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【No. 1942】Teki ni Shio wo Okuru (敵に塩を送る - Helping One's Enemy in Difficulty)

Aug 20, 2021 14:42
Teki ni Shio wo Okuru

When you help your enemy in trouble or distress, it is called teki ni shio wo okuru (敵に塩を送る) in Japanese.

Since teki (敵) means "enemy," shio (塩) means "salt,' and okuru (送る) means "to send," the literal meaning of teki ni shio wo okuru is "to send salt to the enemy."

This phrase was coined from the following anecdote:
In the Sengoku period (period of warring states in Japan), Kenshin UESUGI sent salt to save people living in his enemy's (Shingen TAKEDA's) territory, who were suffering from a shortage of salt due to the economic blockade.

This phrase teaches us that we should help each other as long as it is not the essential field of the conflict.
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【No. 1941】Tayori no Nai no wa Yoi Tayori (便りの無いのは良い便り - No News Is Good News)

Aug 19, 2021 11:53
Tayori no Nai no wa Yoi Tayori

Recently, I haven't been in touch with my sister and brother.

They haven't sent me any messages either, but this fact implies that both we are living safely with no problems.

If you have not heard from someone but want to be relieved by this way of thinking, you can use the saying tayori no nai no wa yoi tayori (便りの無いのは良い便り).

Since tayori (便り) means "letter," nai (無い) means "no/nothing," and yoi (良い) means "good," the literal meaning of tayori no nai no wa yoi tayori is "no letter is a good letter."

This saying is thought to have come from the English saying "No news is good news."
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【No. 1940】Futokoro ga Samui (懐が寒い - Having a Thin Purse)

Aug 18, 2021 13:38
Futokoro ga Samui

In yesterday's post, I introduced the phrase futokoro ga atatakai (懐が暖かい), which means that you have much money in your pocket.

Here, if you use samui (寒い - meaning "cold") instead of atatakai (暖かい - meaning "warm") and say futokoro ga samui (懐が寒い), it means that you have little money in your pocket.

Futokoro (懐) means "inside the chest area of a kimono (traditional Japanese clothing)," which is a place where Japanese people used to keep their wallets.

When having little money, one's inside of the chest area of a kimono would get thin and cold.

Since samui also mean "poor," it fits very well with this phrase that describes having little money.

Unfortunately, futokoro ga samui is more commonly used than futokoro ga atatakai.
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【No. 1939】Futokoro ga Atatakai (懐が暖かい - Having a Fat Purse)

Aug 17, 2021 17:00
Futokoro ga Atatakai

When you have much money in your pocket, it can be described as futokoro ga atatakai (懐が暖かい) in Japanese.

Since futokoro (懐) means "inside the chest area of a kimono (traditional Japanese clothing)," and atatakai (暖かい) means "warm," the literal meaning of futokoro ga atatakai is "one's inside of the chest area of a kimono is warm."

In the past, Japanese people carried their wallets in futokoro of their kimono.

When having much money, one's inside of the chest area of a kimono would get thick and warm.
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【No. 1938】Okarada wo Oitoi Kudasai (お身体をおいといください - Please Take Care of Yourself)

Aug 16, 2021 11:53
Okarada wo Oitoi Kudasai

In yesterday's post, I introduced the phrase gojiai kudasai (ご自愛ください), which means "please take care of yourself."

To mean the same thing, you can also use another phrase, okarada wo oitoi kudasai (お身体をおいといください).

Since o (お) is a polite prefix, karada (身体) means "body," itoi/itou (いとい/いとう) means "to cherish," and kudasai (ください) means "please," okarada wo oitoi kudasai literally means "please cherish your body."

This phrase is a little quaint and is used less frequently these days, but it has an elegant, tender, and gentle impressions.

If you use this at the end of your letters or e-mails, you can make a special impression on the recipient.
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【No. 1937】Gojiai Kudasai (ご自愛ください - Please Take Care of Yourself)

Aug 15, 2021 14:34
Gojiai Kudasai

Recently, more and more people around me have been getting sick.

It is easy to get sick during seasonal changes, extremely hot days, and extremely cold days, so you need to take care of yourself.

In such periods, you can use the Japanese phrase gojiai kudasai (ご自愛ください) at the end of e-mails or letters.

Since go (ご) is a polite prefix, ji (自) means "oneself," ai (愛) means "love," and kudasai (ください) means "please," the literal meaning of gojiai kudasai is "Please love (take care of) yourself."

Here, "love" is used to mean something like "take care of."

Note that it is inappropriate to use this phrase for someone who is already sick.
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【No. 1936】Gin-nagashi (銀流し - Specious)

Aug 14, 2021 21:04
Gin-nagashi

To describe something specious or phony, you can use the Japanese term gin-nagashi (銀流し).

(Young people these days may not use this.)

Since gin (銀) means "silver" and nagashi (流し) means "stream," the literal meaning of gin-nagashi is "streaming silver."

When you stream mercury (liquid silver) onto a copper or another metallic product, it can be made to look like a silver product.

This process is called gin-nagashi.

However, although such products made by gin-nagashi look excellent, these surfaces are easy to peal off and of poor quality.

For this reason, gin-nagashi came to have the meaning of "specious" and "phony."
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【No. 1935】Kareki ni Hana (枯れ木に花 - Regaining Vigor)

Aug 13, 2021 17:28
Kareki ni Hana

When something that was once thought to be in decline regains its vigor, it can be expressed as kareki ni hana (枯れ木に花) in Japanese.

Since kare (枯れ) means "withered," ki (木) means "tree," and hana (花) means "flower," the literal meaning of kareki ni hana is "flowers on a withered tree."

It is very rare that flowers bloom on a withered tree, so you can also use kareki ni hana to mean "something miraculous happened."

Incidentally, I think that most Japanese people are familiar with the phrase Kareki ni hana wo sakase mashō (枯れ木に花を咲かせましょう - "Let's make flowers bloom on withered trees") in the Japanese folktale Hanasaka Jiisan (花咲かじいさん - "Flower-blooming Old Man").
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【No. 1934】Soramimi (空耳 - Hearing Things)

Aug 12, 2021 20:21
Soramimi

These days, I hear a small cry of a kitten in the evening.

However, this might be soramimi (空耳).

Since sora (空) means "sky" or "phantom," and mimi (耳) means "ear" or "hearing," the literal meaning of soramimi is "hearing a phantom."

In other words, soramimi refers to a phenomenon that you feel as if you hear something that is not actually generated.

In addition, soramimi can also express a phenomenon in which foreign lyrics or words sound like your own language.

For example, the English phrase 'You know me?' sounds like yunomi (湯呑み - meaning "(Japanese) teacup") in Japanese.
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【No. 1933】Benkyō (勉強 - Discounting/Study)

Aug 11, 2021 14:03
Benkyō

There is a Japanese term, benkyō (勉強), which means "study."

Japanese language learning textbooks will always explain that benkyō means "study" or something similar.

However, in commercial transactions, benkyō is sometimes used to mean "discounting."

Originally, benkyō meant "to be forced to do something" or "to force oneself."

In other words, forcing oneself for merchants means "discounting."

It is believed that such an indirect expression came to be used because using direct expressions such as takai (高い - meaning "expensive") or nebiki (値引き - meaning "discount") is sometimes impolite in negotiations.
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【No. 1932】Kaya no Soto (蚊帳の外 - Leaving out)

Aug 10, 2021 16:25
Kaya no Soto

Have you ever been ignored or treated unfairly, and found yourself unable to get involved in something?

A person in such a situation is described as kaya no soto (蚊帳の外) in Japanese.

Since kaya (蚊帳) is a net used to protect people from harmful insects such as mosquitoes, which is equivalent to "mosquito (bed) net" in English, and soto (外) means "outside," the literal meaning of kaya no soto is "outside a mosquito net."

Inside a mosquito net is safe, but if you are outside the mosquito net, you will be attacked by mosquitoes or harmful insects.

Because of this, kaya no soto came to have its current meaning.

In addition, it is often used to mean just "leaving someone out."
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【No. 1931】Tatsu Tori Ato wo Nigosazu (立つ鳥跡を濁さず - It Is an Ill Bird that Fouls Its Own Nest)

Aug 9, 2021 13:58
Tatsu Tori Ato wo Nigosazu

Have you ever moved or changed your job?

If so, you probably cleaned up your room or office.

Of course, it is better and should be so to clean up your surroundings before you leave and move to a new place.

This teaching can be expressed as tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu (立つ鳥跡を濁さず) in Japanese.

Since tatsu (立つ) means "to fly off," tori (鳥) means "bird," ato (跡) means "trace," and nigosazu (濁さず) means "don't muddy," the literal meaning of tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu is "a bird that flies off does not muddy the trace (water surface)."

This saying came from the fact that waterfowls fly off beautifully while keeping the water surface from becoming muddy.
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【No. 1930】Shippo wo Maku (尻尾を巻く - Turning Tail)

Aug 8, 2021 17:00
Shippo wo Maku

When there is no way to win, and you admit your defeat, it can be described as shippo wo maku (尻尾を巻く) in Japanese.

Since shippo (尻尾) means "tail" and maku (巻く) means "to roll," the literal meaning of shippo wo maku is "to roll one's tail."

This phrase came from the fact that when an animal such as a dog loses a fight, it runs away while turning its tail between its legs.

In many cases, this phrase is used as shippo wo maite nigeru (尻尾を巻いて逃げる - "to turn one's tail and run away"), by adding nigeru (逃げる), which means "to run away."
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【No. 1929】Ja no Michi wa Hebi (蛇の道は蛇 - The Expert Know Best)

Aug 7, 2021 22:51
Ja no Michi wa Hebi

In yesterday's post, I introduced the saying mochi wa mochiya (餅は餅屋), which means that the expert will always do a much better quality job than amateurs.

Another saying, ja no michi wa hebi (蛇の道は蛇), has a similar meaning to mochi wa mochiya.

Both ja (蛇) and hebi (蛇) has the same Chinese character 蛇, meaning "snake," but ja refers specifically to giant snakes, whereas hebi refers to smaller snakes.

In addition, michi (道) means "path."

Therefore, the literal meaning of ja no michi wa hebi is "the path of a giant snake is (well known to) small snakes."

In other words, snakes understand other snakes well.
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【No. 1928】Mochi wa Mochiya (餅は餅屋 - The Expert Know Best)

Aug 6, 2021 10:28
Mochi wa Mochiya

No matter what the work is, the expert will always do a much better quality job than the amateurs.

To explain this fact, you can use the Japanese proverb, mochi wa mochiya (餅は餅屋).

Since mochi (餅) means "(traditional Japanese) rice cake," and mochiya (餅屋) means "rice cake shop," the literal meaning of mochi wa mochiya is "(good) rice cakes are (sold) in rice cake shops."

In other words, the most delicious rice cakes are made at rice cake shops.

In practice, this proverb is often used when asking experts to repair plumbing or home electronics.
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【No. 1927】Abuku Zeni (あぶく銭 - Easy Money)

Aug 5, 2021 10:11
Abuku Zeni

In yesterday's post, I introduced the saying akusen mi ni tsukazu (悪銭身に付かず), which means that money obtained without hard work can easily go away.

Such money is also called abuku zeni (あぶく銭).

Abuku (あぶく) is short for awabuku (泡吹く), where awa (泡) means "bubble" and buku/fuku (吹く) means "to foam/blow."

In addition, zeni (銭) means "money," so the literal meaning of abuku zeni is "bubbling money."

Money obtained through gambling or illegal means will go away soon just like bubbles.
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【No. 1926】Akusen Mi ni Tsukazu (悪銭身に付かず - Easy Come, Easy Go)

Aug 4, 2021 14:34
Akusen Mi ni Tsukazu

Have you ever won money easily through lottery or gambling?

Even if you obtain money through such gambling or illegal means, you will spend it quickly and won't save.

This can be described as the Japanese saying akusen mi ni tsukazu (悪銭身に付かず).

Since aku (悪) means "bad," sen (銭) means "money," mi (身) means "body," and tsukazu (付かず) means "don't stick to," akusen mi ni tsukazu literally means "bad money (easy money) doesn't stick to one's body."

In my case, even the money I worked hard to earn doesn't stick to me very well.
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【No. 1925】Yausumono Gai no Zeni Ushinai (安物買いの銭失い - Penny Wise and Pound Foolish)

Aug 3, 2021 16:27
Yausumono Gai no Zeni Ushinai

I like to go to 100-yen shops, however, after buying a good, it sometimes breaks down soon.

To describe such a situation, you can use the Japanese proverb yasumono gai no zeni ushinai (安物買いの銭失い).

Since yasu (安) means "cheap," mono (物) means "thing," gai/kai (買い) means "to buy," zeni (銭) means "money," and ushinai (失い) means "to lose," yasumono gai no zeni ushinai literally means "to buy cheap things and lose money."

In other words, the quality of cheap things is often poor, so buying cheap goods means losing more money for replacement or repair.
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【No. 1924】Chōda no Retsu (長蛇の列 - Very Long Line)

Aug 2, 2021 12:42
Chōda no Retsu

A very long line waiting for something can be described as chōda no retsu (長蛇の列) in Japanese.

Since chō (長) means "long," da (蛇) means "scake," and retsu (列) means "line/queue," the literal meaning of chōda no retsu is "long snake's line."

This term was coined from the fact that a very long line looks like a big and long snake.

For example, you can say mōsho no tame, aisu-ya ni chōda no retsu ga dekita (猛暑のためアイス屋に長蛇の列ができた - "Due to the extremely hot day, many people lined up in front of the ice cream shop.").
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【No. 1923】Mizu no Hi (水の日 - Water Day)

Aug 1, 2021 16:50
Mizu no Hi

Today, August 1st, is mizu no hi (水の日), the national day of Japan.

Since mizu (水) means "water" and "hi" (日) means "day," mizu no hi literally means "Water Day."

The purpose of mizu no hi is to promote understanding of the finite nature of water resources and importance of water. On this day, various events related water, such as exhibitions and lectures, are held.

Incidentally, a water-type Pokémon, vaporeon (called "showers" in Japan), was appointed as an ambassador to support mizuno hi this year.

According to the Pokédex (illustrated Pokemon guide), the cellular structure of vaporeons' bodies is similar to that of water.