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Essay

【No. 2196】Basashi (馬刺し - Horse Sashimi)

Oct 26, 2023 18:19
Basashi

A few days ago, I had basashi (馬刺し) in Nagano Prefecture.

Since ba (馬) means "horse," and sashi (刺し) means "sashimi (sliced raw meat)," basashi literally means "horse sashimi."

Have you ever had fresh 'basashi'?

Basashi is typically eaten with condiments like ginger and green onions to remove the distinctive smell and dipped in soy sauce, but fresh basashi does not have any bad smell.

In addition, while basashi is low in calories and fat, it is highly nutritious and delicious.

Fresh basashi can only be found in some prefectures such as Kumamoto, Fukushima, and Nagano. If you have a chance, please try to have it.
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【No. 2195】Kōya no Shirobakama (紺屋の白袴 - The Shoemaker's Children Go Barefoor)

Oct 25, 2023 22:27
Kōya no Shirobakama

People who are so busy working on others that they have no time to do their own business are sometimes described as kōya no shirobakama (紺屋の白袴) in Japanese.

Kōya (紺屋) was used in the Edo period to refer to a dyer.

In addition, shiro (白) means "white," and bakama/hakama (袴) is a type of traditional Japanese skirt, so the literal meaning of kōya no shirobakama is "a dyer's white hakama."

In other words, it means that a dyer is so busy dying other people's clothes that they do not even have the time to dye their own hakama.

Please try to use your time not only for others but also for yourself.
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【No. 2194】Gashin Shōtan (臥薪嘗胆 - Struggling against Difficulties)

Oct 24, 2023 22:45
Gashin Shōtan

To endure hardships and continue making efforts to achieve one's goal is called gashin shōtan (臥薪嘗胆).

Gashin (臥薪) means "to sleep on firewood," and shōtan (嘗胆) means "to lick bitter gall," both of which imply to endure hardships.

This four-character idiom originates from a Chinese historical tale and originally meant "to endure hardships willingly never to forget one's desire for revenge."

This is how it came to have its current meaning over time.

It suggests a very long period of hardships and efforts, not a short-term one.
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【No. 2193】Yanagi ni Kaze (柳に風 - Warding Off)

Oct 23, 2023 14:31
Yanagi ni Kaze

People who do not oppose others and smoothly ward things off are sometimes described as yanagi ni kaze (柳に風).


Since yanagi (柳) means "willow," and kaze (風) means "wind," the literal meaning of yanagi ni kaze is "wind against willows."

Willows have long, thin, drooping branches and leaves, and even when a strong wind blows, they sway flexibly and let the wind pass through.

This nature of the willow has given yanagi ni kaze its current meaning.

This idiom is sometimes cited as life's tips for navigating difficulties well.
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【No. 2192】Haisui no Jin (背水の陣 - Burning One's Boats)

Oct 22, 2023 16:51
Haisui no Jin

When one is in a critical situation where they cannot step back and face challenges with a do-or-die resolve, it is described as haisui no jin (背水の陣).

Since hai (背) means "back," sui (水) means "water," and jin (陣) means "formation," the literal meaning of haisui no jin is "formation with one's back to the water."

This idiom originates from a biography contained in Shiki (史記 - "Records of the Grand Historian").

When the warlord Han Xin battled the army of Zhao, he positioned his soldiers with their backs to the river.

By placing them in such a situation where they could not step back, the soldiers fought with determination and won.
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【No. 2190】Kachū no Kuri wo Hirou (火中の栗を拾う - Taking a Risk for Someone): Part 2

Oct 20, 2023 09:53
Kachū no Kuri wo Hirou: Part 2

Based on the fable "The Monkey and the Cat (Le Singe et le Chat)," the French proverb "tirer les marrons du feu" was born, the literal meaning of which is "to pull someone's chestnuts out of the fire."

While its literal meaning suggests "to take a risk for someone," in France, it seems to be commonly used as a proverb meaning "to benefit from someone's risky work."

Incidentally, this proverb is the origin of the American idiom "a cat's paw," which means "to be used as a tool by someone."

Similarly, in Japan, it became the proverb kachū no kuri wo hirou (火中の栗を拾う). However, it is often used in a positive sense, "to take a risk for someone's benefit," rather than in a negative sense as in foreign countries.
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【No. 2189】Kachū no Kuri wo Hirou (火中の栗を拾う - Taking a Risk for Someone): Part 1

Oct 19, 2023 09:44
Kachū no Kuri wo Hirou: Part 1

Taking risks for someone else, with no benefit to oneself, can be described as kachū no kuri wo hirou (火中の栗を拾う).

Since kachū (火中) means "in the fire," kuri (栗) means "chestnuts," and hirou (拾う) means "to pick up," the literal meaning of kachū no kuri wo hirou is "to pick up chestnuts in the fire."

This proverb originates from the French fable "The Monkey and the Cat (Le singe et le chat)," based on Aesop's Fables.

In the story, a monkey has a cat retrieve chestnuts from the fire while promising to share them, but the monkey eats all the chestnuts, and the cat gets burned.
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【No. 2188】Kyōka Suigetsu (鏡花水月 - Phantom)

Oct 18, 2023 17:25
Kyōka Suigetsu

Beautiful things or phantoms that we can see but cannot touch are sometimes described as kyōka suigetsu (鏡花水月).

Since kyō (鏡) means "mirror," ka (花) means "flower," kyōka (鏡花) means "flowers in a mirror."

In addition, sui (水) means "water," and getsu (月) means "moon," so suigetsu (水月) means "a moon reflected on the water."

As can be seen from their literal meanings, both kyōka and suigetsu are visible but cannot be held in your hands.

This is why the four-character idiom kyōka suigetsu has come to hold its current meaning.
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【No. 2187】Meikyō Shisui (明鏡止水 - Clear and Serene)

Oct 17, 2023 18:09
Meikyō Shisui

When someone's mind is completely free of distraction and is perfectly clear, the state is sometimes described as meikyō shisui (明鏡止水).

Since mei (明) means "clear," and kyō (鏡) means "mirror," meikyō (明鏡) means "a clear and spotless mirror."

In addition, shi (止) means "still," and sui (水) means "water," so shisui (止水) means "water that is still."

Both meikyo and shisui can reflect the shape and form of things as they are, which is why the idiom meikyō shisui has come to be used as a metaphor for a "clear mind."

【No. 2186】Jirihin (ジリ貧 - Gradually Becoming Poor)

Oct 16, 2023 20:09
Jirihin

I could say that I am in a situation described with the term jirihin (ジリ貧).

Jirihin is short for jiri jiri to mazushiku naru (ジリジリと貧しくなる).

Jiri jiri (ジリジリ) is an onomatopoeic word representing something moving slowly and gradually forward or backward, mazushiku/mazushī (貧しく/貧しい) means "poor," and naru (なる) means "to become."

Therefore, the literal meaning of jiri hin is "to become gradually poor."

In addition to its literal meaning, jiri hin can also be used to describe that the situation is gradually getting worse.
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【No. 2185】Ato wa No to Nare Yama to Nare (後は野となれ山となれ - After Me the Deluge)

Oct 15, 2023 14:46
Ato wa No to Nare Yama to Nare

If you think, "as long as I can solve the problem at hand, I don't care about anything else," you can express the feeling with the proverb ato wa no to nare yama to nare (後は野となれ山となれ).

Ato (後) means "after," no (野) means "field," nare (なれ) means "become," and yama (山) means "mountain." Therefore, the literal meaning of this proverb is, "after this, let it become a field or a mountain."

In other words, it means that it does not matter to you whether the place becomes a field or a mountain after you are gone.

This proverb is used to describe an irresponsible or resolute attitude.
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【No. 2184】Garyō Tensei wo Kaku (画竜点睛を欠く - Lacking the Finishing Touch)

Oct 14, 2023 17:42
Garyō Tensei wo Kaku

When the most important part of completing something is missing, you can express the situation with the idiom garyō tensei wo kaku (画竜点睛を欠く).

Garyō (画竜) means "painted dragon," tensei (点睛) means "to draw eyes," and kaku (欠く) means "to miss." Therefore, the literal meaning of garyō tensei wo kaku (画竜点睛を欠く) is "to miss drawing the dragon's eyes."

This idiom originates from the story of the Chinese painter "Zhang Sengyou."

Zhang was commissioned to paint four dragons on the temple wall, and he completed a great painting in three days. However, he did not draw the dragons' eyes, reasoning that the dragons would fly out of the wall.

When people called Zhang a liar, he reluctantly drew the eyes of the two dragons. Then the dragons became real and flew away into the sky.
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【No. 2182】Kizi mo Nakazu wa Utaremai (雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい - Silence Keeps Your Safe)

Oct 12, 2023 18:30
Kizi mo Nakazu wa Utaremai

Have you ever faced misfortune because you said something unnecessary?

If you find yourself in such a situation, remember the proverb, kizi mo nakazu wa utaremai (雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい).

Kizi (雉) means "pheasant," naka/naku (鳴か/鳴く) means "to cry," zu (ず) is a negative suffix, utare/utareru (撃たれ/撃たれる) means "to be shot," and mai (まい) indicates "naturally" or "appropriately." Therefore, the literal meaning of this proverb is "if a pheasant does not cry, it will naturally not be shot."

In other words, when a pheasant cries, hunters will notice it, leading it to be shot.

【No. 2181】Dokagui Kizetsu-bu (ドカ食い気絶部 - Overating Fainting Club)

Oct 11, 2023 18:53
Dokagui Kizetsu-bu

Sometimes, I am about to become a member of the dangerous dokagui kizetsu-bu (ドカ食い気絶部).

Since doka (ドカ) is a prefix representing a great degree of something, and gui/kui (食い) means "to eat," dokagui (ドカ食い) means "to eat excessively" or "to overeat."

In addition, kizetsu (気絶) means "fainting," and bu (部) means "club," making the literal meaning of dokagui kizetsu-bu "overeating fainting club."

When you overeat high-calorie and carbohydrate-based foods such as McDonald's humbergers, your bloof sugar level rises rapidly, making you sleepy.

Such people who consume a large amount of carbohydrates and then sleep as if they were fainting are colloquially referred to as members of dokagui kizetsu-bu.

This is a dangerous and life-threatening club, so please do not join dokagui kizetsu-bu.
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【No. 2180】Nekura (根暗 - Gloomy Personality): Part 2

Oct 10, 2023 19:47
Nekura: Part 2

In the 1980s, as a synonym for nekura (根暗 - meaning "gloomy personality"), the term neaka (根明), which means "cheeful personality," also became popular.

However, while nekura continues to be used today, neaka is rarely used.

There is a slang term similar to nekura, called in-kya (陰キャ), which is short for inki na kyarakutā (陰気なキャラクター - meaning "gloomy character").

Its antonym is yō-kya (陽キャ), short for yōki na kyarakutā (陽気なキャラクター meaning "cheeful character"), and yō-kya is more commonly used compared to neaka.

As you can guess, since nekura and in-kya are insulting expressions, you should be careful when using them toward others.
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【No. 2179】Nekura (根暗 - Gloomy Personality): Part 1

Oct 9, 2023 07:19
Nekura: Part 1

People sometimes use the term nekura (根暗) to describe someone with a fundamentally dark personality.

Nekura is short for shōne ga kurai (性根が暗い - meaning "one's personality is dark") and was coined by the manga artist Jun Ishikawa.

In the 1980s, the famous TV entertainer Tamori became fond of this term and used it in a TV program, which led to its popularization.

Originally, nekura means a personality that appears cheerful on the surface but is fundamentally dark. However, today, it is often used to describe a dark personality both on the surface and fundamentally.

【No. 2178】Yūyū Jiteki (悠々自適 - Leisurely)

Oct 8, 2023 18:34
Yūyū Jiteki

Someday, I would like to live a life that is described as yūyū jiteki (悠々自適).

Yūyū jiteki is a four-character idiom that means to live a free and quiet life away from the troubles of the world.

Yūyū (悠々) describes a state of being relaxed and calm.

In addition, jiteki (自適) means to enjoy things as one's heart desires.

A life represented by either yūyū or jiteki is wonderful, and combining them makes it even more awesome.

Unfortunately, I might be leading a life far from both yūyū and jiteki today.
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【No. 2177】Shamisen wo Hiku (三味線を弾く - Making Something Up)

Oct 7, 2023 21:09
Shamisen wo Hiku

The Japanese idiom shamisen wo hiku (三味線を弾く) is sometimes used to describe the act of going along with what someone says or making something up.

Since shamisen (三味線) is one of the traditional Japanese stringed instruments, and hiku (弾く) means "to play," the literal meaning of shamisen wo hiku is "to play the shamisen."

The shamisen is known as an instrument that can be played extemporaneously, while matching the tune to various songs ans music.

This property of the shamisen is believed to be connected to the metaphorical meaning of the idiom shamisen wo hiku.
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【No. 2176】Ryūtō Dabi (竜頭蛇尾 - Anticlimax)

Oct 6, 2023 21:34
Ryūtō Dabi

A situation where one starts off impressively but loses momentum at the end can be expressed with the four-character idiom, ryūtō dabi (竜頭蛇尾).

Ryū (竜) means "dragon," tō (頭) means "head," da (蛇) means "snake," and bi (尾) means "tail," making literal meaning of this idiom "dragon head, snake tail."

In other words, it means that while the beginning (head) is magnificent like a dragon, the end (tail) is thin and weak like a snake.

It is believed that this four-character idiom originated in an ancient Chinese Buddhist Scriptures.

Incidentally, you can use ko (虎 - meaning "tiger") instead of ryū (竜) and say kotō dabi (虎頭蛇尾), which retains the same meaning as ryūto dabi.
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【No. 2175】Kangamiru (鑑みる - Reflecting On)

Oct 5, 2023 10:51
Kangamiru

To consider something with reference to examples is called kangamiru (鑑みる) in Japanese.

Kangamiru was created by verbalizing the word kagami (鏡) or kagami (鑑), which means "mirror."

Originally, the kanji characters 鏡 and 鑑 shared the same meaning. However, today, 鏡 is often used to mean "a tool that reflects objects with light (i.e. a mirror)," while 鑑 is used to mean "reference" or "model."

Incidentally, people sometimes debate whether the appropriate particle to use before kangamiru is ni (に) or wo (を).

Traditionally, ni has been considered appropriate, but the use of wo has been increased, and both are becoming accepted.