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【No. 1020】Hame wo Hazusu (羽目を外す - Getting Carried Away)

Oct 3, 2017 21:07
Have you ever had too much fun and let yourself get carried away?

Such an act is called "hame wo hazusu" (羽目を外す) in Japan.

It is said that the "hame" of "hame wo hazusu" comes from "hami/hame" (馬銜), which is a rod-like metal harness that is used to control horses.

If you take the hame off from a horse ("hazusu" means to take something off), the horse will act freely and you won't able to control it.

Because of this, "hame wo hazusu" (taking a harness off) has come to have the current meaning.
羽目を外す

調子に乗って度を過ごしたことはありますか?

そのようなことを、日本語では「羽目を外す」と言います。

「羽目」は、馬を制するために口に噛ませる棒状の金具「馬銜(はみ、はめ)」から来ているとされています。

この馬銜を外すと、馬は自由に行動するようになり、手が付けられなくなります。

このことから、「羽目を外す」は度を過ごすという意味で使われるようになりました。

Corrections (1)

No. 1 David
  • Hame wo Hazusu (羽目を外す - Getting Carried Away)
  • Hame wo Hazusu (羽目を外す - Getting Carried Away)

    It's perfect but I have one question. You wrote the "wo" without capitalizing the W. Was that intentional, because you were following the common capitalizing method for titles or just a mistake? If it was intentional, cool.

  • Have you ever had too much fun and let yourself get carried away?
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • It is said that the "hame" of "hame wo hazusu" comes from "hami/hame" (馬銜), which is a rod-like metal harness that is used to control horses.
  • It is said that the "hame" of "hame wo hazusu" comes from "hami/hame" (馬銜), which is a rod-like metal harness that is used to control horses.

    The rod-like part that is put in the horse's mouth is called a bit over here.

    Instead of harness you might use bridle. A bridle is used if you're just riding a horse. A harness is used if you you connect the horse to something like a wagon.

    On second thought, thanks to Google, I think you are right,. a hame is part of a harness. It's from Old Dutch.

  • If you take the hame off from a horse ("hazusu" means to take something off), the horse will act freely and you won't able to control it.
  • If you take the hame off from a horse ("hazusu" means to take something off), the horse will act freely and you won't able to control it.

    Your's is a good sentence.

    Just one point, the hame is part of a harness so you'd really need to take the harness off.

    Didn't now anything until I Googled it. ;o)

  • Because of this, "hame wo hazusu" (taking a harness off) has come to have the current meaning.
  • Because of this, "hame wo hazusu" (taking a harness off) has come to have the current meaning.

    Perfect. You jumped from hame to harness which confused me earlier.

Toru
Thank you so much for correcting my post!

> You wrote the "wo" without capitalizing the W. Was that intentional, because you were following the common capitalizing method for titles or just a mistake?
Yes, I intentionally wrote that. Since Japanese case particles, such as が (ga), を (wo), and に (ni), are like an preposition in English, so I don't think that I need to capitalize them.

> Instead of harness you might use bridle.
Thank you for letting me know the word. I searched for 'bridle' on Google Images, and now I think that it's more appropriate than 'harness.'

> On second thought, thanks to Google, I think you are right,. a hame is part of a harness.
Oh, I didn't know about the fact. It's unexpected and interesting :)

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