Hokusoemu (ほくそ笑む - Smiling Inwardly)

Hokusoemu

Have you ever smiled inwardly as a result of something going well as expected?

Such an act is called 'hokusoemu' (ほくそ笑む) in Japanese.

'Emu' (笑む) means "to smile."

'Hokuso' (ほくそ) comes from the Chinese 北叟 (hokusō - meaning "an old man live in the North"), which especially refers to an old man 塞翁 (Saiou) in ancient Chinese stories.

Since Saiou (hokusō) always smiled inwardly even if good or bad things happened, the term 'hokusoemu' came to have its current meaning.

Incidentally, 'hokusoemu' is the only Japanese term that uses 'hokuso'.

ほくそ笑む

何かがうまくいき、一人ひそかに笑ったことはありますか？

そのような行為を日本語で「ほくそ笑む」と言います。

「笑む」は、"to smile" を意味します。

そして「ほくそ」は、北方に住む老人を意味する「北叟」のことであり、ここでは特に中国故事に登場する「塞翁」のことを指します。

塞翁は、良いことがあっても悪いことがあっても、いつもうすら笑みを浮かべていたため、「ほくそ笑む」という言葉が生まれたそうです。

「ほくそ」という言葉は、日本語ではこの「ほくそ笑む」の中でだけ使われます。

• Hokusoemu (ほくそ笑む - Smiling Inwardly)
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

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

• Have you ever smiled inwardly as a result of something going well as expected?
• Have you ever smiled inwardly to yourself as a result of something going well, just as expected?

• Such an act is called 'hokusoemu' (ほくそ笑む) in Japanese.
• TSuchis feeliang act is called 'hokusoemu' (ほくそ笑む) in Japanese.

  "Such an act" sounds technical or clinical to me.

• 'Hokuso' (ほくそ) comes from the Chinese 北叟 (hokusō - meaning "an old man live in the North"), which especially refers to an old man 塞翁 (Saiou) in ancient Chinese stories.
• 'Hokuso' (ほくそ) comes from the Chinese word 北叟 (hokusō - meaning "an old man who live in the North"), which especially refers to thean old man 塞翁 (Saiou) found in ancient Chinese stories.

• Since Saiou (hokusō) always smiled inwardly even if good or bad things happened, the term 'hokusoemu' came to have its current meaning.
• Since Saiou (hokusō) always smiled inwardly toeven himself whether good or bad things happened, the term 'hokusoemu' came to have its current meaning.

  "Whether ___ or ____" is used to say if something is one way or the other.

• Incidentally, 'hokusoemu' is the only Japanese term that uses 'hokuso'.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

That's very interesting! I don't know if we have a similar saying in English.

• Such an act is called 'hokusoemu' (ほくそ笑む) in Japanese.
• Such a response is called 'hokusoemu' (ほくそ笑む) in Japanese.

  That is, the inward smile is in response to something favorable.
  
  This correction is just another option. There really is nothing wrong with your sentence. :)

• 'Hokuso' (ほくそ) comes from the Chinese 北叟 (hokusō - meaning "an old man live in the North"), which especially refers to an old man 塞翁 (Saiou) in ancient Chinese stories.
• 'Hokuso' (ほくそ) comes from the Chinese 北叟 (hokusō - meaning "an old man who lives in the North"), which particularly refers to the old man 塞翁 (Saiou) in ancient Chinese stories.

  Another option is the word "specifically".

Good posts! Keep it up! :)