Yubi wo Kuwaeru (指をくわえる - Enviously)

Yubi wo Kuwaeru

When you can't do anything while feeling envious of something, it can be described as 'yubi wo kuwaeru' (指をくわえる) in Japanese.

'Yubi' (指) means "finger" and 'kuwaeru' (くわえる) means "to suck" or "to put in," the literal meaning of "yubi wo kuwaeru" is "to suck one's finger."

Here, in particular, the finger means "index finger."

This phrase comes from the fact that children suck their index finger when they can't get what they want.

[Example] Kare wa yubi wo kuwaete sono shouhin wo miteita (彼は指をくわえてその商品を見ていた - "He looked enviously at that product.")

指をくわえる

何かをうらやましく思いながらも何もできずにいることを、日本語で「指をくわえる」と言います。

「指」は "finger"、「くわえる」は "to suck/to put in" を意味するので、「指をくわえる」の文字通りの意味は "to suck one's finger" となります。

ここでの「指」は、特に「人差し指」を意味しています。

この表現は、子どもが何かを欲しくても手に入らないとき、指をくわえて我慢するようすから生まれました。

【例文】彼は指をくわえてその商品を見ていた。

• Yubi wo Kuwaeru (指をくわえる - Enviously)
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Yubi wo Kuwaeru
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• 'Yubi' (指) means "finger" and 'kuwaeru' (くわえる) means "to suck" or "to put in," the literal meaning of "yubi wo kuwaeru" is "to suck one's finger."
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• Here, in particular, the finger means "index finger."
• Here, in particular, the "finger" means "index finger."

  "the finger" isn't incorrect but in English we sometimes omit 'the' or 'a' when referring to something we already spoke of before in the conversation so that it isn't too redundant. Finger also gets quotation marks just like "index finger" in this sentence.

• This phrase comes from the fact that children suck their index finger when they can't get what they want.
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

• [Example] Kare wa yubi wo kuwaete sono shouhin wo miteita (彼は指をくわえてその商品を見ていた - "He looked enviously at that product.")
• This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!

Everything was correct in this journal! I appreciate the Japanese lesson that came with it, haha