Tōge wo Kosu (峠を越す - Getting over the Hump)

Tōge wo Kosu

Three days ago, I introduced the Japanese word 'tōge' (峠), which means 'mountain pass."

There is an idiom that uses this word -- it is 'tōge wo kosu' (峠を越す).

Since 'kosu' (越す) means "over," the literal meaning of 'tōge wo kosu' is "(cross) over a mountain pass."

Of course, this idiom can be used to express its literal meaning.

In addition, since 'tōge' implies a crisis, 'tōge wo kosu' can also mean to get over or pass a crisis term/status/situation.

You can translate it into English as "get over the hump."

峠を越す

三日前、私は "mountain pass" を意味する「峠」という言葉を紹介しました。

「峠」を使った慣用句に、「峠を越す」があります。

「越す」は "over" を意味するので、「峠を越す」の文字どおりの意味は "over a mountain pass" となります。

この慣用句は、もちろん文字どおりの意味を表すこともあります。

加えて、「峠」は危険な状況を示唆することから、「峠を越す」は危険な時期や状態を乗り越えることも意味します。

• You can translate it into English as "get over the hump."
• You can translate it into English as "get over the hump."

  "hump" also has other meanings, eg:
  
  http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/12/10-common-british-expressions-baffle-americans
  
  It also appears in expressions of a sexual nature.
  
  Personally, I would translate 峠を越える as "to be/get over the worst of it" (最悪のところを後にする) or something like that ("we've weathered the worst of it" by analogy with 漕ぎ着ける).