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【No. 0992】Hūzen no Tomoshibi (風前の灯火 - Hang by A Thread)

Sep 5, 2017 10:30
If you want to say that a thing or a person is in danger, or it is about to disappear, you can use the phrase, "hūzen no yomoshibi" (風前の灯火) in Japanese.

The "hūzen" (風前) means "front of wind," that is to say, "a windy place."

The "tomoshibi" (灯火) means a light with fire, such as a flaring candle, in a literal sense.

If there is a flaring candle in a windy place, obviously the fire will be about to go out, so this phrase has come to have the current meaning.

It seems to be similar to the English phrase, "hang by a thread."
風前の灯火

物事や人が危険にされているときや、今にも消えてしまいそうな危ない状態のことを、日本語で「風前の灯火」と言います。

「風前」は風の前、すなわち風のあたる場所を意味します。

「灯火」は、文字どおり火を灯した明かりを意味します。

風のあたる場所に灯火があると、今にも消えてしまいそうなことから、現在の意味で使われるようになりました。

英語では "hang by a thread" (一本の糸で吊るす)などのように言えるようです。

Corrections (2)

No. 1 Kiwi
  • Hūzen no Tomoshibi (風前の灯火 - Hang by A Thread)
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • If you want to say that a thing or a person is in danger, or it is about to disappear, you can use the phrase, "hūzen no yomoshibi" (風前の灯火) in Japanese.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • The "hūzen" (風前) means "front of wind," that is to say, "a windy place."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • The "tomoshibi" (灯火) means a light with fire, such as a flaring candle, in a literal sense.
  • The "tomoshibi" (灯火) means a light with fire, such as a lit candle in the literal sense.
  • If there is a flaring candle in a windy place, obviously the fire will be about to go out, so this phrase has come to have the current meaning.
  • If there is a burning candle in a windy place, obviously the fire will be about to go out, so this phrase has come to have the current meaning.
  • It seems to be similar to the English phrase, "hang by a thread."
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

語句の豆知識はまた一個増えた!

Toru
Thank you very much always for correcting my post! (^^)
No. 2 Pajh
  • If there is a flaring candle in a windy place, obviously the fire will be about to go out, so this phrase has come to have the current meaning.
  • If there is a lit candle in a windy place, obviously the flame will be in danger of going out, so this phrase has come to have the current meaning.

We also have the phrase 'Like a candle in the wind".
Excellent writing, well done!

Toru
Thank you so much for correcting me and letting me know that!
I learned something new :)

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