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
CultureEssayEtymologyHistoryIdiomJapanese traditionProverbSlangUncorrected Toru Aug 23, 2021Jan 02, 2024 cowardly, Heian period, inside, lion at home, monk, Musashibo Benkei, outside, strength, synonym, uchi Benkei Uchi Benkei (内弁慶 – A Lion at Home and a Mouse Abroad) Uchi Benkei 内弁慶 A person who is strong and domineering inside the house, but cowardly outside, is called uchi Benkei 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
EssayEtymologyHistoryUncorrected Toru Aug 27, 2018Jan 01, 2024 0 Comments bamboo, get back, meditation, monk, pay back, Zen Shippe Gaeshi (しっぺ返し – Paying Back) Shippe Gaeshi しっぺ返し When someone does something bad to you, if you pay him/her in the same coin, the act Read More