Taikoban wo Osu (太鼓判を押す - Guaranteeing)

Taikoban wo Osu

Yesterday, I introduced you to the term 'machigai-nai' (間違いない), which means that there is no doubt that something/someone is good.

Today, I would like to introduce another term having a similar meaning, 'taikoban wo osu' (太鼓判を押す).

'Taiko' (太鼓) means "Japanese-style drum," 'han/ban' (判) means "seal" (emblem), and 'osu' (押す) means "to put something" or "to stamp."

'Taikoban' can literally mean a big seal like a drum, but originally, it meant Japanese-style drum-like decorations that were stamped on an edge of golden coins.

Since these stamped coins mean that their values were guaranteed, 'taikoban wo osu' came to mean to guarantee that something/someone is good/valuable.

太鼓判を押す

昨日は、何かや誰かが良いもので間違いないことを意味することができる「間違いない」という言葉を紹介しました。

今日は、それとよく似た意味を持つ「太鼓判を押す」という慣用句を紹介します。

「太鼓」は "Japanese-style drum." 「判」は "seal" (emblem), 「押す」は "to put something" や "to stamp" を意味します。

「太鼓判」は文字通り太鼓のように大きな判子の意味も持ちますが、もともとは日本の金貨の縁につけた、太鼓の皮留めのような装飾を指しました。

太鼓判が押された金貨はその価値が保証されたことを意味するため、「太鼓判を押す」は「物や人が優れていることを保証する」ことを意味するようになったというわけです。

What an excellent evocative idiom!

• Taikoban wo Osu (太鼓判を押す - Guaranteeing)
• Taikoban wo Osu (太鼓判を押す - Guaranteeing something)

  or To guarantee something

• 'Taiko' (太鼓) means "Japanese-style drum," 'han/ban' (判) means "seal" (emblem), and 'osu' (押す) means "to put something" or "to stamp."
• 'Taiko' (太鼓) means "Japanese-style drum", 'han/ban' (判) means "seal" (or emblem), and 'osu' (押す) means "to put something" or "to stamp."

• Since these stamped coins mean that their values were guaranteed, 'taikoban wo osu' came to mean to guarantee that something/someone is good/valuable.
• Since these stamps meant that the values of the coins were guaranteed, 'taikoban wo osu' came to mean to guarantee that something/someone is good/valuable.

Hi Toru
your English is very good

Andrew