【No. 2176】Ryūtō Dabi (竜頭蛇尾 - Anticlimax)
Oct 6, 2023 21:34
Ryūtō Dabi
A situation where one starts off impressively but loses momentum at the end can be expressed with the four-character idiom, ryūtō dabi (竜頭蛇尾).
Ryū (竜) means "dragon," tō (頭) means "head," da (蛇) means "snake," and bi (尾) means "tail," making literal meaning of this idiom "dragon head, snake tail."
In other words, it means that while the beginning (head) is magnificent like a dragon, the end (tail) is thin and weak like a snake.
It is believed that this four-character idiom originated in an ancient Chinese Buddhist Scriptures.
Incidentally, you can use ko (虎 - meaning "tiger") instead of ryū (竜) and say kotō dabi (虎頭蛇尾), which retains the same meaning as ryūto dabi.
A situation where one starts off impressively but loses momentum at the end can be expressed with the four-character idiom, ryūtō dabi (竜頭蛇尾).
Ryū (竜) means "dragon," tō (頭) means "head," da (蛇) means "snake," and bi (尾) means "tail," making literal meaning of this idiom "dragon head, snake tail."
In other words, it means that while the beginning (head) is magnificent like a dragon, the end (tail) is thin and weak like a snake.
It is believed that this four-character idiom originated in an ancient Chinese Buddhist Scriptures.
Incidentally, you can use ko (虎 - meaning "tiger") instead of ryū (竜) and say kotō dabi (虎頭蛇尾), which retains the same meaning as ryūto dabi.
竜頭蛇尾
最初は威勢がよいけれど、最後のほうでは勢いがなくなることを、「竜頭蛇尾」という四字熟語で表現することができます。
「竜」は "dragon"、「頭」は "head"、「蛇」は "snake"、「尾」は "tail" を意味するので、「竜頭蛇尾」の文字どおりの意味は "dragon head, snake tail" となります。
頭（最初）は龍のように立派でも、尻尾（最後）は蛇のように細く頼りないということです。
この四字熟語は、古代中国の仏教書に由来するとされています。
「竜」の代わりに "tiger" を意味する「虎」を使い「虎頭蛇尾」としても、同じ意味の四字熟語になります。
最初は威勢がよいけれど、最後のほうでは勢いがなくなることを、「竜頭蛇尾」という四字熟語で表現することができます。
「竜」は "dragon"、「頭」は "head"、「蛇」は "snake"、「尾」は "tail" を意味するので、「竜頭蛇尾」の文字どおりの意味は "dragon head, snake tail" となります。
頭（最初）は龍のように立派でも、尻尾（最後）は蛇のように細く頼りないということです。
この四字熟語は、古代中国の仏教書に由来するとされています。
「竜」の代わりに "tiger" を意味する「虎」を使い「虎頭蛇尾」としても、同じ意味の四字熟語になります。
Corrections (2)
No. 1 O-Star
- Ryūtō Dabi (竜頭蛇尾 - Anticlimax)
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- Ryūtō Dabi
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- A situation where one starts off impressively but loses momentum at the end can be expressed with the four-character idiom, 'ryūtō dabi' (竜頭蛇尾).
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- 'Ryū' (竜) means "dragon," 'tō' (頭) means "head," 'da' (蛇) means "snake," and 'bi' (尾) means "tail," making literal meaning of this idiom "dragon head, snake tail."
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- In other words, it means that while the beginning (head) is magnificent like a dragon, the end (tail) is thin and weak like a snake.
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- It is believed that this four-character idiom originated in an ancient Chinese Buddhist Scriptures.
- It is believed that this four-character idiom originated in an ancient Chinese Buddhist Scripture.
- Incidentally, you can use 'ko' (虎 - meaning "tiger") instead of 'ryū' (竜) and say 'kotō dabi' (虎頭蛇尾), which retains the same meaning as 'ryūto dabi'.
- Incidentally, you can use 'ko' (虎 - meaning "tiger") instead of 'ryū' (竜) and say 'kotō dabi' (虎頭蛇尾), which has/retains the same meaning as 'ryūto dabi'.
Toru
Thank you for the correction!
Thank you for the correction!
O-Star
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
No. 2 friendfromfaraway
- A situation where one starts off impressively but loses momentum at the end can be expressed with the four-character idiom, 'ryūtō dabi' (竜頭蛇尾).
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
- 'Ryū' (竜) means "dragon," 'tō' (頭) means "head," 'da' (蛇) means "snake," and 'bi' (尾) means "tail," making literal meaning of this idiom "dragon head, snake tail."
- 'Ryū' (竜) means "dragon," 'tō' (頭) means "head," 'da' (蛇) means "snake," and 'bi' (尾) means "tail," making the literal meaning of this idiom "a dragon's head, a snake's tail."
- Incidentally, you can use 'ko' (虎 - meaning "tiger") instead of 'ryū' (竜) and say 'kotō dabi' (虎頭蛇尾), which retains the same meaning as 'ryūto dabi'.
- This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
I like this idiom! It's very descriptive.
Toru
Thank you for correcting my entry!
Thank you for correcting my entry!