The Japanese Youth Slang Term 'Mi' (み) : Part 3

Jul 5, 2023 10:27
The Japanese Youth Slang Term 'Mi': Part 3

There are other youth slang terms that use the suffix mi, such as the following:

Suki (好き - "to like") → sukimi (好きみ - "liking")
Shindoi (しんどい - "painful") → shindomi (しんどみ - "pain")
Toutoi (尊い/とうとい - "precious") → toutomi (尊み/とうとみ - "preciousness")

The term toutomi is sometimes used as Toutomi Hideyoshi (尊み秀吉) by mixing it with the famous Japanese warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉), which then means "very precious" or "really splendid."

Another special example of using mi is babumi (バブみ).

The term babumi is coined by attaching mi to the onomatopoeia babu babu (バブバブ) or babū (バブゥ), which describes a baby's voice. For men, it means feeling maternal toward a younger woman; for women, it means feeling maternal within themselves when they see a childish man.
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【No. 2081】The Japanese Youth Slang Term 'Mi' (み) : Part 1

Jul 3, 2023 20:50
The Japanese Youth Slang Term 'Mi': Part 1

In recent years, young Japanese people often add mi (み) after various words, especially on Twitter.

While mi was originally a suffix used to turn adjectives into nouns, it could be used only for limited adjectives, such as amai (甘い) or tsurai (つらい). These adjectives change to amami (甘み) and tsurami (つらみ), respectively.

Young people then began to apply the suffix mi to various adjectives or words.

Example:
Yabai (やばい - "awesome") → yabami (やばみ) *original: yabasa (やばさ - "awesomeness")
Ureshī (うれしい - "happy") → Ureshimi (うれしみ) *original: ureshisa (うれしさ - "happiness")
Oishī (おいしい "delicious") → Oishimi (おいしみ) *original: oishisa (おいしさ - "deliciousness")

All of these adjectives should originally be turned into nouns using the more common suffix sa (さ), but mi is used instead.
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【No. 2080】Yabai (やばい - Incredible)

Jul 2, 2023 16:09
Yabai

Japanese young people often use the word, yabai (やばい).

Yabai is an adjective that represents a severe or extreme degree, and it can be used in both negative and positive contexts.

Originally, yabai meant a dangerous or inconvenient situation.

It has changed to mean all negative situations and then to have a positive meaning as well.

Yabai, containing both negative and positive meanings, would be translated into English as "incredible," "awesome," or "oh my gosh."

Yabai is also used as an exclamation, and in that case, it sometimes varies as yabaa (やばっ) or yabba (やっば).
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【No. 2079】Tsumoru Hanashi (積もる話 - A Pile of Stories to Tell)

Jul 1, 2023 20:10
Tsumoru Hanashi

When you meet someone after a long time and have a lot of stories you want to tell, you can use the term, tsumoru hanashi (積もる話).

Since tsumoru (積もる) means "a pile of," and hanashi (話) means "talk/story," the literal meaning of tsumoru hanashi is "a pile of stories."

This term expresses the situation where the stories you want to tell to someone by not meeting with them for a long time.

For example, you can say tsumoru hanashi ga takusan arimasu ne (積もる話がたくさんありますね - meaning "We have a lot of catching up to do, don't we?") or tsumoru hanashi ga tsukimasen ga, sorosoro kaeranai to ikemasen (積もる話が尽きませんが、そろそろ帰らないといけません - meaning "We don't seem to run out of stories to share, but I have to go home soon").
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【No. 2078】Momo Kuri San-nen Kaki Hachi-nen (桃栗三年柿八年 - It often Takes Time to Bear the Fruit of One's Actions)

Jun 30, 2023 14:49
Momo Kuri San-nen Kaki Hachi-nen

Achieving goals often takes a reasonable number of years.

The Japanese proverb, momo kuri san-nen kaki hachi-nen (桃栗三年柿八年), expresses such a fact.

Since momo (桃) means "peach," kuri (栗) means "chestnut," san-nen (三年) means "three years," 'kaki" (柿) means "persimmon," and hachi-nen (八年) means "eight years," the literal meaning of this proverb is "peaches and chestnuts need three years, and persimmon needs eight years."

Just like it takes three years to harvest peaches/chestnuts and eight years to harvest persimmons after sowing the seeds, everything takes a reasonable number of years to achieve results.

Please consider using this proverb if you find someone in a hurry because of a lack of results.
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【No. 2077】Omoi Koshi wo Ageru (重い腰を上げる - Bestiring Oneself)

Jun 29, 2023 22:12
Omoi Koshi wo Ageru

Today I finally started working on a task I had been putting off.

Such a situation can be described with the Japanese idiom, omoi koshi wo ageru (重い腰を上げる).

Since omoi (重い) means "heavy," koshi (腰) means "waist," and ageru (上げる) means "to lift," the literal meaning of this idiom is "to lift one's heavy waist."

Of course, if you have a heavy waist, it is difficult to lift it and stand up.

To lift a heavy waist implies that there will be progress in something.
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【No. 2076】Fungiri (踏ん切り - A Drastic Decision)

Jun 28, 2023 19:23
Fungiri

A drastic decision is called fungiri (踏ん切り) in Japanese.

Fun/fumi (踏ん/踏み) means "to step," and giri/kiri (切り) means "to take a drastic action."

That is to say, fungiri implies that someone makes a drastic decision using a reaction of stepping hard on the ground.

You can say something like fungiri ga tsuku (踏ん切りがつく - meaning "to make up one's mind") with tsuku (つく - meaning "to be in a certain state").

Note that fun (踏ん) in fungiri has the same sound as fun (糞/ふん - meaning "poop"), but its meaning is quite different.

【No. 2075】Yowari Me ni Tatari Me (弱り目に祟り目 - Misfortunes Never Come Singly)

Jun 27, 2023 17:23
Yowari Me ni Tatari Me

I had used my iPhone for two years without a case or film, and there was no scratch on it; however, several days ago, I dropped it on concrete, and now it has many scratches.

Even more unfortunately, today I dropped my MacBook Pro, which I bought a year ago for about $350,000, hard on the floor and it is now distorted.

I am very, very sad.

Such a situation can be described with the proverb, yowari me ni tatari me (弱り目に祟り目).

Since yowari (弱り) means "weak/weakened," me (目) means "condition," tatari (祟り) means "curse," the literal meaning of this proverb is "weakened condition, and curse condition."

In other words, it represents a situation where further misfortune happens when one's mind or body is weak.
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【No. 2074】Han-don (半ドン - Half-holiday)

Jun 26, 2023 17:21
Han-don

The Japanese term han-don (半ドン) describes a day when classes or business ends before noon and the rest of the day is off.

Since han (半) means "half," and don (ドン) comes from the Dutch "Zondag," meaning "Sunday," the literal meaning of han-don is "half Sunday."

In the past, in Japan, it was common for schools and companies to have Saturday afternoons off, and han-don was almost synonymous with "Saturday."

However, the five-day workweek system has recently become widespread, and the term han-don is gradually becoming obsolete.

Incidentally, in the Netherlands and some European countries, the four-day workweek (a three-day weekend) system is being introduced.
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【No. 2073】Emonkake (えもんかけ - Hanger)

Jun 25, 2023 14:31
Emonkake

Have you ever heard of the Japanese word emonkake (えもんかけ)?

Even young Japanese may not have heard of it.

Emonkake is a thin rod-shaped tool to hang clothes, and in recent years, it is usually referred to as hangā (ハンガー - literally "hanger").

Since emon (えもん) means "clothes," and kake (かけ) means "hanging," emonkake literally means "hanging clothes."

Traditional Japanese emonkake are made of long rods for hanging kimono (Japanese clothes), and this term is now sometimes used to distinguish traditional them from common hunger.
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【No. 2072】Warau Kado ni wa Fuku Kitaru (笑う門には福来る - Laugh and Grow Fat)

Jun 24, 2023 19:27
Warau Kado ni wa Fuku Kitaru

Happiness naturally comes to those who are always smiling and to homes filled with joy.

To express this, you can use the Japanese proverb, warau kado ni wa fuku kitaru (笑う門には福来る).

Since warau (笑う) means "laugh," kado (門) means "home," fuku (福) means "fortune," and kitaru (来る) means "to come," this proverb literally means "fortune comes to a laugh-filled home."

Even if you are faced with something difficult or sad, you can overcome it with a smile and a positive attitude.
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【No. 2071】Sode Furi-au mo Tashō no En (袖振り合うも他生の縁 - Even a Chance Meetings Are Preordained)

Jun 23, 2023 10:50
Sode Furi-au mo Tashō no En

In Japan, there is a belief that we should cherish every relationship, even a small one.

The proverb sode furi-au mo tashō no en (袖振り合うも他生の縁) expresses this belief.

Since sode (袖) means "sleeve," furi-au (振り合う/触り合う) means "to touch each other," tashō (他生) means "previous/after life," and en (縁) means "fate/karma," the literal meaning of this proverb is "to touch sleeves each other is karma from a previous life."

In other words, this proverb says that we should cherish every encounter and relationship, no matter how trivial, because it is not by chance but karma from a previous life.
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【No. 2070】Mizu wo Eta Uo (水を得た魚 - A Fish to Water)

Jun 22, 2023 19:29
Mizu wo Eta Uo

Have you ever seen someone who has become lively in their areas of expertise or in a situation where they can shine?

Such a person can be described as mizu wo eta uo (水を得た魚) in Japanese.

Since mizu (水) means "water," eta (得た) means "got," and uo/sakana (魚) means "fish," the literal meaning of mizu wo eta uo is "a fish that got the water."

A fish released into the water will swim lively.

That is to say, the phrase mizu wo eta uo is a metaphor for a lively person in their areas of expertise as a fish swimming lively.