CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiUncorrected Toru Nov 04, 2017Jan 03, 2024 bottom, Buddhism, hell, idiom, Japanese, naraku no soko, rock bottom, Sanskrit, severe situation, translation Naraku no Soko (奈落の底- Abyss) Naraku no Soko 奈落の底 A severe situation that you can’t turn around is called “naraku no soko” (奈落の底) in Japanese. Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionSlangUncorrected Toru Oct 20, 2017Jan 03, 2024 crucifixion, demand, expression, hipparidako, idiom, Japanese, octopus, popular, punishment, sinner Hipparidako (引っ張りだこ – Sought After) Hipparidako 引っ張りだこ Have you ever seen a person who is in great demand from many people? 多くの人から求められるような人を見たことがありますか? Or perhaps are Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionUncorrected Toru Oct 03, 2017Jan 03, 2024 control, etymology, freedom, hame wo hazusu, harness, horses, idiom, Japan, take off Hame wo Hazusu (羽目を外す – Getting Carried Away) Hame wo Hazusu 羽目を外す Have you ever had too much fun and let yourself get carried away? 調子に乗って度を過ごしたことはありますか? Such an Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyHistoryIdiomJapanese traditionSlangUncorrected Toru Aug 24, 2017Jan 03, 2024 Asakusa, chacha wo ireru, cooling down, craftsmen, hiyakasu, idiom, Japanese, prostitutes, tease, Yoshiwara Hiyakasu (冷やかす – Bantering) Hiyakasu 冷やかす Yesterday, I introduced the Japanese idiom, “chacha wo ireru” (茶々を入れる), which means to tease someone by saying something Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiOnomatopoeiaSlangUncorrected Toru Aug 23, 2017Jan 03, 2024 chacha wo ireru, conversation, disturb, etymology, idiom, jaja, Japanese, kanji, tea, unnecessary Chacha wo Ireru (茶々を入れる – Teasing) Chacha wo Ireru 茶々を入れる Have you ever broken into a conversation of others, and said unnecessary things or cracks? 他人の会話に横から入り、余計なことや冷やかしを言ったことはありますか? Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiOnomatopoeiaProverbUncorrected Toru Aug 21, 2017Jan 03, 2024 drunk, fiber spinning, idiom, Japanese, kuda, maku, monotonous, repeatedly, spindle, talk Kuda wo Maku (管を巻く – Blathering) Kuda wo Maku 管を巻く Today I’d like to talk about the Japanese idiom, “kuda wo maku” (管を巻く). 今日は「管を巻く」という慣用句を紹介します。 Here, the Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionKanjiUncorrected Toru Aug 20, 2017Jan 03, 2024 culture, embellish, exaggerate, expression, idiom, Japanese, kanji, meaning, phrase, proverb Shinshō Boudai (針小棒大 – Making Mountains out of Molehills) Yesterday, I introduced the Japanese idiom, “ohire wo tsukeru” (尾ひれを付ける), which menas to embellish or exaggerate a story using something Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomJapanese traditionProverbSlangUncorrected Toru Aug 13, 2017Jan 03, 2024 attitude, custom, idiom, Japanese, literal, manners, meaning, metaphor, phrase, respect Zu ga Takai (頭が高い – Haughty) Zu ga Takai 頭が高い Yesterday, I introduced the Japanese phrase, “me ga takai” (目が高い), the literal meaning of which is Read More
CultureEssayEtymologyIdiomUncorrected Toru Aug 12, 2017Jan 03, 2024 choose, etymology, eye, high, idiom, Japanese, killifish, medaka, superior Me ga Takai (目が高い – Having a Good Eye) There is the Japanese idiom, “me ga takai” (目が高い). 目が高い The “me” means “eye,” and the “takai” means “high,” so Read More