Hiniku (皮肉 - Sarcasm/Irony)

I heard that English has many sarcasm and irony.

Sarcasm and irony are called hiniku (皮肉) in Japanese.

Hi (皮) means "skin" and niku (肉) means "flesh," so the literal meaning of hiniku is "skin and flesh."

This word came from the Buddhist term hiniku-kotsuzui (皮肉骨髄), which was used by Daruma Daishi (the founder of a Buddhist sect) to evaluate his desciples.

Kotsu (骨 - bone) and zui (髄 - marrow) imply "essential understanding," whereas hi (皮 - skin) and niku (肉 - flesh) imply "surface understanding."

Since hi and niku was a critical evaluation, hiniku came to have its current meaning.

皮肉

英語には多くの皮肉表現（sarcasm/irony）があると聞きました。

"Sarcasm" や "irony" は日本語で「皮肉」と言われます。

「皮」は "skin," 「肉」は "flesh" を意味するので、「皮肉」の文字通りの意味は "skin and flesh" となります。

「皮肉」の語源は、仏教で達磨大師が弟子たちの修行の評価に使った言葉「皮肉骨髄」にあります。

「骨」と「髄」はそれぞれ「本質的な理解」を示唆し、それに対して「皮」と「肉」は「表面的な理解」を示唆しています。

「皮」と「肉」は批判的な評価であることから、「皮肉」は現在の意味を持つようになったというわけです。

• Hiniku (皮肉 - Sarcasm/Irony)
• Hiniku (皮肉 - Sarcasm/Irony)

  Sarcasm and irony are two entirely different things. The fact that 皮肉 is translated as both makes me suspect that it is probably neither of them.

• I heard that English has many sarcasm and irony.
• I heard that English speakers often use sarcasm and irony.

  Sarcasm and irony are not specific expressions; they are ways of speaking.

• Sarcasm and irony are called hiniku (皮肉) in Japanese.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Hi (皮) means "skin" and niku (肉) means "flesh," so the literal meaning of hiniku is "skin and flesh."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• This word came from the Buddhist term hiniku-kotsuzui (皮肉骨髄), which was used by Daruma Daishi (the founder of a Buddhist sect) to evaluate his desciples.
• This word came from the Buddhist term hiniku-kotsuzui (皮肉骨髄), which was used by Daruma Daishi (the founder of a Buddhist sect) to evaluate his disciples.

• Kotsu (骨 - bone) and zui (髄 - marrow) imply "essential understanding," whereas hi (皮 - skin) and niku (肉 - flesh) imply "surface understanding."
• Kotsu (骨 - bone) and zui (髄 - marrow) imply "essential understanding," whereas hi (皮 - skin) and niku (肉 - flesh) imply "superficial understanding."