【No. 0885】Itashi Kayushi (Mixed Blessing)
In such a case, I think that it's difficult to decide whether or not you should do that.
We call this situation "itashi kayushi （痛し痒し）" in Japanese.
"Itashi" (痛し) means "painful," "kayushi" (痒し) means "itchy," and the idiom "itashi kayushi" implies a situation that it will be painful if you scratch at a spot (e.g., where is stung by an insect) of your body, and it will be itchy if you don't scratch there.
That is to say, this idiom means a situation where it's difficult to decide what you should do because both choices have good aspects and bad aspects.
I don't want to be in such a situation, itashi kayushi.
何かをしたいと思っても、それをすると困ることがあるかもしれません。
そんな時、それをすべきかどうか、判断に苦しむことになると思います。
このような状況を、日本語では「痛し痒し」と言うことがあります。
「痛し痒し」は、「掻けば痛い、しかし掻かなければ痒い」という状況を表しています。
すなわち、どちらをとっても良い面と悪い面があり、どうすれば良いか判断できない状況を指します。
このような状況にはなりたくないものです。
Corrections (2)
- If you do what you want to do, some problems may happen.
-
If you do what you want to do, some problems may happen.
This is grammatical, but a more idiomatic way to write it would be:
"If you only do what you want, some issues may arise."
- In such a case, I think that it's difficult to decide whether or not you should do that.
- In such a case, I think that it's difficult to decide whether or not you should do that thing.
- We call this situation "itashi kayushi （痛し痒し）" in Japanese.
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- "Itashi" (痛し) means "painful," "kayushi" (痒し) means "itchy," and the idiom "itashi kayushi" implies a situation that it will be painful if you scratch at a spot (e.
-
"Itashi" (痛し) means "painful," "kayushi" (痒し) means "itchy," and the idiom "itashi kayushi" implies a situation that it would will be painful if you were to scratch at a spot (e.
We need the subjunctive "would" and "were to" here, because the "situation" mentioned is only theoretical (if you do this, this happens; if you do that, that happens).
- g., where is stung by an insect) of your body, and it will be itchy if you don't scratch there.
-
g., where you were is stung by an insect) on of your body, but and it would be will be itchy if you didn't don't scratch there.
Still subjunctive here as well.
- That is to say, this idiom means a situation where it's difficult to decide what you should do because both choices have good aspects and bad aspects.
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- I don't want to be in such a situation, itashi kayushi.
- I don't want to be in such a situation, like itashi kayushi.
There is a pretty similar idiom in English which is very common. It's called a "double-edged sword" (e.g., "The situation is a double-edged sword.")
It's called that because it's like a sword where both edges are sharp, so if you try to cut someone with it, you will also cut yourself.
There's even another one, which I think is more of an American idiom, but I'm not sure: "You're damned if you do, damned if you don't." This is a bit more vulgar obviously, so you wouldn't be able to use it in some situations, but it's also very common (in America at least).
Thank you so much for the correcting my post!
Actually, there is an idiom "moroha no tsurugi," that corresponds to "double-edged sword."
I wrote about that in the following post:
http://lang-8.com/kanotown/journals/159081980167889056295251896924256504780
Also, I didn't know the idiom, "You're damned if you do, damned if you don't." I think that it's indeed similar.
Thank you for letting me know that :)
- If you do what you want to do, some problems may happen.
- When it comes to doing something that you want to do, some problems may happen.
- That is to say, this idiom means a situation where it's difficult to decide what you should do because both choices have good aspects and bad aspects.
- That is to say, this idiom means a situation where it's difficult to decide what you should do because both choices have both good and bad side-effects.
- I don't want to be in such a situation, itashi kayushi.
- I don't want to be in such situation.
Interesting! I guess choosing the lesser evil will have to suffice.
Thank you so much always for correcting me!
You have a point there :)
You're welcome!