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【No. 1902】Oshinobi (お忍び - Incognito)

Jul 11, 2021 12:38
Oshinobi

When a high-ranking or famous person goes out secretly being careful not to be seen, it can be descried as ishinobi (お忍び) in Japanese.

Since o (お) is a polite prefix and shinobi (忍び) means "to hide" or "to do something secretly," Oshinobi literally means "to do something (go out) secretly."

Here, the Chinese character 忍 used in shinobi is the same as the character 忍 use in ninja (忍者).

Oshinobu is originally used for a hi-ranking or famous person, but it can also be used for various people.

For example, you can say oshinobi de ryokō ni iku (お忍びで旅行に行く) to mean "I travel incognito."
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【No. 1901】Roten Buro (露天風呂 - Outdoor Hot Spring Bath)

Jul 10, 2021 06:54
Roten Buro

I like to take an roten buro (露天風呂).

Since roten (露天) means "open-air" and buro/furo (風呂) means "bath," roten buro literally means "open-air bath."

Here, note that "open-air bath" in Japan usually refers to "outdoor hot spring bath."

It is very pleasant to take an outdoor hot spring bath in nature while seeing a beautiful scenery. Unfortunately, I have not been able to take a hot spring bath in over two years due to COVID-19.

Incidentally, roten can also be written as 露店, which means "street stall."
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【No. 1900】Fugen Jikkō and Yūgen Jikkō (不言実行と有言実行 - Action before Words / Walking the Talk)

Jul 9, 2021 08:54
Fugen Jikkō and Yūgen Jikkō

To do what you have to do without saying a word is described as a four-character idiom, fugen jikkō (不言実行).

Since fu (不) is a negative prefix, gen (言) means "saying," and jikkō means "doing," fugen jikkō literally means "doing without saying."

On the other hand, if you use a positive prefix yū (有) instead of fu and say yūgen jikkō (有言実行), it can means "walking the talk."

In the past, in Japan, fugen zikkō was considered good, but in recent years, yūgen zikkō tends to be considered better.
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【No. 1899】Wara ni mo Sugaru (わらにもすがる - Act of Desperation)

Jul 8, 2021 10:08
Wara ni mo Sugaru

Have you ever relied on something useless when you were driven into a corner?

Such a situation can be described as wara ni mo sugaru (わらにもすがる) in Japanese.

Since wara (わら) means "straw" and sugaru (すがる) means "to rely on," the literal meaning of wara ni mo sugaru is "to rely on even a straw."

This expression was coined from the fact that drowning people would clutch at a straw in front of them, even though such an act has little meaning.
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【No. 1898】Gunte (軍手 - Work Gloves)

Jul 7, 2021 12:46
Gunte

White knitted work gloves is called gunte (軍手) in Japanese.

The term gunte is an abbreviation for gun-yō tebukuro (軍用手袋).

Since gunyō (軍用) means "military' and tebukuro (手袋) means "gloves," the literal meaning of gunyō tebukuro is "military gloves."

This term came from the fact that such gloves were once used by former soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army. However, gunte is now widely used by the general public as inexpensive and durable work gloves.

Incidentally, one of the gunte gloves is sometimes left on the road in Japan.

This is thought to be because track drivers cover the fuel tank caps with gunte.
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【No. 1897】Ishi no Ue ni mo San-nen

Jul 6, 2021 10:14
Ishi no Ue ni mo San-nen

Today I would like to introduce a Japanese proverb, ishi no ue ni mo san-nen (石の上にも三年).

Imagine the true meaning of the proverb from its literal meaning.

Since ishi (石) means "stone," ue (上) means "on," san (三) means "three," and nen (年) means "year," the literal meaning of ishi no ue ni mo san-nen is "three years on a stone."

Even if a stone is hard and cold, if you sit on the stone for a long time, such as three years, it will become warm.

Therefore, this proverb means that perseverance and patience will always bring good result one day.
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【No. 1896】Mune wo Utsu (胸を打つ - Moving One's Heart)

Jul 5, 2021 19:45
Mune wo Utsu

To move or strike someone's heart strongly is expressed as mune wo utsu (胸を打つ) in Japanese.

Since mune (胸) means "heart" and utsu (打つ) means "to strike," the literal meaning of mune wo utsu is "to strike someone's heart."

This phrase comes from the fact that when you strongly moved by something, you feel as if your heart was struck. In English, you can use "to strike someone's heart" to express the same meaning.

To express that you are moved by something, you can say mune wo utareru (胸を打たれる) by changing the word utsu to the passive form.
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【No. 1895】Mushi ga Sukanai (虫が好かない - Just Don't Like)

Jul 4, 2021 13:37
Mushi ga Sukanai

When you do not like something without a specific reason, it can be expressed as mushi ga sukanai (虫が好かない) in Japanese.

Since mushi (虫) means "insect" and sukanai (好かない) means "do not like," the literal meaning of mushi ga sukanai is "an insect does not like it."

In the Edo period, people thought that insects lived in human bodies and affected their emotions and consciousness.

In other words, this phrase implies that "I do not know why, but the insect inside my body hates it."
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【No. 1894】Shiri ni Hi ga Tsuku (尻に火がつく - Urgent)

Jul 3, 2021 18:06
Shiri ni Hi ga Tsuku

When something is imminent and you are in a state of panic, it can be express as shiri ni hi ga tsuku (尻に火がつく) in Japanese.

Since shiri (尻) means "buttocks," hi (火) means "fire," and tsuku (つく) means "on," the literal meaning of shiri ni hi ga tsuku is "one's buttocks on fire."

Imagine a situation where a fire is approaching right behind you.

You have no choice but to run forward, do you?

This phrase is a metaphor for such a very dangerous situation.
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【No. 1893】Mi wo Musubu (実を結ぶ - "Bearing Fruit")

Jul 2, 2021 15:26
Mi wo Musubu

When efforts lead to good results, it can be expressed as mi wo musubu (実を結ぶ) in Japanese.

Since mi (実) means "fruit," and musubu (結ぶ) usually means "to tie," but here it means "to bear."

That is to say, the literal meaning of mi wo musubu is "to bear fruit."

If you grow a plant, and it bears a fruit, that is definitely a good result.

Because of this, mi wo musubu came to have the above meaning.

Of course, it can also be used to mean its literal meaning.

Interestingly, the English idiom "bear fruit" means "yield positive results" too.
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【No. 1892】Kao ni Doro wo Nuru (顔に泥を塗る - Making Someone Lose Face)

Jul 1, 2021 11:01
Kao ni Doro wo Nuru

To put someone to shame or to make someone lose face is expressed as kao ni doro wo nuru (顔に泥を塗る) in Japanese.

Since kao (顔) means "face," doro (泥) means "mud," and nuru (塗る) means "to put on," the literal meaning of kao ni doro wo nuru is "to put mud on someone's face."

Here, the word kao (顔) represents someone's "honor" or "prestige."

In other words, this phrase says that to smear someone's honor or prestige with mud is equivalent to put someone to shame.
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【No. 1891】Kata wo Kasu (肩を貸す - Lending a Hand)

Jun 30, 2021 17:56
Kata wo Kasu

To assist or help someone is expressed as kata wo kasu (肩を貸す) in Japanese.

Since kata (肩) means "shoulder" and kasu (貸す) means "to lend," the literal meaning of kata wo kasu is "to lend one's shoulder."

Of course, this phrase can mean its literal meanings: such as "to lend (use) one's shoulder to carry something" or "to lend (use) one's shoulder as a support for a person to stand up."

As you can guess, these acts of lending one's shoulder are usually done for helping someone, which is how this phrase came to have the above meaning.
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【No. 1890】Kao ni Momiji wo Chirasu (顔に紅葉を散らす - Being Flushed)

Jun 29, 2021 13:01
Kao ni Momiji wo Chirasu

In yesterday's post, I introduced the phrase kao kara hi ga deru (顔から火が出る), which means to feel embarrassed and blush.

There is a similar expression, kao ni momiji wo chirasu (顔に紅葉を散らす).

Since kao (顔) means "face," momiji (紅葉) means "autumn leaves," and chirasu (散らす) means "to strew," the literal meaning of kao ni momiji wo chirasu is "to strew autumn leaves on one's face."

As you can imagine, this phrase compares the redness of a flushed face to the redness of autumn leaves.

This phrase is mainly used to describe a woman's immediate blush of embarrassment.
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【No. 1889】Kao kara Hi ga Deru (顔から火が出る - One's Face Burned with Shame)

Jun 28, 2021 08:46
Kao kara Hi ga Deru

When you feel very embarrassed about something and blush with shame, it can be described as kao kara hi ga deru (顔から火が出る) in Japanese.

Since kao (顔) means "face," hi (火) means "fire," and deru (出る) means "to come out," the literal meaning of kao kara hi ga deru is "fire comes out of one's face."

You will feel very hot in the face when you are so embarrassed that your face turned red.

This phrase compares the heat in one's face to the heat so hot that it could start a fire.
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【No. 1888】Shinkei Suijaku (神経衰弱 - Concentration)

Jun 27, 2021 09:56
Shinkei Suijaku

One of the most famous games with playing cards in Japan is shinkei suijaku (神経衰弱).

In this game, players try to find pairs of numbers from the 52 cards (except for Joker) that are spread out face down on the table.

In English, it is called "Concentration" or "Memory."

Since shinkei (神経) means "nerve" and suijaku (衰弱) means "weakening," the literal meaning of shinkei suijaku is "nerve weakening."

It is said that this name came from the fact that this game is nerve-wracking.

I did not care about it when I was child, but the phrase shinkei suijaku shiyō (神経衰弱しよう - literally meaning "let's play nerve weakening") may sound horrible.
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【No. 1887】Hyaku mo Shōchi, Nihyaku mo Gatten (百も承知、二百も合点 - Being Fully Aware)

Jun 26, 2021 15:33
Hyaku mo Shōchi, Nihyaku mo Gatten

In yesterday's post, I introduced the phrase hyaku mo shōchi (百も承知), which means to be well aware of something.

This phrase uses hyaku (百 - meaning "hundred") to emphasize the meaning of shōchi (承知 - meaning "knowing").

If you want to further emphasize the meaning of hyaku mo shōchi, you can add nihyaku mo gatten (二百も合点).

Nihyaku (二百) means "two hundreds" and gatten (合点) means "knowing" or "making sense."

In other words, hyaku mo shōchi, nihyaku mo gatten (百も承知、二百も合点) literally means "I know a hundred (percent), and it makes sense two hundreds (percent)."
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【No. 1886】Hyaku mo Shōchi (百も承知 - Being Well Aware)

Jun 25, 2021 17:18
Hyaku mo Shōchi

When you are well aware of something without someone pointing it out to you, it can be expressed as hyaku mo shōchi (百も承知) in Japanese.

Since hyaku (百) means "hundred" and shōchi (承知) means "knowing," the literal meaning of hyaku mo shōchi is "knowing a hundred (percent)."

In Japan, the number hyaku (百 - "hundred") is often used to represent "sufficiency" or "completeness," so the phrase hyaku mo shōchi has the above meaning.

I wrote "In Japan," however, the number "a hundred" probably represents "completeness" even in many countries around the world.
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【No. 1884】Hanashi ni Hana ga Saku (話に花が咲く - Talk and Talk)

Jun 24, 2021 08:46
Hanashi ni Hana ga Saku

Have you ever had a conversation that was so fun that you talked about many things one after another?

Such a situation can be described as hanashi ni hana ga saku (話に花が咲く) in Japanese.

Since hanashi (話) means "talk," hana (花) means "flower," and saku (咲く) means "to bloom," the literal meaning of hanashi ni hana ga saku is "flowers bloom on a talk."

Flowers bloom on a tree all at once in a short time, so by comparing a talk to the tree, this phrase was coined.

To mean the same thing, you can also say hanashi ga hazumi (話が弾む - literally meaning "a talk bounds"), by using the word hazumu (弾む - meaning "to bound").
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【No. 1885】Hiza wo Majieru (膝を交える - Talking Friendly)

Jun 24, 2021 19:34
Hiza wo Majieru

To have a friendly talk with someone is expressed as hiza wo majieru (膝を交える) in Japanese.

Since hiza (膝) means "knee" and majieru (交える) means "to intersect," the literal meaning of hiza wo majieru is "to intersect one's knee and someone's knee."

In other words, this phrase says that having a talk so close that two people's knees are intersected suggests a close relationship.

However, it is not desirable to talk with someone at a physically close distance in the current situation where COVID-19 is spreading.
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【No. 1883】Minazuki (水無月 - June)

Jun 22, 2021 11:00
Minazuki

In Japan, when referring to months such as "January" or "May," we almost always say the number of the month (1-12) first, followed by gatsu (月 - meaning "month").

However, in the past, Japanese people used a unique way of referring to months, called wafū getsumei (和風月名 - literally meaning "Japanese-style month names"), which is still sometimes used.

Now, June is minazuki (水無月).

Since mi/mizu (水) means "water," na (無) usually means "no/nothing" but here it means "of," and zuki/tsuki (月) means "month," the literal meaning of minazuki is "month of water."

It is said that the name minazuki came from the fact that people let water flow to a rice field in this month.