CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiProverbSlangUncorrected Toru Aug 01, 2023Jan 02, 2024 Buddhist term, connotation, death, defeat, fault, Japanese idiom, ōjōgiwa ga warui, refuse Ōjōgiwa ga Warui (往生際が悪い – Bad Loser) Ōjōgiwa ga Warui 往生際が悪い The Japanese idiom, ōjōgiwa ga warui (往生際が悪い), is used to describe people who try to refuse Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyHistoryIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiProverbUncorrected Toru Aug 26, 2021Jan 02, 2024 12th century, Benkei, Buddhist term, die standing, get stuck, Heian period, Minamoto no Yoshitune, monk, Musashibo Benkei, tachi ōjō Benkei no Tachi Ōjō (弁慶の立ち往生 – Getting Stuck) Benkei no Tachi Ōjō 弁慶の立ち往生 Two years ago, I introduced the term tachi ōjō (立ち往生), which means “to get stuck” Read More
EssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiUncorrected Toru Jul 05, 2019 0 Comments Amitabha Buddha, Buddha, Buddhist term, depend, other, power, rely, rely on, true, wish, work Tariki Hongan (他力本願 – Relying on Someone) Tariki Hongan 他力本願 Relying on someone or leaving your work to someone is sometimes called tariki hongan (他力本願) in Japanese. Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomUncorrected Toru May 06, 2019 0 Comments Buddhist term, four-character idiom, monk, mountain, place, play, see, sightseeing, temple, thing, training, Zen Monomi Yusan (物見遊山 – Sightseeing) Monomi Yusan 物見遊山 I would like to do Monomi Yusan (物見遊山) sometimes. たまには「物見遊山」したいものです。 Since mono (物) means “thing,” mi (見) Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyUncorrected Toru Apr 03, 2019 0 Comments Buddhist term, dead, death, die, gridlock, incapable, injury, platform, stand, state, traffic accident, train Tachi Ōjō (立ち往生 – Gridlock) Tachi Ōjō 立ち往生 A traffic accident causing injury or death happened yesterday near the center of Tokyo, and many trains Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyUncorrected Toru Feb 23, 2019 0 Comments Buddhist term, crucial, election, field, important, operations, phase, right mind, seek, situation, stage, truth, university Shōnenba (正念場 – A Crucial Phase) Shōnenba 正念場 In the meeting of my university several days ago, the word ‘shōnenba‘ (正念場) was used to the university Read More
EssayEtymologyIdiomUncorrected Toru Feb 08, 2019Feb 09, 2019 0 Comments bad, behavior, Buddhist term, deed, deserve, factor, four-character idiom, good, have it coming, oneself, price, profit, ruin Jigou Jitoku (自業自得 – Having It Coming) Jigou Jitoku 自業自得 Yesterday, I introduced you to the Japanese idiom ‘boketsu wo horu‘ (墓穴を掘る), which means to make a Read More
EssayEtymologyHistoryIdiomUncorrected Toru Jan 14, 2019 0 Comments Buddhism, Buddhist term, dark, darkness, doubt, doubts, heart, mind, ogre, suspicion, trivial thing Gishin Anki (疑心暗鬼 – Doubts Beget Doubts) Gishin Anki 疑心暗鬼 Today, I saw a person who has a mind called ‘gishin anki‘ (疑心暗鬼). 私は今日、「疑心暗鬼」になっている人を見ました。 This four-character idiom Read More
EssayEtymologyHistoryUncorrected Toru Oct 21, 2018 0 Comments bothersome, Buddhist term, measure, rocky mountain, stroke, troublesome, willing Okkū(億劫 – Bothersome) Okkū 億劫 If you want to describe a feeling that you are not willing to do something because of bothersome, Read More