Dasoku

Today, I will talk about the Japanese word "dasoku."

"Da" means "snake," "soku" means "feet," and "dasoku" expresses "superfluous things" or "unnecessary acts."

(Google translate said that dasoku is "icing on the cake.")

The etymology of dasoku is derived from the following Chinese story:

In the country of Chu, alcohol was given to servants in a festival.

However, since it was small in amount, they decided that only the first person who finished drawing a snake can drink all of the alcohol.

A man finished drawing a snake, and he added the snakes feet while grabbing the alcohol, but his victory became invalid because snakes don't have feet.

From this story, dasoku (snake's feet) comes to express "superfluous things."

Japanese people sometimes say "it might be dasoku, but ..." when we state our opinions in a condescending attitude.

蛇足

今日は「蛇足」という日本語を紹介します。

「蛇」は "snake," 「足」は "feet" を意味し、「蛇足」は「余計なもの、不要な行為」などを表します。

蛇足の語源は、以下の中国の故事に由来します。

楚の国で、先祖を祭る行事の際、召し使いたちに酒が振る舞われました。

しかし全員で飲むには少ない量だったため、彼らは蛇の絵を最初に描き終えた者が飲めるということにしました。

最も早く描けた者は、酒を手に取り余裕を見せながら蛇に足を描き加えたところ、「蛇に足はない」ことからその者の勝利は無効となってしまいました。

このことから、「蛇足」は「余計なもの」を表すようになったとされています。

日本人は意見を述べるときなど、謙遜の意味を込めて「蛇足かもしれませんが」のように使うことがあります。

• Dasoku
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Today, I will talk about the Japanese word "dasoku."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• "Da" means "snake," "soku" means "feet," and "dasoku" expresses "superfluous things" or "unnecessary acts."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• (Google translate said that dasoku is "icing on the cake.")
• (Google translate said that dasoku is "icing on the cake.")

  Not sure "icing on the cake", is quite right.
  
  Maybe "like putting a fifth wheel on a car" would be better. A 5th wheel would be unnecessary; superfluous. :)

• The etymology of dasoku is derived from the following Chinese story:
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• In the country of Chu, alcohol was given to servants in a festival.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• However, since it was small in amount, they decided that only the first person who finished drawing a snake can drink all of the alcohol.
• However, since it was small in amount, they it was decided that only the first person who finished drawing a snake can drink all of the alcohol.

  Who are "they"?
  Since we don't know, it is better to say "it was decided". :)

• A man finished drawing a snake, and he added the snakes feet while grabbing the alcohol, but his victory became invalid because snakes don't have feet.
• A man finished drawing a snake, and he added the snakes feet while grabbing the alcohol, but his victory became invalid because snakes don't have feet.

  This is excellent!
  However, you could say:
  "A man finished drawing a snake and went to grab the alcohol. But, he drew feet. His victory was invalid because snakes don't have feet.

• From this story, dasoku (snake's feet) comes to express "superfluous things."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Japanese people sometimes say "it might be dasoku, but ..." when we state our opinions in a condescending attitude.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

Your English is near perfect!
I really struggled to correct you because there was practically nothing that was incorrect!

Your story about Dasoku is really interesting, though. :)
I will certainly remember it.