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【No. 1521】Hōmu shikku (ホームシック - Homesickness)

Feb 17, 2019 01:44
Hōmu shikku

Five days have passed since I came to Italy, and I am gradually becoming hōmu shikku (ホームシック).

Hōmu shikku is a nostalgic feeling that you want to back to your hometown or home, and it comes from the English term "homesick."

However, note that "homesick" is an adjective, whereas hōmu shikku is a noun. (In other words, hōmu shikku can be translated as "homesickness.")

Incidentally, you can say kaikyō-byō (懐郷病) instead of hōmu shikku.

Since kai (懐) means "nostalgia," kyō (郷) means "home/hometown," and byō (病) means "sick," the literal meaning of the combination is "a sick that you feel nostalgic about your home/hometown."

【No. 1522】Suri (スリ - Pickpocket)

Feb 17, 2019 14:10
Suri

Today is the last day of my stay in Italy, and I will visit Venice.

In sightseeing areas where there are many people such as Venice, you have to be careful about suri (スリ).

Suri means an act of stealing money or goods from someone's bag or pocket without being seen, or a person who does that.

There are several theories about its etymology, but one theory explains that it comes from the fact that karada wo kosuri tsukeru (体を擦り付ける - literally means "to rub one's body (against other's body)" while stealing.

Incidentally, according to the Internet, suris (pickpockets) in Venice pretend to tourists, so you need to pay close attention.
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【No. 1519】Ikken Rakuchaku (一件落着 - Problem Solved)

Feb 15, 2019 07:31
Ikken Rakuchaku

Today, my presentation at an academic conference was finally finished.

To describe such a situation, you can use the four-character idiom ikken rakuchaku (一件落着).

I/ichi (一) means "one," ken (件) means "case," raku (落) means "to fall," chaku (着) means to land, so the literal meaning of this idiom is "one case falls and lands."

Here, rakuchaku (落着) is an idiom meaning that something is settled or resolved.

That is to say, ikken rakuchaku means that one thing/case is settled or solved.
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【No. 1520】Makuhiki (幕引き - Closing a Curtain)

Feb 15, 2019 22:07
Makuhiki

The academic conference in which I am participating is approaching makuhiki (幕引き).

Makihiki means that things or events end.

Since maku (幕) means "curtain" and hiki (引き) means "to draw," the literal meaning of the combination is "to draw a curtain" or "to lower a curtain."

Originally, this term meant to lower the curtain of a play to end it, or a person who had a role of that.

From that, its meaning was extended, and it has been used to not only plays but also various things or events.

【No. 1518】Nigashita Sakana wa Ookii (逃した魚は大きい)

Feb 14, 2019 04:41
Nigashita Sakana wa Ookii

Today, I knew that I missed a very big chance.

However, something that you were about to get but missed may looks greater than it is.

There is a proverb to express the fact; it is nigashita sakana wa ookii (逃がした魚は大きい).

Nigashita (逃がした) means "missed," sakana (魚) means "fish," and ookii (大きい) means "big," so the literal meaning of this proverb is "the missed fish was big."

Anyway, in order not to regret, I will try to seize a chance as soon as it comes in front of me.

【No. 1517】Bottakuri (ぼったくり - RIp-Off)

Feb 12, 2019 23:51
Bottakuri

I am in Italy now.

Unfortunately, today I experienced bottakuri (ぼったくり) at a pizza store.

Bottakuri means to be requested an exorbitant fee.

I ordered one kebab of four euros.

After placing the money on a tray, it was picked up by the store owner.

In addition, when the kebab was made, he further claimed four euros.

I complained several times that I had already paid for the kebab, but he did not get my message.

Probably, the first four euros on which I placed was regarded as a payment for a pizza of another person (In fact, another person ordered and received a piece of pizza, and it seemed that he did not pay money).

Eventually, I paid eight euros in total -- it was very frustrating.
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【No. 1516】Kara Shucchō (カラ出張 - A Fake Business Trip)

Feb 11, 2019 12:42
Kara Shucchō

I work at a university and sometimes go on a business trip using public research spending.

Unfortunately, kara shucchō (カラ出張) is often taken up as a problem in Japan.

Kara (カラ/空) means "empty" and shucchō (出張) means "business trip," so the literal meaning of kara shucchō is "an empty business trip."

As its literal meaning implies, kara shucchō means a fraudulent act of claiming expenses such as transportation or accommodation expenses, despite not actually going on a business trip.

Of course, if you do kara shucchō and someone finds it, you will be strictly punished.

Incidentally, since I will go on a business trip to Italy for a week from tomorrow, the frequency of posting on Lang-8 might be reduced.
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【No. 1515】Sihan Seiki (四半世紀 - Quarter-Century)

Feb 10, 2019 23:49
Sihan Seiki

Today, I found the expression shihan seiki (四半世紀) when reading a novel.

Shi (四) means "four," han (半) means "half," and seiki (世紀) means "century."

I think that it is easy to guess what it means -- shihan seiki means a quarter of a century, that is, twenty-five years.

In many cases, we just say nijū-go nen (25年 - literally means "twenty-five years"), but by using shihan seiki, the wording/sentence will become more formal.

In addition, it can emphasize the length of the 25 years.
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【No. 1513】Jigou Jitoku (自業自得 - Having It Coming)

Feb 9, 2019 00:36
Jigou Jitoku

Yesterday, I introduced you to the Japanese idiom boketsu wo horu (墓穴を掘る), which means to make a factor that ruins yourself with your own hands.

Today, I would like to talk about the four-character idiom jigou jitoku (自業自得), which has a similar meaning to boketsu wo horu.

Ji (自) means "oneself," gou (業) means "deed," and toku (得) means "profit."

Originally, this idiom was a Buddhist term and is usually used to mean that your good or bad deed give you what you deserve.

However, these days, this idiom is usually used to mean that you pay a price for your bad behavior.
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【No. 1514】Yatsuatari (八つ当たり - Misdirected Anger)

Feb 9, 2019 22:12
Yatsuatari

Today, I did an act called yatsuatari (八つ当たり).

Yatsuatari means that when you get angry with something, you lose calmness and take your anger out on unrelated people for no reason.

Yatsu (八つ) means "eight" and atari (当たり) means "to hit" or "to bump," the literal meaning of yatsuatari is "to bump something eight times (or eight directions)."

In Japan, when describing every direction in the surroundings, we use the number eight, such as happou (八方 - literally "eight directions")

That is to say, yatsuatari implies that you take your anger out toward surroundings.
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【No. 1512】Boketsu wo Horu (墓穴を掘る - Digging One's Own Grave)

Feb 7, 2019 22:18
Boketsu wo Horu

I sometimes do an act that is referred to as boketsu wo horu (墓穴を掘る) in Japanese.

Boketsu wo horu is an idiom that means to make a factor that ruins yourself with your own hands.

Bo (墓) means "grave" or "burial," ketsu (穴) means "hole" or "pit," and horu (掘る) means "to dig," so the literal meaning of this idiom is "to dig a burial pit/grave."

It is omitted in the Japanese writing, but this idiom implies that the burial pit/grave is one's own.

In English, it can be translated as "to dig one's own grave" or "to dig oneself into a hole."
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【No. 1511】Ippai Ippai (いっぱいいっぱい - Having One's Hands Full)

Feb 6, 2019 18:31
Ippai Ippai

I have been in a state called ippai ippai (いっぱいいっぱい).

Ippai ippai means that there is almost no time to do something or something has reached the limitation.

Ippai (いっぱい) is written as 一杯 in kanji -- i/ichi (一) means "one" and pai/hai (杯) means "cup" or "bowl," so the literal meaning of the combination is "a cup of something" or "a bowl of something."

In addition, the characters 一杯 can mean that a cup/bowl is full of something.

That is to say, ippai ippai implies that such a state of limit.
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【No. 1510】Tsutsu Uraura (津津浦浦 - All Over the Country)

Feb 5, 2019 15:49
Tsutsu Uraura

To describe "all over the country" or "throughout the land," you can use the four-character idiom tsutsu uraura (津津浦浦).

Tsu (津) means a dock or a harbor, and ura (浦) means a cove or a coast, so the literal meaning of this idiom is "harbors and coasts."

Japan is an island country and is surrounded by the sea.

Because of this, marine traffic using ships in Japan has been developed for a long time ago, and there are many docks throughout this country.

The idiom tsutsu uraura was borne from this fact.

You can also write it as 津々浦々 by using 々, which means repetition.
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【No. 1509】Chinese New Year

Feb 4, 2019 23:00
Chinese New Year

Today is the eve of Chinese New Year.

Chinese (Lunar) New Year is celebrated in several Asian countries, such as China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, etc.

In particular, China celebrates grandly it -- seven days from the eve of Chinese New Year are holidays in China.

Since there are Chinese students in my laboratory, they held a sui-gyoza (水餃子 - boiled pot stickers) party today.

We ate a lot of sui-gyoza, and now we are being so full.

I feel sorry that they can't rest for seven days because they live in Japan.
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【No. 1508】Ehoumaki (恵方巻 - Lucky Direction Roll)

Feb 3, 2019 20:31
Ehoumaki

February 3rd is setsubun (節分).

Setsubun is the day before the beginning of spring (February 4th), and various traditional events are held on this day.

Among them, ehoumaki (恵方巻) is familiar to Japanese people.

E (恵) means "lucky," hou (方) means "direction," and maki (巻) means "roll."

Ehoumaki is a sushi roll which is considered to bring good luck by eating it silently while facing the direction ehou.

I also ate ehoumaki today.

However, in recent years, the massive disposal of unsold ehoumaki has been a problem.
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【No. 1507】Yuiitsu Muni (唯一無二 - One and Only)

Feb 2, 2019 23:36
Yuiitsu Muni

If you want to express something that is only one thing in the world, you can use the four-character idiom yuiitsu muni (唯一無二).

Yui (唯) means "only," itsu/ichi (一) means "one," mu (無) means "nothing" or "no," and ni (二) means "two."

Therefore, yuiitsu (唯一) means "only one," muni (無二) means "there are not two," and the combination is "it is only one, there are no same things."

This idiom is often used when describing a very important thing.

You can translate it into English as "one and only."
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【No. 1506】Mondō Muyō (問答無用 - No Discussion)

Feb 1, 2019 23:32
Mondō Muyō

To mean that discussion is pointless, you can use the four-character idiom mondō muyō (問答無用).

Mon (問) means "question," dō/tō (答) means "answer," mu (無) means "no" or "nothing," and yō (用) means "errand" or "need."

Therefore, mondō (問答) means "questions and answers," muyō (無用) means "unnecessary," and the combination means "unnecessary discussion."

This idiom is often used to end a wasteful discussion forcibly.

[Example of use]

Ryokō saki wa kanojo ga mondō muyō de kimeta (旅行先は彼女が問答無用で決めた - "My girlfriend decided the trip destination with no discussion").
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【No. 1505】Tatetsuku (盾突く - Defying)

Jan 31, 2019 22:34
Tatetsuku

To defy or talk back to a person of higher rank is referred to as tatetsuku (盾突く) in Japanese.

Tate (盾) means "shield" and tsuku (突く) means "to thrust" or "to prod," so the literal meaning of this term is "to thrust a shield."

In other words, this term implies that you resist against enemy's attacks by thrusting a shield into the ground.

Originally, this was said as tate wo tsuku (盾を突く) with the particle wo (を), but these days, I think that most people say tatetsuku for short.
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【No. 1504】Fumin Fukyū (不眠不休 - Without Sleep or Rest)

Jan 30, 2019 22:58
Fumin Fukyū

When you do something without sleeping or resting, it is referred to as fumin fukyū (不眠不休) in Japanese.

Fu (不) is a negative prefix, min (眠) means "to sleep," and kyū (休) means "to rest."

Therefore, fumin (不眠) means "no sleep," fukyū (不休) means "no rest," and the combination means "no sleep no rest" or "without sleep or rest."

Basically, this idiom is used to express that someone makes an effort without rest to achieve something.

However, if you do something without sleep or rest, you cannot concentrate on it, so it is not recommended.

[Example of use]

Fumin fukyū de hataraku (不眠不休で働く - I work without sleep or rest).
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【No. 1503】Doro no You ni Nemuru (泥のように眠る - Sleeping like a Log)

Jan 29, 2019 22:11
Doro no You ni Nemuru

I will doro no you ni nemuru (泥のように眠る) tonight.

Do ro no you ni nemuru means that you have a deep sleep as much as anyone can't awake you.

Doro (泥) means "mud," no you ni (のように) means "like," and nemuru (眠る) means "to sleep," so the literal meaning of this phrase is "to sleep like mud."

It is thought that this phrase comes from an imaginary marine creature 泥 (dei), which appears in ancient Chinese stories.

Since this creature has no bones, it would become like mud and stop moving when getting out of the sea.