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【No. 2122】Sanmai/Zanmai (三昧 - Indulgence)

Aug 13, 2023 16:51
Sanmai/Zanmai

When concentrating on something and doing nothing but that, you can use the Japanese term, sanmai/zanmai (三昧).

Sanmai is a Buddhist term that means to concentrate one's mind on a single object.

The term sanmai is rarely used on its own and is usually attached to the stem of a noun, where it is read as zanmai.

For example, you can use it as in gēmu zanmai (ゲーム三昧) when you are engrossed in playing games, or dokusho zanmai (読書三昧) when you are absorbed in reading.

In addition, by using the term, zeitaku (贅沢 - meaning "luxury"), as in zeitaku zanmai (贅沢三昧), it conveys the meaning of "indulging in luxury."
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【No. 2121】Kangeki wo Nū (間隙を縫う - Making Effective Use of Spare Time)

Aug 12, 2023 20:15
Kangeki wo Nū

The Japanese idiom, kangeki wo nū (間隙を縫う), refers to doing something while passing through a small gap between things.

Since kangeki (間隙) means "gap," and nū (縫う) means "to pass through," the literal meaning of kangeki wo nuu is "to pass through a gap."

This idiom is a little formal, and in actual conversation, the term sukima zikan (スキマ時間 - meaning "spare time") is often used instead of kangeki (間隙), as in sukima zikan wo katsuyō suru (スキマ時間を活用する - meaning "to make effective use of spare time").

A few days ago, I started playing "Pikumin 4," which reminded me of the importance of sukima jikan.
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【No. 2120】A Gift of a Tractor

Aug 11, 2023 14:41
A Gift of a Tractor

Slack displays various congratulatory messages when there are no unread messages.

In the English (US) version of Slack, I found some interesting messages as follows:

"You're all read. Here's a pony."

"You're all read. Here's a tractor."

I believe that a pony, as something given for birthdays, is commonly known in the West.

However, I could not quite understand the meaning of giving a tractor.

Could it be that a "pony" and a "tractor" represent something delighted to receive for girls and boys/men, respectively?

Incidentally, in the English (UK) version of Slack, a "unicorn" is used instead of a "pony."

【No. 2119】Tamahyun (タマヒュン - Stomach Drop)

Aug 10, 2023 12:13
Tamahyun

When playing "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," I frequently encounter a phenomenon called tamahyun (タマヒュン).

Since tama (タマ) is a slang term for "balls/testicles," and hyun (ヒュン) is an onomatopoeic word representing that something shrinks, the literal meaning of tamahyun is "one's balls shrink."

Have you ever felt a sensation like your stomach shrinking when watching a video of someone working at great heights or falling from a high place in a game?

The sensation is known colloquially as tamahyun.

It is unclear whether the testicles actually shrink or not, but at least for men, we feel as if they are.

【No. 2118】Ikitsuke (行きつけ - Regular)

Aug 9, 2023 09:24
Ikitsuke

I go to a nearby hot spring two to three times a week.

You can use the Japanese term, ikitsuke (行きつけ), to describe such a facility, shop, or restaurant, that you frequently visit.

Since iki (行き) means "go," and tsuke (つけ) means "always," the literal meaning of ikitsuke is "always go."

This term is often used for restaurants or hair salons, and it is especially fitting for cases where you are familiar with the staff or owner.

For a hospital or dental clinic that you always visit (or the doctor there), you can use kakari (かかり - meaning "be treated") and say kakaritsuke (かかりつけ).

【No. 2117】Atosaki Kangaezu (後先考えず - Without Considering the Consequences)

Aug 8, 2023 12:43
Atosaki Kangaezu

Yesterday, while in a state described as atosaki kangaezu (後先考えず), I purchased an expensive game console.

Since ato (後) means "after," saki (先) means "before/future," kangae/kangaeru (考え/考える) means "to consider," and zu (ず) is a negative suffix, atosaki kangaezu literally means "without considering before or after."

Acting without considering past experiences or future consequences could lead to failure and regret.

However, it is also not good to just keep thinking without taking any action.

I believe that balance is the key to everything.
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【No. 2116】Hanabi (花火): Part 2

Aug 7, 2023 14:45
Hanabi: Part 2

In Japan, omocha hanabi (おもちゃ花火) is also common.

Since omocha means "toy," the literal meaning of omocha hanabi is "toy fireworks."

Among the various typed of omocha hanabi, especially senkō hanabi (線香花火) is fleeting and beautiful.

Since senkō (線香) means "incense stick," the literal meaning of senkō hanabi is "incense stick fireworks."

It is said that the name senkō hanabi comes from the fact that people used to play with them by standing them up like an incense stick (now, they are used by hanging the tips down).

Senkō hanabi (known as "sparkler") uses a small amount of black powder, and it allows you to enjoy various burning patterns over time and with changes in temperature.

【No. 2115】Hanabi (花火): Part 1

Aug 6, 2023 15:13
Hanabi: Part 1

Last night, I watched hanabi (花火) through the window of my workplace.

The characters hana (花) and bi/hi (火) mean "flower" and "fire," respectively, so the literal meaning of hanabi is "flower fire," but it actually refers to "fireworks."

It is believed that they are named hanabi because they are as if flowers blooming in the night sky.

In addition, if you switch the characters hana and bi/hi and say hibana (火花), it means "spark" or "finely scattered fire."

You can also say that hanabi contain hibana of various colors and shapes.
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【No. 2114】Būmeran ga Sasaru (ブーメランが刺さる - Boomeranging)

Aug 5, 2023 21:58
Būmeran ga Sasaru

Have you ever experienced a situation where your criticism or advice to others has come straight back to you?

In such situations, you can use the slang phrase, būmeran ga sasaru (ブーメランが刺さる) or simply būmeran (ブーメラン).

Since būmeran means "boomerang," and sasaru (刺さる) means "to stick," the literal meaning of būmeran ga sasaru is "a boomerang sticks (to oneself)."

As you can imagine, this phrase is a metaphor where your words come back to you like a boomerang.

Especially when a harsh criticism boomerangs back to you, you can use the term tokudai būmeran (特大ブーメラン - meaning "an extra-large boomerang").
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【No. 2113】Surume Gē (スルメゲー)

Aug 4, 2023 20:56
Surume Gē

Recently, I came across the term surume gē (スルメゲー).

Since surume (スルメ) means "dried squid," and gē is an abbreviation for gēmu (ゲーム - meaning "game"), the literal meaning of surume ge is "dried squid game."

It does not mean a game where you manipulate dried squid.

Just like dried squid, which tastes better the more you chew it, surume gē refers to an attractive game that becomes more fun the more you play it, even if it is not fun at first.

Similarly, a song that becomes more appealing the more you listen to it is called surume kyoku (スルメ曲 - literally means "dried squid song").
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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.