【No. 1538】Temae Miso (手前味噌 - Self-Praise)
Mar 5, 2019 22:15
Temae Miso
I think that everyone sometimes wants to compliment oneself.
Such an action can be described as temae miso (手前味噌) in Japanese.
Te (手) means "hand," mae (前) means "front," and the combination temae (手前) means "at hand" or "oneself."
In addition, miso (味噌) means "fermented soybean paste," but it can also mean "an ingenuity point" or "a claim to fame" because miso was made by each house's unique formula.
Therefore, temae miso came to have the meaning of "pride" or "self-praise."
[Example] Temae miso desuga, musuko wa kasikoi desu (手前味噌ですが、息子は賢いです - "I don't mean to brag, but my son is clever").
I think that everyone sometimes wants to compliment oneself.
Such an action can be described as temae miso (手前味噌) in Japanese.
Te (手) means "hand," mae (前) means "front," and the combination temae (手前) means "at hand" or "oneself."
In addition, miso (味噌) means "fermented soybean paste," but it can also mean "an ingenuity point" or "a claim to fame" because miso was made by each house's unique formula.
Therefore, temae miso came to have the meaning of "pride" or "self-praise."
[Example] Temae miso desuga, musuko wa kasikoi desu (手前味噌ですが、息子は賢いです - "I don't mean to brag, but my son is clever").
手前味噌
誰でも、自分自身のことを褒めたくなることがあると思います。
そのような行為のことを、日本語で「手前味噌」と表現することがあります。
「手」は "hand"、「前」は "front" を意味し、「手前」で「自分の目の前」や「自分自身」を表します。
また、「味噌」は "fermented soybean paste" を意味する言葉ですが、味噌はかつて各家庭で工夫をこらして作られていたことから、「工夫点」や「自慢とする点」を意味することもあります。
このことから、「手前味噌」は「自慢」の意味を持つようになったというわけです。
【例文】手前味噌ですが、息子は賢いです。
誰でも、自分自身のことを褒めたくなることがあると思います。
そのような行為のことを、日本語で「手前味噌」と表現することがあります。
「手」は "hand"、「前」は "front" を意味し、「手前」で「自分の目の前」や「自分自身」を表します。
また、「味噌」は "fermented soybean paste" を意味する言葉ですが、味噌はかつて各家庭で工夫をこらして作られていたことから、「工夫点」や「自慢とする点」を意味することもあります。
このことから、「手前味噌」は「自慢」の意味を持つようになったというわけです。
【例文】手前味噌ですが、息子は賢いです。
Corrections (1)
No. 1 sjstrauss
- Temae Miso (手前味噌 - Self-Praise)
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- Temae Miso
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- I think that everyone sometimes wants to compliment oneself.
- I think that everyone sometimes wants to compliment themselves.
- Such an action can be described as 'temae miso' (手前味噌) in Japanese.
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- 'Te' (手) means "hand," 'mae' (前) means "front," and the combination 'temae' (手前) means "at hand" or "oneself."
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- In addition, 'miso' (味噌) means "fermented soybean paste," but it can also mean "an ingenuity point" or "a claim to fame" because miso was made by each house's unique formula.
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- Therefore, 'temae miso' came to have the meaning of "pride" or "self-praise."
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- [Example] 'Temae miso desuga, musuko wa kasikoi desu' (手前味噌ですが、息子は賢いです - "I don't mean to brag, but my son is clever").
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
I heard someone use the phrase "toot my own horn" in English the other day and wondered what that would be in Japanese... I think this is kind of the same thing :) interesting post, as always.
Toru
Thank you so much for correcting my post and letting me know the interesting idiom!
> I think this is kind of the same thing
It may be so, but 手前味噌 also contains the nuance of condescension.:)
Thank you so much for correcting my post and letting me know the interesting idiom!
> I think this is kind of the same thing
It may be so, but 手前味噌 also contains the nuance of condescension.:)